The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-12


ton OF either house to compel the attendance OF
absentees; and for want Of sucn An enactrnenstt
seemed, this time last year, as II the whole basi-
ness OF the country must come 20 standst. In
deed. 10 did come to standsttli Tor weeks to-
gether, or very nearly Honorable members
could not be induced to come TO Rome. Day alter
day the issue OF the iarce-liRe meeting OF the
Chamber was the same. save for the increasing
urgency OF poor Sfgnor Btanoheri's approximations
and lamentations "He fannented to announce"
&C, &c. .'He had again the grea' grief OF deciar-
ing,r &C., &C. at was with feelings OF sorrow and
Illumination that he once again had the painful
task,r &c., &c. And the days went on, and IL
seemed probable that the busny ron-gray wnis
kers OF Siynor Biancheri would be brought with
sorrow TO the grave. the matter was becoming
very serious, and all sorts OF remedies were dis
cussed In political circles and in the public press
Adopt the English plan, and reduce the legal quo
rum to forty, or some other comparatively small
NUMBER chorus OF dIsapprobation arose on all
sides, and the similarity OF the objections
used by either political party were very
amusing. ''Impossible II such handful
could transact business there would be no end
to the tricks Of those villains OF the Right" or
1--WE should have the world turned topsy turvy
by the surprises OF those scamps of the Lertr &C.
cordng to the af1nitles Of the speaker. On all
sides the mistrust ana fear OF being tricked, SO
eminently characteristic OF Italy when 10 was pro-
posed TO enact that gwen number OF absences
without regularly asked and DOT aimed leave should
sps0 Jfco vacate the seat. But to this 1t was re-
piled tnot the vacated seats would have to be
filed by new members, whose conduct In the mat
TER OF attendance would be no whit better than
that OF those they replaced. 1t was urged, Ia fact
that Italy in the present phase OF lts social
condition does not and cannot supply SUFFICIENT
number OF men capable OF serving their country In
Parliament with asslduity and gratultously. The
reader Is PROBABLY aware that the Italian Deputies
receive no saary.) Avery large proportion OIL the
members are professional men, who are dependent
for the support Of themselves ana their families on
professional work. And how ID this TO be made
compatible with residence in Rome for some
seven or eight months OF the year 2 The difnculty
is met, so far as is practcaDe, by giving the men,
bers Of the Legislature the privilege OF unlimited
gratutous travelling on the railways and steam
boats throughout the country. This enables MEM
beers to dash up to Rome, vote In the Chamber and
rush back again, often without even sleeping in
the capital Votes are thus obtained; but 1t can
hardly be supposed that the business OF legislation
gains much by the contributions Of these migra-
tory legislators to Its wisdom; and, on the other
hand, strong opinion Is growing up In the coun-
try that this privilege OF gratuitous travelling Will
II on the one hand this privilege makes 1t possible
for members to sit and vote, alter fashion, who
would otherwise find it altogether impos-
slble to do so, 1t on the other hand en-
courages those who might do their duty
by their constituents and by the coun-
try to neglect it in reliance the possibility Of
scampering up to Rome to give vote on press
ing occasion. As things are at present honorable
members lead the life Of railway exprcssmen-the
cars are a sort Of lobby to the Chamber, and the
lkeliest place to form shrcwd opinion as to the
probabilities of coming vote Is the railway station
on the morning preceding the division. Otner
considerations are not wanting-wnich are
deemed to point to the same concluslon-as TO the
privilege OF gratuitous travelling. Frauds con-
tinuaiy committed and scandals frequently arise
from the improper and iegittmate use OF their
Tree tickets by these 'Onorevoi." as the deputies
are popularity called, not without g. spice OF ma
licious meaning in the use OF the word. Italian
habits and ways OF thinking do not lead
men here to look very closely or severely
into such matters, and perhaps 1t Is not too
much to say that these practices have been
to great extent wnked at. There was
an amusing story current some little time
since illustrative OF this subject, which cannot
refrain from telling because 1t Is highly character
istc OF Italian ways and manners. Nothing fur
Their need be promised, think, TO make 1t per-
fectly ineligible to those who do not speak Italian
! than to mention that the word "gattinan-
| "kitten,-is used as term OF endearment, APP
Piled, OF course, TO individuals OF the softer
| Now there is or was o deputy whose name Is
| Petruceh della Gattina and upon one occasion he
| was induced-so 1t was said, at least-to lend his
| railway ticket to q lady, who was not Nine.
| Petrucelli, but one in whom the honorable deputy
| felt special interest. At certain station, how
| ever on the production Of the ticket,
| an ungallant station master objected tnat
| the individual presenting 1t was not Sig
nor Petrucell. sPooh, pooni what would you
| haves" said a bystander, who had the
pleasure OF The lady's acquaintance; III 1t Ia not
Petrucen della Gattina, 1T Is Ia gattina al Pstru-
ceuu 1t is all the same thing mani" And so the
| lady and the incident passed, for Italy is stl
very much in such matters what 1t was In the days
| OF -"Soipunt,1 Tisu ta6stlGin A joke Is
| permitted to temper the austerites OF justice
! Many other cases have arisen, however, which
! have been felt 10 be beyond Jokei
GERMANY, .a4