The Portland daily press., 1875-01-06
ROME, Dec, 1874

ROME, Dec, 1874.
Political affairs have been quite lively in
Italy for some time past, and the country
has recently passed through the excitement
of general election. How little excite
ment there has been! In what quiet way
the canvassing has been carried on! And
how calmly the elections have passed.
There is not much to admire in the Italian
character, as it is exhibited to the stranger
in his dealings with the people, bat it is only
fair to admit the few good qualities pos
sessed by these people. Their management
of political affairs is worthy of i'm
itation by people of far greater ex-
perience in such matters. It is but short
time since that the Italians were without any
of the political privileges enjoyed by more fer
tunate nations, and, in the opinion of men
who thought that the '1talian Question"
was very simple, men who were considered
statesmen,-whateyer is signifed by that ex-
presson-the idea that Italy could ever be-
come united and powerful nation was re-
garded as a notion too visionary to be worth
consideration. Only sixteen years ago a
French ambassador at Rome, in a report to
his government, kindly described the Italians
as "a nation having none of the qualities
that make greatness and power in other ma
tions; without energy, with no military spir-
it and knowing no respect for law" Some
time before, a leading English statesman de-
clared that italian unity was an absolute i'm
possibility.
After considering the gloomy and despair
ing ideas that we're current respecting Italy
within such comparatively short time, it is
surprising to look at the condition of things
now, and to note the change. The Italians
are as much united by patriotic feeling to-day
as if they had lived under the present govern
ment for centuries, and the government is as
stable as that of England. Leaving out Of
the question any possibility OF outside inter-
vention for the restoration of the Pope's tenn
poral power, the Italians can look much
more hopefully to long period of internal
peace and good government than can their
French neighbors. They are enjoying the
bles sings Of the parliamentary system, sys-
tenn having the entire confidence OF the peo-
pie and not iu any wav dependent on bayo-
nets,-a form of government that would not
last a month in France.
The electoral system of Italy is different
from that of any other country. There are
about $4,000 voters on the lists. In order
must be twenty-five years of age, must pay
an income tax of forty francs,-about eight
dollars-and must be able to read and write.
Could there be a better system for country
where the people are mostly ignorant, and
more particularly ignorant OF everything per-
tanning to politics? An extension of sul-
frage will come in time, as the people become
more conversant with political matters and
better educated but the results of the pres
ent system seem to indicate that, for the
present. at least, it is all that could be desired.
l think that the suffrage is more restricted
than in England, though l am not certain, as
l have no statistics at hand. One thing is
certain, however, and that is that the italian
system works we'll and gives satisfaction to
the people. In fact, they are so well con-
tented with the present state of things that
the greater part of the electors do not 60 to
the polls. At the general election of 1870
only about forty-five per cent OF the names on
the lists were marked as voting. The per
cent is much greater, this year, and it is to
be noticed that those parts of the country
where suffrage has existed for long time
show more voters in proportion than the
more recently annexed portions. For in
stance, in this city where the people have on
ly enjoyed the right of suffrage for four years,
and where.they are more ignorant than in
any other city in Italy, the returns show that
only about forty per cent OF the voters come
to the polls. The present government Is so
much better than the one which preceded it,
and business is so much better than formerly,
that the most ignorant of the voters do not
see any good reason why they should trouble
themselves about political affairs.
The system of voting prevents many from
coming TO the polls, as they consider the
trouble too great The list of voters is called
twice during the day, in alphabetical order
The officers who have charge OF the boxes,
and who. by the way are chosen previously
bv the voters of the district have table at
one side provided with writing materials. As
the name of voter is called, he comes to the
table, takes a slip of blank paper, writes the
name of his candidate, folds the paper and
puts it in the box. No person is allowed to
be near enough to see the writing Of the vot-
er, and consequently there can be no at
tempts at intimidation. There can be no
evasion of that part OF the law which re-
qureS voter to write, as he is obliged TO
give good proof that he can write.
The system OF official candidates, so OBJ
noxiouS in France, is unknown here, and the
elections are as free from improper influences
as in any country. At the recent election
Garibadi was candidate OF the opposition
party in several districts, and among them, In
The district of fRome in which the King resides.
Now the King has such afriendship for Carr
baldi that he expressed the hope that
he might be chosen deputy, a remark which
caused many members of the royal house
hold to vote for the General, although, by so
doing, they were voting against the policy OF
the ministry.
The weather has much influence on the
number of votes cast. The elections are
always on Sundays, another fact which IN