in the streets of Brussels. Finally,
proportional representation was promised all round, and became law for
both the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate at the latter end of
1899. In Brussels, where there are 18 seats to be filled, a trial
election had already been held in 1893 with satisfactory results. Six
lists were nominated, the largest being that of the Socialists, who
nominated ten candidates; and over 12,000 electors voted. Each elector
was allowed 18 votes, and the methods in which he could distribute them
were somewhat complicated. He might (1) mark at the head of a list, (2)
mark at the head of a list and also opposite one or more candidates on
the same list, (3) mark opposite the names of not more than 18
candidates on any list. In the first case his 18 votes counted to the
list marked, in the second case one vote was counted to each of the
individual candidates marked and the balance counted for the list; in
the third case one vote was counted to each candidate marked. The
aggregate of votes marked at the head of each list, plus the individual
votes on the list, was then taken as the basis of proportional
distribution. So many of the votes were cumulated on lists that only
about one-fifth of the votes cast were operative in the selection of
candidates.

In the bill which has recently become law a new method has therefore
been adopted, which gives more power to the party committees, but allows
the electors to modify their choice. For this purpose the party
organization nominates the candidates in order of preference. The
elector may then accept this order by marking at the head of the list,
or he may give his vote to any one candidate on the list. If all the
electors of a party vote in the first way, those nominated highest on
the list, to the number to which the party becomes entitled, are
elected. But if all the electors vote in the second way, those with the
highest single votes are elected. The actual result will usually be a
compromise between the two, and it is evidently the interest of the
party organization to place the candidates in their real order of
favour, in order that the electors may accept the list. For if an
unpopular candidate were placed at the head of the list few would accept
it.

The first election under this system has just taken place, and the
result was, as expected, to reduce the Clerical representation
considerably.

In all the above variations of the Free List system th