The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-07-01


The "furious" riot recently sci
afoot Mt Marseilles by the hot-bloods
OF TINT most hot-blooded Of oil cities
Is straw indicating the direction OF
the political wind. IT is an African
ancestral which threatens Italy with
q war-cloud. The Marseilles folk
are quick of apprehension ith
them the blow often precedos the
word of insult. In the Italians they
meet their kind. In fact the people
Of Marseilles by blood and origin are
more OF Italy and Spain than of
Franco. Their ancestors were long
or under Roman and Greek rule than
under Gallic. They differ as much
from their countryinen of Rouen and
Boulogne as New Orleans from Bos-
ton. Marseilles is the tinder-box of
France, and with all her cosmopoli-
tan mixture Of blood she is probably
the most loynl of all cities TO the Re
public. In the matter of riot
political riot she has been eminent
ly successful. Exposed as she is to
Italy in case OF war about Tunis,
she naturally hates the Italians in
proportion as her apprehensions APP
pear TO have cause for increase.
And it is altogether in the line Of her
just deeds to anticipate the action OF
Paris authorities and begin the war
on her own motion. No doubt the
Government will see the good policy
OF promptly putting down the rioters
aud extending il necessary military
protection to the Italian residents.
But where there IL such smoke there
must be some fire. And the fire
that has broken out in MarseilIes is
likely to spread with the maestral all
over the Rhone country, but first all
over Italy.
The Italians whatever they may
have sunk TO in the days Of division
between Austrian and Bourbon rule,
when multiplicity Of petty princi-
palities and emasculated republics
put them under tho yoke of foreign
rulers, have always been high-met-
tied race; and according to the
opinion Of so eminent an authority as
Napoleon, capable OF great deeds il
united. Now that they are united
and tho foreigner expelled every
where but in Savoy and Venetia,
now, that they are again as two
thousand years ago, in possession Of
the eternal city as their capital, the
old Roman spirit, or something more
like it than has been witnessed for a
hundred years, is coming oyer them,
and they begin TO "fecl their oats. "
In fact Itoly from point Of extreme
humiliation and nothingness among
the nations of Europe has within ten
or fifteen years advanced to n posi-
ton as one OF the Great Powers.
She has a regular army of 200, 900
on n peace and 44l 800 on q war
footing. Sho had in 1878 revenue
OF $3.50, 600, 900, which was some
millions within her expenditure.
And though her national debt Is
heavy nearly $4,000, 900, ,O0O-it is
not half ms much MS the debt Of
France. She has better navy than
Austria. and as TO ironclads it is
doubtful that France could cope
with her. She Inns some that are
matchless in the world. Her popu-
lation is - 900 900, aud rapidly in
crcasing. She il ambitious of COM
mereial power, AZ any nation occupy
ing 80 commanding a position on the
Mediterranean may well DO. She
looks with extreme jealousy on the
motions Of France in Tunis. They
menace her Silician possessions.
The old traditions of Roman Italy
encourage this jealousy. The Ro-
mans were never at ease as long as
Carteage had the power TO influence
Sicily, for that was one of the keys 10
Italy.
There is disposition on the part
of the Great Powers TO let the two
nations fight out their quarrel.
Germany can only profit by such an
encounter. ahd England is not in a
situation TO interfere. But IL she
should it would be ON the Italian
side, for the French movement is n
menace to England's protege, the
Turk. Elk.