, 1874-09-11
THE POLITICS OF ITALY.

II paupors arc loft out Of the account, Italy
haB almoat nnivoraal suffrage Tho payment OF
an annual tax Of $3.50 mikes man voter.
Worry fow, however, exercise tho privilege Tho
arorago subject OF Victor Emanuel talks pas
ssonato'y nbont politics, but flnds going to tho
polls too much trouble. Tho usual yoto is
abont ona-tifth of tho whole number of loyal
voters. THIS nbsenfeoism ~ tho result Of tho
torpid reaction TINT followed the conquest Of
Rome IN 1870; Of tho }ack Of nny striking no
htical issuo and, so far as tho papal party ia
concerned, OF tho Vntican'B standing atlyico to
tho faithful. "Ne eIefto,f, ne eleai''-" Neitl4or
electors, nor elcctod." The fact TINT sl,ch q
wealthy and powerful body lu wholly unropro-
eonted iu Parliament necoHaarily wcaltona
tho Government greatly. Yet tho Lib
erals, with mistaken prejudice, oppose all
clerical participation in any election. Hitherto,
tito Vatican's command has been roligiousIy ro-
epoctod, 80 far as voting for members Of Parlia-
ment ia concerned. But ardent Catholics Layo
not been able to keep aloof from tho summon
o1octious for tho Provincial and Municipal Couu-
ellis. In 1879. Archbishop sforza, Of Naples, ad-
vsed tho mombcra Of Ills flock to 60 to tho polls
on auch occnsions. Tho Liberals and Radicals
coalescod against tho Church party, but tho latter
carried ono-third Of tho Civic Council. This
Yenr they havo not been as fortunate. Thoy
elected only ono ont Of sixteon metnbors Tho
summer clectsons have been uniformly favorable
to tho party now III power, tho Moderate Llbcr-
MIA 1txnf II, 73rrnn 3.,
at ,onco Of nsdtcalism and .Clericallsn,
tho whole Liberal ticket was cl,ouou.
Only 1000 ont ct 1l,5oo electors voted. Thin
abBcuteoam at tho polls tnaB its countornart In
tho pbsontooiBm in Parliament Tho pcssiona
aro Toll-nlgh endless, because tho nlombcra stay
away in such 1s,unbotp That no business can 10
done. Tho laws Tint no election to rarlinnont
is valid u.lloaa onothird Of the registered elect
ora yoto, md tl,at parisamcnt canuok eit ul1caa
IN absolute ma jority OF the monl,ers aro pros
cut, have perfotco boon suffered to become dca,1
letters. Tho public debt IL enormous. TIN
Kingdom Of Italy hrs had to assume tho cruul-
ing dobth Of all the petty prlncipalitloa Which it
haa gradually absorbed. 1t cannot carry tito
load. 1ta income now falls below its outro
ny Sa0'oo0s0ao yoar. All attompta to check
tho deficit have been In vain, In 1877
forced tux Of sl20,0o0, 600 was loy-
ioa OH eco'osiastical property. Binco then.
tho creator part OF TINT property has bonn
sl,rnmarily conilaoatod. Tho stuto railways lnvo
boon aold out for nbout l,alf thoir cost fWostcrn
statos will p!oaae notico tlis fnctl. and thu
Government monopoly of tho tobacco trade haa
boon asslgncd to d Fronch company. All t]ia
has giyon only temporary roliof. Tho dcacit
still continues. Tho interest," cost Of ma1,aco.
mont. otc., OF Tho debt amount to more tl,on
ono~Ilalf OF tho ordinary royonuo. Tile military
cxponses a.e very heavy. A costly scl,ool-sya-
tom IL supported. Dotween 1867 and 1871. tho
doht waH increased by si50, ,0Oo, 600! In tho
lattor yoar, it amounted to Sl.80l, ,03T 0l5. It
haa ainco aoaf1lly increased, Tho Italian l,as no
idea Of rotrcncllment or reduction OF oxponds-
tl,ros. If such q condition Of atfaira wera
true OF any OF our southorn Btutav, ro-
pudaton would 10 Inevitable. AA 1t is,
national bankruptcy atares Italy IN tile face
Within tho last fow weeks tho tlifscntio. OF tho
Govcrnnent haYo been Increased by all alarming
outbreak Of brlganaage III the South. Tho law
Ia not hold In oxtreme respoct anywhere on tho
Peninsula, In tho North. uumber Of Radicals