The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-09
LETTER FROM ITALY.
How They Do Things in Italy-Tts Governing
Head and Political Machinery.


lions and an Italy of romance, over which rested
the glamour of poetry and the attraction of the
loveliest scenery. But l also stated that there
was practical every day, common-sense Italy
I to-day propose to show something of the size
and the capabilities of Italy, and also of the
working machinery of her government
What is now known as ITALY, comprises not
seven, as formerly, but only two governments.
One is that of monarchical United Italy under
most liberal Constitution and the other is the
very small republic Of San Marine, nearly fifteen
centuries old It is because of its age its little
ness, its democracy, that the Italians look upon
it as sort Of diminutive pet. It is situated on
Mount TtanO, about fourteen miles from the
Adriatic and the nearest railroad city is Rimini
San Marine has less than 10, 600 inhabitants, and
its territory is less than forty square miles. !
think that the area of indianapolis by the latest
city plats, is bigger than the entire republic of
San Marine
ButItaly proper has about lis, 900 square miles,
and is governed by constitutional monarchy,
the representative of which must be an heir of
the august family of Savoy l. e., Victor
Emmanuers family. The present King Hum
. bert I is Victor Emmanuels son. The Constitu-
ton is that of the now ex-kingdom of Sardinia
because merged United ltalyl, ana was
inaugurated at Turin on Feb. IL, 1S48 After
ward in 1859, 1860 1866 and 1870,
it and the then monarch Victor Emmanuell
were elected by voters representing more
than 20 000, 900 people of the remaining parts of
Italy, so that the late king was the only king in
the world elected by the people The King is
the head of the state the commander of the
army and the navy, declares war and makes
treaties In short he is very much like our
President, only he has not half the power of our
fouryears chief magistrate He governs through
Ministry, which is responsible to the people.
The Roman Catholic is the religion of the state,
but other denominations are tolerated.
Let us, however, look at the size of Italy in
comparison with some of our States. Italy has
the same area as the great States of New York
and Pennsylvania, together with the addition of
the smaller, but thickly-inhabted Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey. In
this area of Italy are to be found every variety
of climate, rich soil, mountains of marble,
plenty Of useful minerals, and coast with ex-
tcellent and prosperous seaportS. have chosen
these States-ethe three New England States and
New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey-be
cause Of their contiguity and population, and not
because Of their form, as they lie together for
that is not anything like the boot of Italy. The
right way for an Indiana man, or child, to get an
idea of the length of Italy is to remember that
the distance from Boston to indianapolis by the
the shortest rail route via New York city, and
thence by Pennsylvania railroad, is about l, OLA
miles. Now the distance by the railroad from
Mont Cents tunnel, on the north boundary Of
|Sltaiy TO hegglO tHaulS h0eglum, AeUS XVIII,
81 opposite Messina, in Sicily, is just 1,075
lies. If Pennsylvania were tackled on to the
I'd of New York it would reach to Terre Haute,
and if, instead of ending at Terre Haute, the
land should turn up, like the toe of boot kick
ing Chicago, we Americans could get
q tolerable idea of the length and
shape of italy. But | have only
spoken of the continental portion of Italy. At
Reggie 1.-THE great market-place for bergamot,
lemons, essences and alnondsl the ferry over to
Messina is only matter of thirty minutes, and
there lat Messina) we again take rail- and in one
direction canfrun down to Syracuse Acts xviii,
l2l ia miles further; or from Messina by rail
along by smoking Etna, via Catania and the
roundabout way of Caltanisetta, Canicatti, Cam
pofanco, Roccapalumba and other towns whose
names would make George Trask, of the Jour
nails railroad "colyume, almost profane) you go
over 250 miles of railroad to Palermo. Shades
of Homer, Ulysses, Polyphemus and Empedo-
cles by the nineteenth century iron horse how
we whirl by the places associated with your old
and classic names! Altogether there are about
40 miles of railroad in the island Of Sicily, and
more are constructing. In the island of Sar-
DINA there also 321 miles of railroad in act
ual operation. Then, besides these railways that
have mentioned on the two great italian isl
ands, there is the chief railway system on the
continent j. e.. nearly 5000 miles of rail on the
mainland of Italy, and more are building
So much for the area of Italy Now let us
look at the population. In 1881 (the last official
census) italy had no less than %, 459, 628 inhab
itants. The most densely populated portion of
the United States is certainly that which have
chosen to represent the area of Italy In June,
$780, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey ire
member equal in area to Italy, contained only
1908, 1874 inhabitants wanting more than fifteen
millions of people to have a population equal to
that of Italy. This shows, by the way, how
great space we still have to be filled up in
these oldest and densely populated States of
America. Indiana has a little more than one
third of Italy's. When it (Indana) has pro-
portonate population, the Hoosier State will
contain more than 5000, 600 people.
italy is divided into twelve great divisions
which they call compartment, but which
have no political or compartmental government,
but are handy geographical and military dlvis-
ions. These are Piedmont Lombardy Venice
Emilia, Liguria. Tuscany the Marches Il. e.,
the ancient Marquisates of Pesaro, Urbino--
the native place of Raphael, the painter
Ancona, ETC., the Roman territory, the Nea-
politano which is the continental portion Of the
old Kingdom of the Two Sicilies,n and the
islands of Sicily and Sardinia. But the political
government of the country, nominally under the
King, is really ..for the people and by the peo-
pie. in the more minute divisions, l. e., in the
sixty nine provinces, each of which is presided
over by q s'prefect.D who answers to one Of our
State Governors, although he is appointed by
the Kings government lthe Ministry for the
time beingl, and not chosen by the people.
These sixty nine provinces. or states are di- 4
vided into what are called t'circondarii answer
ing to our congressional districts, and these
'circondari' are subdivided into s'communin
which are a cross between our counties and
townships. The 'circondariiD are 284 in
number, and the ''communi" are $3.50.
The project is the governor of the whole pro
vince and resides in fine paatial building be-
longing to the state and which is to be found in
the capital of each province, A vice-prefect
governs each of the "circondarii while each
commune is governed by what is termed a ''con-
siglio municipale,' the members of which are
elected by the people and presided over by
sssindacon or mayor who is chosen from
amongst the members Of the municipal council,
and subject to confirmation by the Kings gov
eminent. Also, from amongst these councillors
is chosen smaller number called the 'sguinta
which answers to the county board of trustees
With i1a The nroYince. must add. is GOV