The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-08


Baron Fava's Recall.
The announcement that Baron FAvA,
the Italian minister at Washington, had
demanded his passports, which was made
Wednesday, was entirely unexpected and
created great sensation throughout the
country. 1t turns out that Baron FAvA
has not demanded his passports. which
would have been equivalent to a declara-
ton OF war by 1ta.y against the United
States, but that he has presented his letter
of recall, which suspends for the time be-
ing diplomatic relations between the two
governments. Minister PORTER will no
doubt leave Rome at once.
King HUMBERT recalls Baron FAvA, as is
expressly stated. because he believes that
his country has been outraged and insult
ed and that under our peculiar dual sys-
tenn of government she cannot hope to
secure reparation.
Precisely what has passed between the
two governments has not publicly trans
pired, but surely the resources of diplo-
macy for an honorable and peaceful ad-
justment OF the matter cannot have been
already exhausted. The judicial in
vestigation at New Orleans has not
been concluded; it has not been
definitely ascertained how many,
ii any, of the victims of the New Orleans
massacre were really Italian subjects. nor
has the Italian government, in all proba-
bility, had any reason to conclude that
proper PREPARATION would not be made by
the federal government, notwith-
standing the fact that under our
system of government it has no
power to control the action of the state of
Louisiana. Under the circumstances the
action of the Italian government seems TO
have been rash, hasty and ill-considered
in the last degree. 1t will, no doubt, be
regretted, although we more than suspect
that it was forced upon the government
by exigencies of domestic politics, OF
which We in this country know nothing.
There will, OF course, be a lot OF wild
talk about war. But it will end in talk
There will be no war. Italy is not in a
position to attack the United States. She
has a powerful navy, TO be sure, and her
men-of-wer could do terrible execution
upon our seaports before we could utilize
our resources for a successful de-
tense. But a war could have but
one result. Italy would be overwhelmed.
She has only thirty millions of people
against over sixty-fve millions. She is
comparatively poor country. Her fnan-
cial credit is low. Her domestic politics
is in disorganized and revolutionary con-
dition. Her monarchy is on a weak foun-
dation. There is a powerful republican
sentiment among her people, and
the strained relations between the Quiri-
nal and the Vatican are an element of
great weakness. She is handicapped to a
considerable extent by her treaty rela-
tions with other European powers. Italy
will hardly court destruction by attacking
the United States.
THE SENTINEL's opinion of the New Or
leans affair has not been concealed. 1t
was a wanton, cowardly, cold-blooded
massacre OF helpless and defense
less human beings, and will for
ever remain blot upon the
name Of the city and state in which it
occurred. But we can see no wisdom in,
or justification for, the summary action
taken by the Italian government, and, I'M
less it has better warrant than yet ap-
pears, We believe that it will be repro
bated by the public sentiment of Christen-
dom.