The New York herald., 1879-07-08

CAUSE OF THE DOWNFALL. OF THE DEPRETIs
CABINET THE QUESTION OF THE GRIsT TAX
NEW COMBINATIONS
When the Depretis Cabinet succeeded the Carroll
Ministry they took formal engagement with the
Parliament to gradually Abolish the most burden
some of all the taxes ever imagined-namely, the
grist tax. The Secretary Of Finance, Signor
Magliani, won at once the sympathy Of both the
chambers by the clearness and trankness of his
port on the condition Of the treasury He said that
the Cabinet wanted to be faithful to their word but
that it absurd to think that by dint of
economy tho deficit could be replenished which
the abolition Of this tax would leave. There was
but one issue open to himto propose the establish
ment of some new taxes and the augmentation of tho
existing ones. such, in fact duties sugar. alco
hol. petroleum, tobacco. coffee and the like. Sgnor
Magliani calculated that the budget would by this
means bo increased about thirty millions of francs
year and that the erst tax could in this way be grad
ualy abolished within five years. 1t would be next
to impossible to relate few words by what pro-
cess Cabinet and Parliament finally came to a COM
promise and how the gradual abolition Of the grst
tax voted consistently with it.
DISCUSSION REoPENED.
The new law was then brought before the Senate.
But the italian Senate is no longer plant in
Claudius' time when Messalina wont to say that
'it instituted merely to give its consent" This
body, accepting the conclusions of Senator Saracco,
who had been appointed to report tho subject,
modified the Ministerial project to require again
the approval Of the lower house. Thus the warm
discussion reopened which Last year almost de-
termined the fall of the Carroll Cabinet On the
issue of the discussion referred to Sgnor Deprats
ana his colleagues have placed the cabinet ques-
tion. which has been resolved against them, thanks
to the most heterogeneous combination between
various factions of the conservatives and the rad
icals under the leadership OF Signors Sela Nicotera
and Baccarini. 1t must be added, however.
that the days OF the Depretis Cabinet were
counted, other causes less important conspiring
against its existence. The grst tax has been,
believe, rather the final accidental than the
primary cause. No harmony reigned among it's
members; the country had no faith i'll them The
country was tired Of policy of expedients such
all the Cabinets of the Left which followed
other during the last three years have invariably
followed. The municipal and provincial elections
vatives and the clercals bear witness to
ton.
LATE RIOTS.
There was hardly a question, either political or
financial. upon which nation and Parliament Paria-
ment and Cabinet agreed on principle, or, to say it
moro plainly, upon which agreement was not the re-
suit of compromise bought at dear price Of
the various parties. The riots of Sicily have
largely contributed to bring dscredit upon the men
of the government, and the measures adopted to re-
press them have satisfied. and could satisfy,
The fall Of the Depretis Cabinet
pected by every who understands that solid
government can exist without well defined pro-
gramme. 1t had been accepted a transition Cabi-
net. The question arises Will Signor Carroll
establish more tolerable government?