PROGRESSIVE AND PROSPEROUS BELGIUM

New Zealand Tablet, 5 September 1912, Page 17

PROGRESSIVE AND PROSPEROUS BELGIUM

. T+T- —— * RELIGIOUS ORDERS AND THEIR WORK During the weeks which have elapsed since the general election held early in June (says a writer in the Catholic Bulletin), little Belgium has loomed large in the public eye. Congratulations have been showered upon the Catholic Party for the magnificent endorsement given it at the polls on June 2. , The ‘ Combine’ of Liberals and Socialists, which has not inappropriately been compared to the French ‘ Bloc,’ used every means to defeat the Catholic Government which has held the reins of power since the memorable election of 1884. In the conflict the opposition met its Waterloo and it may be safely asserted that, apart from all other considerations, the Catholic Government was returned to power as a reward for the splendid administration which it has given to Belgium for twenty-eight years and in order that it may continue to lead that country along the road to progress and prosperity, in every sphere of human activity. The Government’s Record. That these twenty-eight years of Catholic rule have been a blessing to Belgium is evidenced by the following facts and statistics: In 1884 when the Catholic Party came into power the value, of the annual imports and exports amounted to 2,768,000,000 francs; now it is 7.764.000. This increase is attributable to the economic development which has taken place as a result of the building of canals, the opening of seaports, and the control of the railroads by the Government. In proportion to its population Belgium occupies the first place in commercial importance among the nations. In 1884 the deposits in savings banks amounted to 165.000. francs. In 1911 it totalled nearly 2.000. francs. In the Pension Fund, which did not exist twenty-eight years ago, there is now deposited close to 200,000,000 francs. This is sufficient to show how devoid of foundation was the argument brought forward by the ‘ Combine ’ against the Government that it was leading the country into bankruptcy. At the fall of the Liberal Government in 1884 agriculture in Belgium was in a very precarious condition. Farming and cattle raising did not produce one-half what they now produce. Since the Catholic Party came into power it has done everything possible to aid agricultural development. It has spent more than 150.000. francs in promoting scientific and intensive farming so that nowadays the Belgians are second to none in agricultural pursuits, and there is truth in the saying of a well-known traveller ho described Belgium as ‘ Brussels surrounded by one big garden.’ Futhermore, the Catholic Party has placed the finances of Belgium on an excellent footing. The annual deficit under the Liberal Government has given way to an annual surplus. This was not brought about by increased taxation; on the contrary, the taxes have been either lowered or entirely removed on tobacco, sugar, coffee, salt, and several other industrial products. Only in one instance have the taxes been increased, and that is on the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages. This increased taxation on alcoholic products has had the effect of diminishing in a notable degree the consumption of these beverages. The proceeds, however, are not used to enrich the state treasury, but are distributed among the twenty-five hundred Belgian communes, or cities and villages, in the proportion of one franc to every inhabitant. In this way all the communal treasuries have been benefited. In Aid of the Working Class. In social work Belgium is a model for the whole world. Each year 35,700,000 francs are spent on social laws, and this without increasing the taxes. Thousands of Belgians draw one franc a day from the pension fund. And here it may be added that the cost of living in Belgium is much less than in America, and one franc (20 cents) goes as far in Belgium as a dollar in America. The old age pension granted to all people of sixty-five years or over who are in need costs the

country 18,000,000 francs annually, : and has ‘ been in operation for the past twelve years. One of the greatest pieces of social legislation in Belgium is that which provides facilities for working people to reach the scenes of their labors at the smallest possible cost. This was achieved by the establishment of very-cheap workingmen’s trains to carry the laborers to the big centres of employment, which the Government runs at an annual loss of 10,000,000 francs. Moreover, the Government has expended more than 100,000,000 francs in erecting homes for working people, of which more than 150,000 have been built all over the country. The working people are privileged by law to borrow money from the Government Savings Banks at a very low rate of interest to built houses of which, after a few years, they become the Owners by paying the amount borrowed in annual instalments. It is worthy of note that all these laws in favor of the working classes and farmers were passed by the Catholic Party, their opponents unanimously voting against them. " The Religious Orders and their Work. The animus of the recent campaign of slander waged by the ‘Combine’ against the Religious Orders is evident when we consider that in Belgium, as elsewhere, the burden of charitable work is borne by the Religious Orders. Thus, for instance, the Brothers of Charity direct nine asylums for the insane with 6500 inmates; six hospitals for crippled children with 1180 inmates; four institutions with 361 deaf mutes and 160 blind persons; four homes with 570 old people; fortyfour schools for abandoned .children with 15,000 pupils. The Sisters of Charity take care of 2624 insane people, tend 1880 sick and teach 8837 children in their schools and orphanages. In this enumeration no mention is made of numberless other hospitals, orphanages, and charitable institutions conducted by members of Religious Orders of both sexes. In the matter of education alone the Catholics of Belgium have saved the treasury 3,040,000,000 francs since 1830 by their educational institutions of all kinds. But with all that, it was against these communities of holy men and women that the ‘ Combine’ raged and poured out its vilest slander ! No wonder the good sense and religious, instincts of the people of Belgium were found on the side of right. Catholic Belgium chose the better part when it showed more emphatically than ever before that it did not want to have anything to do with the ‘Combine.’ It has shown Rs confidence in the Catholic Party as the exponent and defender of religion, authority, and liberty, and the promoter of public welfare; and the record of that Government for more than a quarter of a century shows that this confidence is not misplaced.