Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-07
ROME Is In A PANIC.
The Recent Explosion and Fires Laid
at Anarchist Doors,
DESPITE THE OFFICIAL DENIALS.
Religious Bodies Hastily Provision for a
Five-Dsys' Siege.
THE LEAVEN OF REVOLUTION WORKING

LONDON, May GA letter received hert
from Rome discloses a number of new facts
In regard to the riots which took place there
on May Day, and as to the general feeling
of the people upon the same occasion. Ac-
cording to this letter, the public officials al
Rome, as well as the people, have been in a
state Of actual panic for a week or two.
This state of affairs, it appears, is due to
several causes, the most prominent Of which
are the fall of the Ministry, headed BY Pre-
mier Crispi, the accession of the Rudini
Ministry to power, the strong public de-
mand for an equalization of expenses and
receipts without fresh taxation, the diplo-
matte troubles which have arisen between
Italy and the United States and finally the
explosion at Pozzo PaGteleo. All these in
cidents have tended to bring about the feel
ing of panic.
Laid at the Anarchists Doors.
In spite of all the denials and official
statements made to the effect that the explo-
sion at Pozzo Pantaleo was not the work of
Socialists or Anarchists, the Romans are
convinced that the explosion was the work
of Anarchists and it will require consider
able and most clear evidence to the contrary
to convince the people that they are mis-
taken. So deeply is this conviction rooted
in the public breast that the people live in
daily expectation of hearing that there has
been an explosion in another powder magazine,
or that some public building has been blown up
As this letter as written before the nre yes
terday, which destroyed the barracks, stables
aud storehouses of the Carabeniera, and which
created so much alarm at the Vatican that the
entire force of Swiss Guards was kept under
arms all night, the feeling now existing IN
Rome can be eNIily imagined, especially as the
fire is currently tIrlb'te to the Socialists or
Anarchists. Tbs fe ling of panic referred to in
the letter from Rome is thus apparently justi-
ned, or, at least, 1t has received a sufhcient
amount of confirmation to enable the pessim-
lists, at least, to say, Il told you So"
The LeaVen OF Revolution Working.
Continuing, the letter says that the crisis
which undoubtedly exists has caused COL
lapse of speculative enterprises which state of
affairs has, in turn, thrown thousands of work
ingmen out of employment; and in their state
of enforced idleness they naturally became dis
satisfied with their employers, with the Gov
ernment and with the whole system under
which they live. In this frame of mind the
workingmen become ready prey for the agita-
tors who are continually digging away at the
foundations of popular content.
On May Day, this letter says, the natural ex-
citaDilitY OF the workingmen was worked up to
fever heat and the widest rumors were circu-
lated by those who had everything to gain and
nothing to lose by popular disturbance These
rumors gradually grew in importance, until it
was actually believed that it was true that
revolution was impending. These rumors were
continually magnihed, and nowhere was the
panic greater than at the Vatican and among
the various religious societies and communities
OF this city.
ClericaIs Preparing for Siege.
In this connection it was stated that these re-
ligious bodies had hurriedly stocked their head
quarters with-five days provisions, and that the
inmates had been strictly confined within doors.
In a word, the religious communities were SO
alarmed at the Socialist taint in the air, that
they had prepared to stand a siege in the event
of wholesale uprising upon the part of the
masses.
Bus this feeling of panic was not confined to
the religious bodies. The richer families of the
city were also SO seriously alarmed that they
adopted the same tactics as the religious insti-
tutions and also stored provisions in their
houses and made other preparations to face a
serious riot, and perhaps an attack upon their
residences