New-York tribune., 1889-12-31
ITALY.


There is reason 10 believe that the bonds be-
Italy and her partners in the Triple Alliance
are less secure than they were twelve months. ago
The strained relations between the peninsula
and Austria have already been referred to- This
state of affairs has been embittered by the action
of the Court Of Vienna in preventing the be
trothal of Princess Clementine of Belgium TO the
Prince of Naples. and the persistent refusal Of
Emperor Francis Joseph TO return the visit which
he received from King Humbert and Queen Mar
guerite seven years ago. Indeed. so strong is
the bad feeling between the two countries that,
in Austria, the wear of a Marguerite as
floral emblem is punished as reasonable offence
with SIX months Imprisonment. Moreover, the
anti-French policy imposed upon the Qulrlnal by
Prince Bismarck has been found to be disastrous TO
ItalyS trade, commerce and revenue. Ihe ehor-
nous expense involved in maintaining a standing
army Of sufficient size to satisfy the eXgenceS OF
the Berlin War Office has completely crippled the
National Treasury at Rome, while the tariff war
waced upon France has resulted in an alarming
diminution of the revenue and in ruin 10 the agri-
cultural and manufacturing industries of the
country.
The Prime Minister, SignOr Crispi, however,
seems at length to have realized the unpopularity
Of his Bismarckian policy and the lmposSlbllIty
of continuing it. Within the last few weeks he
has performed the disagrceable feat of climbing
down from the lofty attitude which he had as
sumcd toward France. lie has repealed the df-
ferential duties which have been levied since lsS
on French imports, and has publicly acknowledged
that he had made grleVous mistake Wh!ch hau
resulted in great loss OF trade 10 ltaly. lie no"
proposes TO create fresh resources for the Govern
ment and 70 refill the almost empty treasury ny
coEfscating the funds of the various pubic char-
ity organizations throughout the country, on the
preteNt that they are badly administered. As
ihc clcrgt by whose efforts they have been
created and maintained. are largely concerned IN
tie control thereof, Sgnor Crispls imitation OF
the methods of King Henry iii OF England
creates no little indignation and alarm az the
Vatican. No progress has been maze Dy the
latter during the past year toward an understand
ing with the Government. Indeed the antago-
nism between Church and State is more powerful
than ever, especially since the adoption OF the
new clauses of the penal cOde concerning olsloy-
atty 10 the Government on the part OF the parlsb
Clergy 80 -,
The Pope continues in good health. and in last
autumn displayed his friendly ieeIing toward tlle
United States by sending special envoy TO repre-
sent him at Baltimore at the centennial celeora-
iion OF the establishment of Catholic herarchy
in This country. The main efforts of the vatican
during the wear seem to have been devoted 10 the
increase of Catholic education and OF Catholic
schools in every corner OF the globe. Win his
far-faned sagacity and foresight, Leo Nlll secs
therein the main source of the future greatness
of The Catholic Church. In AbySsinia. the Italian
Government has been more fortunate than AZ
lone and has succeeded in establishing prOtec-
torate over that unruy and turbulent nation Ihe
row Ncrus Ncnelek, who obtained the sovereignty
Of tho country on the death of King John in
hattie with the dcrvishes has completely accepted
the suzcrainty of King lIumbcrt