The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-02
THE RECALL OF BARON DE rAvA.

IL was only TO be expected tDat an e'0h' ~
unusual in this country as the recall Of for
| eign minister should create somewhat OF
| sensation and much comment. The summary
breaking of of relations with the United States
| by Italy in the sudden recall of Baron de
Fava. the Italian Minister to Washington,
therefore. has very naturally led to considera-
bic speculation Us to the real meaning of the
step, and what are likely to be its conse-
! quences.
II scarcely admits of doubt that the action
| OF Italy was due to o misspprehension of our
| svstem of government and that it was both
| basty and unwise. Itself q monarchy. with
| recognized central head. the italian Govern
ment cannot fully understand that under our
Federal system of government we are a series
Of republics combined together to form
one great republic. It seems impossi-
bic to impress upon the minds of the
Italian ministry--itself really as changeable
through party disputes as are cabinets in this
country-that a State Of the United States is,
In the management of its domestic affairs,
absolutely sovereign, and as independent OF
central control at Washington as it IS OF any
foreign nation, and that, therefore, when an
internal difficulty arises in any State, the
general Government has no power 10 remedy
| it. except through the medium of the United
| States Courts which are the real arbtrators be-
| tween the States, the Federal Government
| and foreign nationalities. To the centralIz-
ing, revolutionary end unconstitutional teach
| ings Of the Republican party, which has had
| control Of the Government-with one brilliant
xception-continually for over n quarter Of
| centuary this fact is mainly due. Had Secrc-
| tary Blaine, when the New Orleans
trouble first occurred openly explained
our system to the representative Of Italy in
Washington. instead of paltering, as he did,
with the fundamental principles of our gov
| eminent. in all likelihood Baron de Faya
would not have been recalled at least until
| the State of Louisiana. through the grand
| jury now investigating the killing Of the
Mafians in New Orleans, had made their re-
| port.
These matters will oil be explained in due
| time 10 the Italian Government, and there is
only the remotest possibility that further
trouble may result, in which event it may
safely be said without bravado that the United
States will be fully able to take care Of them
selves But one effect the recall Of Minister
de Fava will have will be 10 emphasize the
| growing demand for restriction in our natu-
ralization laws. If under our present statutes
the nations Of the world can dump their re-
! fuse scum upon our shores, and if, when that
scum begin to indulge in tho same
| lawlessness and disorder hero which have
made them obnoxious TO their native
| lands, forcing society 10 rise up and protect
| itself against them, this country can be
annoyed by being called TO account for every
/ such occurrence by a foreign government,
| the situation will soon become intoerable.
| 1t must not be forgotten, in this connection,
| that the Malta carried on Its secret muir
| derous work in New Orleans for twenty-five
years: but so long as it confined its operations
/ to its own members. and did not
obtrude itself upon public notice, so
long was no attention paid TO
it, The people Of New Orleans would not
have cared if the Malta there had resolved
itself into sort Of Kilkenny cat arrange
ment and exterminated itself. But when 1t
! branched out and undertook 10 mark for
| vengeance not only respectable ana native
| born citizens Of louisiana. but even aspired
to remove by assassination the chief OF police,
elected by the people Of New Orleans, then
patience ceased TO be a virtue. and self
protection was forced to assert itself.
If the present complication therefore re-
suit in any thing at all it will most likely be in
revision Of our naturalization laws, and if
such revisionis brought about through Italy's
present course it will be the worse for that
country. Legislation will be demanded in
favor of stringent provisions against the adj
mission Of all immigrants, except Of the very
best class, and special discrimination will be
made against Italians The United States
will no longer be in any mood 10 run the risk
of harboring foreign assassins. omboldened to
commit crime by the feeling that they will be
| protected by their home governments.