The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-17
Blaine's Reply to RudinL

Blsine's Reply to RudinL
No one doubts Secretary Blaine's ability.
| He sometimes makes mistakes, but, as a
rule, he corrects them so quickly that they
are soon forgotten. He made mistake in
his dispatch to Gov. Nichols of Louisiana
by referring to the lynching Of the Italian
/ prisoners at New Orleans as "a deplorable
massacre" Premier Rudini was quick to
take advantage of that mistake. He
assumed at once that the government at
| Washington admitted that a great outrage
had been committed upon Italian citizens,
and became aggressive. He demanded
reparation before il had been determined
whether OF not a condition of affairs ex-
listed which justified the interference of the
Italian government
But since correspondence between the
government at Washington and the Italian
government began Mr.. Blaine has made no
mistakes. He has succeeded in overcoming
the advantage which the mistake in his
Nichols dispatch gave Premier Rudini, and
has gained decided vic DRY over the latter.
In his last communication to Premier
Rudini he makes it quite clear that it is by
10 means certain that the leaders of the New
Orleans lynchers Will be punished, or that
If any of those who were lynched were Ital
ian citizens an indemnity will be paid to
the families OF those Italians.
And he says that this country will abide
strictly by its treaty with Italy. Accord
ing to that treaty this country does not un-
dertake to give special privileges to Italians
who make their homes in this country. 1t
promises to 90 for them Just what it does
for its own citizens. Nearly all of those
who were lynched at New Orleans were
American citizens. According to the treaty
the United States guarantees to Italian citi-
zens residing within its limits the same pro-
lection which it gives its own citizens. II,
therefore. it does not compensate the fami-
lies of the American citizens who were
lynched it will hardly indemnify the Sfami-
lies of the citizens of Italy, who were
among those who were lynched.
The families of those who were lynched
can bring suits for damages against those
who did the lynching, and in the bringing
of such suits the families of those who were
Italian citizens have an advantage over the
families of those who wore American citi-
zsns, because they can prosecute their
claim for damages either in the state or
the United States courts. The families of
those who were American citizens can
bring suits only in the state courts.
Premier Rudini's reply to this last CON-
munication OF Mr.. Blaine is looked for with
great interest. 1t is difficult to see that any
course is open to him which he can follow
with credit to himself. He cannot claim
anything which the treaty does not Justify
because be bases his claim upon the treaty,
and Mr.. Blaine has shown him that under
the treaty there is not much chance of his
getting anything.
Premier Rudini has begun to think, by
this time. probably, that he was altogether
too hasty. In his eagerness to sustain his
popularity with the Italian people he acted
without fully understanding what his
rights were. He thought that he could win
diplomatic victory easily, and that it
would strengthen him in the position he oc-
cupies. His sudden awakening to the fact
that he has little or no case must cause him
decidedly unpleasant sensations. His enc
my, ex-Premier Crispi, will laugh at him,
anu perhaps VIII Suggest tuht iHStedu Oh
playing prime minister it would be well
for him to retire and take few lessons in
diplomacy.
And the Italian public isn't SO eager
for reparation as it was. 1t is
beginning to comprehend that the men who
were lynched were criminals of the worst
kind-such criminals as the Italian govern
ment would gladly pay to have Shot if they
were within its jurisdiction.
Premier Rudini has got all the glory he
will ever get out of the New Orleans affair,
and he will be lucky if public sentiment
does not turn against him, now that it is
pretty clear that he will fail to force either
a formal apology or an indemnity from
this government, and drive him from
power.