The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-04-07
ITALIAN FOLLY.


happy to observe thai Italy did not feel
called upon 10 discuss American institu-
tions, but simply demanded that the
terms OF the treaty with that country
be faithfully carried out by the United
States. The minister spoke of indemnities
and hlnted at other forms of satisfaction
which this country would be boand by the
treaty to pay, unless it should repudiate its
treaty obligations A clause in the treaty
with Italy reads as follows:
The citizens of each of the high contracting
parties shall receive in the states aud territories
OF the other the most constant protection and
security Tor their persons and property, and
shall enjoy in this respect the same rights and
privileges as are or shall be granted to the ma
tIyes, on their submitting themselves to the
conditions imposed on the natives.
Now, suppose citizens Of the United
States are lyDched by mob in any state.
That is matter which concerns the state
Evidently, subjects of Italy are to receive
the same protection that our own citizens
receive, but no better. And for the Italian
government to demand any other or any
addluoaal guarantee for her subjects than
Is accorded to our own citizens in the face
OF the words of the treaty above quoted, is
neither true craftsmanship NOR wise diplo-
macy. And it appears, too, that the Italian
minister is, Notwithstanding his assertion
to the contrary, under distinct obligations
to study American institutions. The treaty
his government has entered into with the
United States requires this of him and his
associates at home
In the old days, when the sovereign of a
European state would say, like LOUIS XIV
SAID, u am the state - when diplomacy
consisted mostly of bargains between mon
arcns; when oae ruler could strike off any
nunoerof heads that seemed desirable to
satisfy the wishes of his neighbor monarch
in those days it was simple matter for
one government TO be accorded or refused
whatever satisfaction it chose To
demand. To-day, no sovereign of a civil
lied state can take summary vengeance
upon those designated for punishment by
one of his neighbors; much less could the
greatest and freest republic on the earth
do so.
The tone of the European press, except
that Of England, to the effect that as the
United States is still an uncivilized conn
try from the fact that there is no power
OF government that can condemn
and punish people in advance of a regular
lrlaI with due process of law, shows that
the European idea of government is still
very largely of that childish order which
believes the government should do any,
thing 1t chooses to do without being ham.
pered by the dull formality of legal pro-
cedure.
In this case the Italian government
seemed to think that Secretary BLAINE
should have ordered the arrest and execu
ton OF certain men said to have been en-
gagged in massacre of others, because some
OF the latter were said to be Italian sub
1ects Such procedure might strike the
average monarchy man in Europe as the
right thing to do; but to Americans these !
Italian demands reveal the spirit of despot- |
ism that still has a strong hold upon the |
mind of Europeans.
in this country the states attend to their
own affairs, and the ordinary administra-
ton Of justice is one of these. Some |
European papers threaten that in case
the state of Louisiana finally failed to do
what these papers considered would be |
justice, then the powers of Europe should
unite to force the United States to SO /
amend her constitution that Justice could /
be done in the future. That's, monarchial
form of government should be forced upon
this country so that some strong central
power could guarantee the punishment of
such persons as other governments chose
to designate. Local self government should
be abolished in America because the au
tonomy of the states is distasteful TO Euro
peans! Once let the mat err assume
such an aspect as that and the honest def
ance of ten million able bodied Americans
would be hurled at all Europe combined.
The success of the French revolution was
largely due TO the attempt of the surround
ing monarchies to crush it The perma-
nance of American institutions is in no wav
endangered by European talk of abolishing
them By force.