New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-17

Government 10y political groups has been a
chronic evil ~ the public iifc Of Italy since
the death Of Cavour. The constitution is only
an expansion of .he statute granted Icy King
Chari,s Albert To his subjects year before h."
ahdcated in favor Of the soldier monarch. Who
was destined to make q big state out of a little
one. 1t was a narrow las,. for a Parliamentary
system. hut the precedent, were established 10y
a great minister who never felt secure unlrs.. hc
was acting under thr authority Of "a popular
assembly Cav6u used 10 SAY that he never
felt 40 weak ~ when the Chambers were not in
session. Thirteen years experience ne
wrote toward the close Oi MS life, has Taught
"mc that an honest and energetic minister, who
has nothing 10 fear from revelations in the
tribune, can only gain 10y parliamentary
struggles" His faith in parliamentary prac-
tice might have been impaired il he had not
succeeded soon after entering upon Office in
massing the Right and Left Centres and thus
securing majority upon which nc could depend
for permanent support. His Successors have
been forced to content themselves with short
terms, provisional budgets and unstable po-
litcal alliances Every Premier, whether AZ
in1cxiblc as Ricasoli. as INSCRIPTIONS a. Rat
tazzi. "a patriotic rs In MarmoTa. or as versatile
as Mnghctti, Carroll or Dcpretis, has been at
the mercy OF political groups. There have in
variably been rrcconciiablc factions, which by
combining with either the Loft OF the Right.
could render the position OF the best htrcnchcd
Ministry untcnablc. The formation Of a cabi-
net is always a compromise. aud no sooner has
the Premier succeeded in rcconcilng the dc
mands of the factions which have agreed to
give him temporary support than he is forced
to face new coalition. An administration that
is constantly on the defensive cannot help be
ing weak.
This shronic evil has been generally ascribcd
10 a. restricted suffrage. The franchise has al
ways been high. every voter being required
to pay direct taxes amounting to 81 ~ n year
Under this restriction arge classes are excu led
from political life. II has been assumed by in
nncntial leaders that household suffrage would
involve a reorganization of the political parties
and that Ministry would find Itself in the
presence of a homogeneous majority that vould
give it permaucuce and strength. Changes IN
the electoral law have been repeatedly pro
posed and several ministries have pledged them
selves to work out a reform. In opening Par
lament year ago King llumbert warmly ad-
vocated an enlargement of the suffrage as a
matter of political policy as well rs common
justice, and subsequently ordered a general
election in the hope that it would give the
Ministry more c"mpact majority for the pas
sage of such a measure. The parties however
broke up into the usual groups, and the cause
of electoral reform dragged as before. sella,
who was intrustcd with the formation Of
new Ministry after the crisis caused by the
Tunisian disclosures, has explained his failure
by the remark that while the points of principle
which divide Right from Left arc nappre-iable
save At the extremes OF the Chamber, he found
il impossible to deal with the suffrage question.
IL is easy 70 discern the main cause of disagree