The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-09-20
Tho Condition Of Italy.
lChicago Tribune.l

If paupers are left out of the account,
Italy has almost universal suffrage. The
payment of an annual tax of 81 so makes a
man q voter. Very few, however, exercise
the privilege. The average subject of Vic
tor Emanuel talks passionately about
much trouble. The usual vote is about
one-fifth of the whole number of legal
voters. This absenteeism is the result of
the torpid reaction that followed the con-
quest of Rome in 1870; OF the lack of any
striking political issue; and, so far as the
Papal party is concerned, of the Vatican's
standing advice to the faithful: Ne
elettori, ne eletf -" Neither electors, nor
elected" The fact that such wealthy
and powerful body is wholly unrepresented
in Parliament necessarily weakeps the
Government greatly. Yet the Liberals,
with mistaken prejudice, oppose all clerical
participation in any election. Hitherto,
respected, SO far as voting for members of
Parliament is concerned. But ardent Ca
tholics have not been able to keep aloof
from the summer elections for the Provn-
cial and Municipal Councils. In 1872,
Archbishop Sforza, of Naples, advised the
such occasions. The Liberals and Radicals
coalesced against the Church party, but
the latter carried one third of the Civic
Council. This year they have not been as
fortunate. They elected only one out of
sixteen mem ers. The summer elections
have been uniformly favorable to the party
now in power, the Moderate Liberals. Even
in Rome, which is the bottled at once of
Radicalism and Clericalism, the whole
Liberal ticket was chosen. Only 900 out
OF IA 500 electors voted. This absenteeism
at the polls finds it's counterpart in the
absenteeism in Parliament. The sessions
are we'll nigh endless, because the members
stpu r,o1, Nl,ok
can be done. The laws that no election to
Parliament is valid unless one third of the
registered electors vote, and that Parlia
ment cannot sit unless an absolute majority
OF the members are present, have perforce
been suffered to become dead letters. The
public debt is enormous. The Kingdom of
Italy has had to assume the crushing debts
of all the petty priocipalities which it
has gradually absorbed. 1t cannot carry the
load. Its income now falls below its outgo
by $40 900, 600 year. All attempts to
check the deficit have been in vain. In
1867, forced tax of $3.50, 0O0, 600 was lev.
led on ecclesiastical property. Since then,
the greater part of that property has been
summarily coniscated. The State railways
have been sold out for about half their cost
(Western States will please notice this fact)
and the Government monopoly of the to-
bacco trade has been assigned to French
company. All this has given only tempo
L
The interest, cost of management, ETC., of
the debt amount to more than one half of
the ordinary revenue. The military ex-
penses are very heavy. A costly school
system is supported. Between 1867 and
1871, the debt was increased by $3.50, 000,-
600! In the latter year, it amounted to
81 ,S04 ,037 OBS. 1t has since steadily in
creased. The Italian has no idea of re
trenchment or reduction of expenditures.
If such condition Of affairs were true of
any of our Southern States, Reputation
would be inevitable. AS it is, national
bankruptcy stares Italy in the face. Within
the last few weeks, the difficulties of the
Government have been increased by an
outbreak of brigandage in the
South. The la is not held in extreme re-
spect anywhere on the Pennsular. In the
North, a number of Radicals have lately
been seized and thrown into prison on a
charge of conspiracy to overthrow the
monarchy.