Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-11
Written for The Evening Star.

TNHE MARQUIS DI RUDINI, WHO Is
Il now premier Of Italy, is thought by some
well-informed people to have recalled Baron
Fava In hopes of gaining favor for his own
cabinet at home. This would socm to show
that the successor of Crispl is willing to stand
| criticism from without for the sake of tom
| porary support from the parties in Italy
| More recently still have come the cable dis
patches showing that the cry for economy in
| the government has been renewed more
strongly than ever before. 1t is especially in
terestlng to Americans at the present time to
take glimpse at the political parties of King
Humbert's peninsula.
When signor Crispi fell from power about
two months ago the watch cry of his successor
was economy, and particularly did Di Rudini
| declare himself in favor of a retrenchment in
the expenditures for the army and navy. In
his speech before the chamber of deputies he
said he was in full sympathy with the triple
alliance, and also he favored such a reduction
OF military expenses as Twill not affect the num-
Der or efficiency Of the soldiers" This was not
very different from the Wishes if not the acts,
of Signor Crispi.
| ONE OF CRIsPI's IMPORTANT UrTERANcEs
One OF the last important utterances Of the
latter was made last September in an interview
| with correspondent Of the Paris Fiquro-an
interview that was all the more remarkable
since 1t was held with q representative of q
newspaper that has always opposed the person.
atty and the policy of Crispi. He said, in
speaking Of the large standing armies Of Europe:
| These ornaments will end by running Europe
| for the advantage of America. That is the
problem OF the future, unless some statesman
| will propose disarmament" France he de-
| clared was responsible for the enormous armies
| OF Italy and Germany, since she alone had
grievances on account Of the loss of Alsace-Lor-
| raine and wished for an opportunity to restore
| these provinces to her domain. For himself he
| wished most heartily that disarmament were
| possibility for Italy, but her position between
the two principal belligerents rendered it out of
| the question.
| DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TALK AND PRACTICE.
To talk economy is one thing; to practice it
when an army and navy Of enormous proper
| tions must be kept up is quite another thing.
| The people of Italy grow threatening under
their heavy burden of taxation. Perhaps
little quarrel with far-off country may frighten
them into being quiet. as they may be brought
| to believe in the necessity for their military
| force apart from considerations which affect
| them i'll Europe. A European quarrel might
result seriously; but quarrel with America
can be easily patched up without any real
| fighting Who knows whether the cry in Italy
/
tine tilt with Mr.. Blaine? The Italian govern
ment has a task to perform that is SO difficult
and the present cabinet holds Office by such a
slender thread that it is put to the exercise of
| every ingenuity.
The population Of Italy is almost entirely
agricultural. The incidence of taxation per
| head Is about 30 per cent of the annual income.
| The individual land holdings are not large and
the agricultural depression that has been SO
universal OF recent years has fallen with a
10 ylaSg i,,T
| duct the taxes from the earnings Of the people
| is to leave them in an impoverished condition
| Yet under the circumstances to Tighten the
taxes Is hardly possible, and this is due to the
unique position that the nation occupies in Eu-
| rope.
| THE ITALY TODAY.
The Italy OF the present day cannot be said to
have had its beginning before the year 1871 as it
was not until that year that territorial and leg
islative unity was accomplished. Since then
she has taken her place among the nations of
| Europe, and demands to be treated on terms
OF equality by nations which are easily her su-
periors IN resources and power. She is like
man OF moderate means who associates with
millionaires and preserves their outward style
OF living. The thing may be done, but it is a.
the sacrifice of domestic ease and comfort.
Italy insists upon ranking with the six great
| nations OF Europe. The consequence il a ire
mendous strain and the heavy burden of taxa
ton upon the people. 1t was hoped that the
| sale OF the railways, which had ALWAYS been nm
der state ownership ard which had cost the
nation large expenditure. might lessen these
burdens, and, accordingly, in 1885 they were sold
but while their transfer to private COM
panies lessened the complications of govern
ment administration, it did not tighten taxa
| ton. In that year Populations came to wait
upon the ministers and ask for q release from
| the burdensome dazio e consume (the tax paid
| on entering the city walls) and Minister Nepli-
ami put the case before them with a force that
admitted OF no reply. He compressed the
whole difficulty in a single sentence.
''You insist" he said in effect upon an eff
Gent army; you clamor for big ships, and
plenty OF them; you choose to have compulsory
and gratuitous elementary education-then Won
| must pay tor it al"
It is very easy for the Marquis di Rudini to
| talk OF economy. and doubtless in Italy as in
every country on earth. there is room for re-
! trenchment of expenditure in the public Offices
The same results can be obtained for less
money. But such a saving is mere drop
taken from the bucket. How can he keen the
army ard navy up to degree of strength dis
proportlonaie to the resources Of the country
unless the taxes levied upon the people are out
OF proportion to their ability to pay2
THE IEREDESrIsr FACTION
1t is noticed that the new minister did OF
soy anything in his opening speech about ire
dentism, and yet it is undeniable that this idea
has many adherents among Italians. Crispi. in
/
| 1t a folly, yet he was once an irredentist him.
self. This faction-for it il faction rather
| than party-hrst asserted itself strongly in
1878. Its purpose is to bring into the kingdom
of Italy and unite under one government those
districts which now lie without it but contigu-
GUS to it. where the population is largely Italian
Especially do the irredentists consider as I'M
redeemed Italy, Trieste and Istria, the Canton
| of 1icino, Nice and Malta. IL the object were
| to evolve an ingenious scheme for fighting the
greater portion of Europe no better project
than this could be conceived. To gain pos
| session of Trieste and Istria would necessitate
| q war with Austria; to get Tcino Switzerland
would have to be conquered; France would
fight against the annexation of Nice, and Eng
land would bring her fleets and armies to hold
Malta. Irredentism 10 a wild idea and no gov
eminent in Italy is likely to be so insane as to
attempt to put 1t into practice.
| THE PEOPLE NOT POND OF VOTING.
Italy is o government Of the people, but,
strange to say, the people are not fond Of vot-
ing They have become used to passive ex-
istence and for that matter have not enjoyed
full political rights until quite recently. Up to
1882 but small proportion of the people had q
right to vote and still fewer voted Out of a
population Of 80, 600 900 only 600 600 were cleo
tors, and Of these not more than SO per cent
took the trouble to cast q ballot But in 1882
all this was changed and the Italian reform bill
was passed. 1t gives vote to every male sub