The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-02

minister at w Washington, is only LITTLE
bluster on the part Of the Italian premier,
whose purpose is TO satisfy public sentiment
in Italy. The premier is new to his present
position. and be is afraid that if he doesn't
get some sort of promise from the United
States government that those who were en-
gagged in the New Orleans lynching will be
punished his popularity will suffer 20 such
an extent that he will have 10 resign. He
virtually admitted in his talk with the cor
respondent Of the Associated Press,
synopsis of which we publish this morn
ing, that he was forced to adopt an agrees =
i've policy in order to satisfy the Italian
people.
There is no doubt that be fully under
stands that the United States government
can make no such prom Use as he desires. He
is acquainted with the relations which ex-
list between the United States government
and tie governments of the states, but for
his present purpose he sees fit to ignore the
fact that the United States government has
done all it can do until the grand jury in
New Orleans, that is supposed to be inves-
tgatiug the lynching, makes its report.
Politics, doubtless, has much to with the
course ne Is pursuing.
The Italian newspapers are very agrees
i've. They talk about making "the govern
ment at Washington understand" that
Italian citizens cannot be made the victims
OF lawlessness with impunity in any part of
| the United States-that the Italian govern
mont is strong enough to protect them and
will protect them. Some of the Italian
papers go so far as to severely censure ex-
Premier Crispi for not sending an Italian
warship to the mouth of the Mississippi i'm
mediately after the assassination OF Chief
Hennessy, in order to insure fair trial to
the Italians who were being arrested as the
assassins.
One thingis clear. and that is the Italian
people do not vet understand that the up
rising at New Orleans on March 10 was not
| against Italians, but against assassins and
members Of the Malta, murder society.
Their newspapers insist that the leaders Of
the uprising should be punished. for the
reason tnat If they are not punished the
property and lives of Italians in the United
States will not be safe. AS a matter of
| fact, the property and lives of Italians are
as safe in this country as they are in Italy.
| There is no hostility to Italians. And they
are as well treated as the Germans, the Irish
or the people of any other nationality who
have made this country their home.
And the Italian premier would not have
adopted the course he has in the New Or
leans matter if it were not for the fact that
Italy has an exceptionally strong navy. He
has an idea, probably, that the italian war
ships are regarded by this country with
alarm. He is making mistake if he thinks
| that because of them this government will
make greater concessions in the New Or
loans affair than it would if Italy was
| wholly without a navy. Italy's navy will
not influence the policy of this country in
the least.
The investigation Of the New Orleans
lynching will be proceeded with just as if
all those who were lynched had been native
Americans. The Italian premier's threats
will not affect the New Orleans authorities
in the least, nor will they cause the national
| government any uneasiness. The purpose
Is to do what is right, or as near as it can
be done, and the statement that such is the
| purpose Of this government will be all the
satisfaction that Italy will get at present.
The story that the king of Italy has re-
csived communication from the Malta.
threatening him with evils of one sort and
another if he does not insist upon the most
complete reparation for the killing of the
Italians aud that the fear the communicas
ton inspired led to the recall of Minister
Fava, have very little foundation, probably.
II the king had received such a communica-
ton he would hardly have made it public.
But it does seem a little remarkable that
the Italian government does not think it
necessary to have the question settled
whether or not the Italians who we're killed
were members Of the Malta. According to
all the reports from New Orleans many Of
the most respectable Italian residents of
that city have for many years been sys-
Dramatically blackmailed by the Malta, and
within a comparatively few years as many
as twenty-five OF them have been mystic
riously murdered. And it was the stories
told of the Malta by Italians that aroused
public sentiment against that organization.
But after all there is room for doubt
whether there were any Italian citizens
| among those who were killed on March IA.
1t Is admitted that three of the eleven may
not have taken out naturalization papers.
but a thorough search may show that even
they may have virtually renowned their
allegiance to Italy by voting at state and
national elections. From any standpoint,
therefore, it is apparent that Italy's action
| in recalling her minister is more hasty than
| wise.
|