The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-08-04
THE SIGNS OF DIscoNrENT IN ITALY.
N. Y. suu.

When Garibaldi once more comes for
ward to preach q new cru sade against th'
Austrians, and indign alton meetings ar
held 10 more than twenty Italian cities ol
q single day, Ii is worth while to examine
the ostensible object and the probable mo
tive of the demonstrations. We shall fnt
the crisis not unlike those which taxed tn,
sagacity of Cavour, when the disappoint
ment OF national aspirations was turned II
account by the reactionists, and the cry o
Italian unity was raised loudest by tht
enemies of italian freedom.
There is ne doubt that o part of the Ital
ian press had insisted that Count Cort
should demand o compensation for the ag
grandizement acquired by Austria on the
eastern shore of the Adriatic. The thing
coveted was the ssuthern angle of the
| Tyrol-once comprised In the pripcipality
of Trent and still known as the Trentino
which breaks awkwardly enough the
| natural defences of the peninsula, or, as
Italian newspapers express 1t, cuts like a
tooth into the heart of Lombardy. So
| long ago as the first invasion of Italy by
German Emperors, this section of Rhaetia
| still great preponderance of the Italian
| over the Teutonic element in the popula-
| ton. Thus on grounds of ethnic identity,
as well as geographical symmetry and mil
I ieary necessity the annexation of the
Trentino is vehemently desired by the
yearning for accessions in this uarter that
prompted GaribaldI's abortive invasion in
1866.
1t 80 happens, however, that the Trenti-
no is one of those strategic points whose
command is of equal importance to the
countries north and south of the Rhaetian
Alps. Here the natural rampant of noun
tain bulges sbruptly, and throws out an
outwork toward tbs valley of the Po. Now
it is true that for nine hundred years, since
Otho l. swept southwark to grasp the
Lombard cities, the mastery of the Tren =
tine passes and the consequent control of
Lake Garda and the upper Adige has
proved key to the subj cation or spolia-
tion of the peninsula. By this route q
German force has repeatedly appeared, un-
expected and unresisted, at the gates Of
Mantua and Verona and it was here that
stream of armies was poured down in
the memorable campaign of 1896 81 against
Napoleon. On the other hand, history
attests the vital consequence of this posi-
ton to the defence of Germany. 1t was
the steadfast hold of Rome upon the passes
of Rhaetis that made possible the conquest
of Suabia, and the firm grasp of the empire
up to almost the last hour of its existence
upon the valleys of the upper Danube and
upper Rhine. Nor will it be questioned
that In modern times the possession Of the
Trentino has more than once saved Austria
at time Of exhaustion and despair. Thus,
when Msntua was surrendered by Worm
ser, In the campaign just mentioned, indis-
pensable breathing time was assured to
the Hapsburg dynasty by the fact that
TyrOl passes, but was forced to make a
long detour by way of Venetia and the
Cerinthian Alps. Now, that which proved
to be of sigHal advantage to Austria might,
under certain circumstances, be of no little
utility to the German Empire and it is
not unlikely that the determined opposi-
tion to a cessiOn of the Trentino, attribu
ted to Bismarck, was really exhibited.
Unsupported by Germany and France, it
is plain that Count Corti's attempt to secure
SOME aeeessteas in the veitey of the Aaise
must miscarry. 1t would perhaps be point
ed out that Bosnia was not nominally an
nexed, but merely occupied by Austria, and
sOphism, the next suggestion might have
more weight, namely, that neither France
nor the German empire had exacted any
compensation. With what propriety
could the Italian envoy insist on wrenching
a slice of territory from the House Of Hsps-
burg, in the face of what French news.
papers call NJ. Waddingt tou's sheep like dis,
interestedness and Prince Bismarck's vul-
pine magnanimity Z
1t was by successive alliances with
France and Prussia that the kingdom
of Sardinia grew into the kingdom of
4bA'Ss AuOy 0AO Va
defenders of Italian unity, who wonld
precipitate the monarchy into q conflict
with Austria without the aid, and SEEM
ingly against the will, of it's old allies. 1t
is of more Importance, after all, that
liberal Ministry should have time to con-
solidate free institutions throughout Italy,
than that the Hapsburg flag should cease
to float above the northern end of the Lake
of Garda. This is not the opinion of the
reactiOnisSs who are now seeking to Oust
Corti by the same adroit tactics with
which they tried to shake Cavour. If any
thing, indeed, were wanting to attest the
extravaganza and hOllowness of the present
demonstrations, it wonld be the coupling
of Trieste with the Treptino in the demand
for annexation. Trieste, we need not say,
is one of the most favored and loyal cities
in the Austrian dominions; we will add
that it has never, except during the Lom-
bard epoch, been an undisputed compo-
nent part of the Italian peninsula.
COLONIZING THE JERS
The Union of American Hehrew COnOre-