The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-31
Itnlian POlitics.

Five months ago, for the flist time in six
teen y,ais, the progressive ana liberal
party obtained complete control OF public
Affairs in ltaly. What are the salient blem-
isles and shortcomings IN the political sNs
TEN Of the new kingdom which the pres
ont Ministry engaged To remedy, and how
far have their promises been fulfilled?
The scheme of government inaueurated
by CAyoUR was adjusted 10 q period Of
transition, but would undoubtedly, If that
Statesman had lived. have received con-
tinunl eS expansion in the direction Of liberal
institutions. Its author contemplated an
ultimate approximation to the English
constitution, but that model WIS lost sight
Of 10y the rcactionary or t.nAd Statesmen
who succeeded him. II i true that single
portfolio has been now aud then conceded
to g member Of the Left. and that RAFT WI
indeed for short time was at the head Of
n mixed Cabinet; nevertheless the essen-
tlal principles Of liberal politics have hith-
crto been ignored or disavowed 10y the
Parliamentary majorities. The result Is
that the actual state OF things in Italy
rcveals some Of tho worst features Of The
French Empire.
While the kingdom Of Italy remained
an experiment. it was pcilaps incxpcdi-
eut to sanction the large measure Of local
Dpondouce which Is enjoyed IN Eng
land. aud which the present Chamber Of
Deputies demands TOR France. IL may
! have seemed needful to test the cohesive
| forces OF the new nation uUd.r the work
ing Of parliamentary institutions before
iriru,ting remote and henightci districts,
! like parts of Sicily ana Naples, with the
/ functions Of government. But the
necessity coon vanished. The sentiment
/ OF national unity was speedily seen TO le
! dominant throughout the country. The
paIiisans of the old order could muster
only an insignificant minority; and even
| those who cOunselled reaction in the de-
tails OF administration, were apparently
sincere in THEN professions Of allegiance to
tho House Of Savoy ana an inlivisihle
Italy. Under these circumstances the
scope Of LEGAL liberties might with safety
have been gradually augmented, until by
this time the great body OF Italians would
have been familiar with the duties and
privileges of citizenship in free state
In fact, however, the native of Florence
has AZ this moment n smaller share in the
government. Of his town than he had under
the earlier MEDIcI Not only are the
provinces regulated by projects, sub-pre
fects, and prefectural councils, all named
by the Kings Ministers, but the muniCipa
head Of every city, village, and rural dis
trict is likewise the appolnteo Of the cen
tral authority, even the members of TIT
communal boards being nominated by thl
Government. a stretch Of preroPativ'
never halardcd by the French Empire. Ii
short. the system of Capitalization nn(
suppression has been carried out with
completeness and rigor in the land o
MAz2GNI and GARIBALDI which BIsMARC
has thus far failed to attain in Prussia.
Ii is well understood that tho fundet
debt Of Italy does not fall far short Of tw
billions Of dollars, and that the current ex
penses even of her peace establishment ar
very heavy; but il Is less generally know
that some OF the fiscal measures rcsortc
10 under NICToR EMANUEL's regime i
order to meet those liabilities are anon
tho most prcpC steTols and oppressive i
the history Of finance. Take, for instance
the method OF asocrtainins tho net prohi
Of u banker, manufacturer or othoi pcl
son subject to the income taX. His trans
actions for "a given term OF twelve month
are Investigated by Government AGENT
aud upon these data an assessIr ait is lNe
for the ensuing year. Although the latt,
may be n period az crisis ANA pro(ouu
commercial dcpres ION, the contribution
meXorahly eXactoi. u nominal ri-n, of al
zeal to communal counc Is having prove
IN practice wholly dclu-iyr. Auoth,
monument Of onioim folly Is the so-ralo
meal tax. Ivy which tie impost levied or
particular grI.t miil ia regularly au@ncnit
. cN cry year, until the miller Is ruined nr
, uLAudous his trade from sheer inability
ID sustain the N,cll burden. Il was s"tious'
} mniutuiucd hy ~iauor SGlIA, the nutLor,
I thiS precious cort.iyauce, that in no oiA'
way could The ugl' limit, of tayltiou
this direction he SO accurately measure, a.
, There is not ouH indeed, of the Grn'
Q defects here indicated u tAe political 90