Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-06
MONDAY, APRIL 9. 1891.
ARupE AWAKENING BY RUDINI.

1t is evident, from the changed tone OF
the Italian premier, that a sober and
calm review of the brusque and hostile
attitude he had assumed Immediately
after the New Orleans affair, has brought
him to perceive that this country is not
so at the mercy of his iron-clads that he
could ride over it rough-shod, figura-
lively. Whilst it is humiliating to re-
alize that after twenty-six years OF
peace, and the expenditure of untold
millions of treasure by the navy depart
ment, we are still in the position that
such power as Italy could so presume
upon our naval weakness as to start out
to brow-beat us, yet it is some satisfac-
ton to know that our inherent strength
is such that no power could contem-
plate an attack upon us with the idea
that we would tamely submit to it.
Italy with her monster iron-clads
might do us some harm at a few points.
She might throw few shells into some
of our exposed coast cities. But what
then? The first shot would fire the
heart of brave, powerful and resource
full people. Italy's unwieldy monsters
of the seas, that had ventured to place
three thousand miles of ocean between
their base of supplies and the Atlantic
coast, would never. return to the Medl-
terranean. They would be effectually
cut off from all chance of re-victualing
succor by the fleets we should interpose
between them and their ports. They
would be harassed by countless fotillas
of extemporized gunboats, any one OF
which they could crush, but all of which
would be too agile to let them do so. In
the meantime the inventive genius 1.-THE
country and the energy of the people OF
illimitable resources would not be idle.
Whilst our marine Davids would place
the Italian Goliaths of the sea in state
OF siege ,armaments would be speedily de-
vised that would be equal to coping in
some shape with the Mediterranean
monsters.
In the end it would prove very sorry
day for Italy when she rashly entered the
lists against the republic Of the United
States. Rudini doubtless bethought
himself of the wise admonition THAT
the race is not always to the swift nor
the battle to the strong" When he
had time to reflect he must have rea-
lized that people who few years ago
could keep millions Of men in the field
for nearly lustrum, and who
during their armed tread fought
hundreds of battles which will
live in history alongside OF the greatest
martial achievements of all ages-that
such a people were not to be assailed
without drawing out a terrible retalia-
ton.
But we are not disposed to quarrel
with Rudini. His rashness has cooled
off, but it has served us good turn.
It has shown us that we cannot afford
to trust to luck in our controversies
with foreign powers. We have learned
the lesson that if we wish to maintain
our prestige, we must be prepared to
meet the great naval powers Of the
world on equal terms. What economy
would there have been in the naval
policy we have pursued, if Rudini's
rashness had continued, and the Re
Umberto and the Duilio could have lain
off New York for a few days and poured
shot and shell into that imperial city?
Or if San Francisco had been placed
under contribution by the tremendous
guns of some other of Italy's ironclads ?
The first service Rudini has done us
will be in the speedy building up of an
American navy that can cope with the
navy of any other power.
The next service we are his debtor for
is to have opened the eyes of our people
to the vicious policy we have pursued in
opening the hospitalities of our country
to all classes of foreigners without re-
striction. When the Sicilian Maffei
were deported from Italy, they found a
ready home in the United States. 1t is
needless to tell us that the immigration
laws now are sufficiently strict to ex-
clude the worst classes of Europe. That
they are not is proven by the fact that
they do not keep them out. The Maffei
found no difficulty in walking through
them; and the events that have lust
occurred in the Pennsylvania coke re-
gions show that the most dangerous
alien classes pass through Castle Gar
den just as easily as the most respecta-
BILE.
Thanks to the Marquis di Rudini, the
people of this country are now in a
frame, CT mind to overhaul their immigra-
tion laws and to so change or modify
them that they shall not make the
United States the dumping ground of
the criminals and paupers of Europe.