New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-25
ATHEIST ITALY.
CRrsPrs CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE I'll" Oii
AND THE PRIESTS.
Nice. March 10.


Nice March ~.
After living for many months eAc'uS' - ,ho
,,a common Italian people. myself came "
,,,i,s,,, that Crispi and mis- followers arc
=, 800, trrsconcilabes far more truly ina" even
~. r,,,r,o, nortion of the clergy. Wheh III
.a. b ravcr ceased his childish harasshs Va
p,r, and clergy and Catholics in general anu
,h., ont he never ceased making pohu0"'
,,pifal Of the Pope as "pretendeT 70 the '''o"e
u.b, consumes against the unity and liberty u
rho countrv" This policy alone is enough u
render even virtual acceptance Of the ''i'
accompU impossible for the Roman Churc"'
Is misfortune 10 the country al large may "
soon from the present unbalanced state o' INC
italian parliament in which large a portion
cf the popuatOn-and that the most inciihed
nv personal interest 70 sober and prudent coun-
se!s-is not represented at all In this petty ana
needless annoyance Of Catholics on the part o.
United italy / hnt the key TO the present
strained situation. which would BE difficult
enough Of itself.
Every traveller IS familiar with the wholesale
process of confscation and demolition which has
forever DESTROYED the old Rome that. Ike one
continuous volume I'm stone. showed forth the
worlds history. and has substituted for Il new
sccond-rate Paris. with only isolated historic
monuments. Sc authoritative a guide az Mr..
Augustus J. G. Hare, I'm his various books cx-
presses his indignant sympathy with the monks
and whom this policy has deprived OF
home and patrimony and left, penniless and often
helpless. the street. | have only To add the
application Of this same policy in remote country
districts
After deliberate observation, | was obliged to
believe that 1t was the policy Of Prime Minister
Crispi to prevent, far he able. the
bringing up Of young Italy in the practice Of
the Catholic religion. Unjust here caution the reader
against n double misunderstanding which would
arise from judging Italy by conditions existing ir
Engsh-speaking countries. The question of re-
llgious teaching in the Italian schools has moth
ing in common with that debated I'm England
and America. Moreover, TO hinder the training
up Of the Italian youth in the Roman Catholic
religion does not at all mean that they will be
left open to some other religious influence; for
example that Of Professionalism. 1t means theo-
retcal atheism, and practically, far as have
been able to see. a throwing aside Of all moral
restraint For reasons easily conceivable from
the past condition Of the country. religious edu-
cation i'm Italy if had at ALL must be received
from the school teacher. Whatever may have
been the defects of the religious schools In the
past they have certainly helped To secure a
general Observance of the Ten Commandments.
which Is the true glory Of the Italian peasantry.
/ cannot speak from any close personal observa-
ton Of The former kingdom Of Naples but
have nowhere found a higher general level Of
public morality than in Central and Northern
Italy taken apart from the floating population
~ towns. BY public morality. / mean honesty
AMI chastity. frugality ana sobriety. industry
ana hospitality. Many Of these schools. which
ple had become remarkably efficient even in
secular education under a regime whose threat
ching attitude stirred the teaching Brothers and
Sisters - renewed efforts II is these schools.
more especially. which saw almost universally
impe,lod I'm their efforts and sooner later
effectively suppressed under the most frivolous
prctoXts Regularly their place filed by
utter inonlciency.
An instance occurs t. me from 4 small fishing
village. whore the fcver-stricken Campagna
reaches down 70 thu coast. 40 one would dream
that Pie political opinions Of Ia" few hundreds
Of inhabitants were Of sufficient Importance 70
create anxiety at the centre II government But
suddenly nm inspector made his appearance in
The school The frightened Erpther called up
his boys for examination.
Under what government do We live"
"l'uler the King. IIumbcrt the First"
"Nho governed here before Italy had a KIng?'
"Our Holy Father the Pope"
'"Was il right that the Pope should govern
"Surcly"
was it right for the King to take his place."
Sllenco-and the Brother was suspended from
his post n teacher
Now the Government Of the Pope could have
had not the slightest actually for any of the
pupils an Of whom were born under the present
regime II IS improbable that the teacher had
eyer spoken the subject The Italian clergy
are timld extreme; there Is no organized
party behind them. warranting the incubation
| Of political views of their own. even If they had
any: and their experience of the present Gov
eminent does not tend To make them open their
mouths freely. The Brothers place was taken
ly a lay master who seemed 10 know little and
! care less but who was wholesale I'm his denun-
clation of the Papacco, and outspoken in eulogy
! Of the Ministry.
In a large town a number OF teaching Brothers
had been dismissed from schools in which they
had followed the Government programme TO the
| letter They thought themselves authorized in
continuing a free night school IN their own house.
which was private property. The pupils were
/ mainly young workingmen who wished 10 learn
| t. read and write. or - become proficient in
ordinary commercial Notwithstanding for
| which the Brothers We're favorably known.
| For this class of the population the Government
had made absolutely no provision. Yet the night
| school was promptly closed by order Of the
central authorities
In a day school. frequented by young boys
| whose parents could not would not send them
| To "A boarding college. what seemed to me an in
| toerable abuse OF authority took place. Pente
cost Of all Sundays in the year. is known TO be
sacred festival among Catholics For that
40, D.
! To Interference with the most ordinary sunday.
! Now the order came from central authority
that the larger boys in this school should he
marched off at o'clock In the morning on Pen
| tecost Sunday to place several miles distant.
| where revolutionary monument was to be in