The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-01

this cannot be hoped for as long as the
present roactionNry coalition remains In
power. The Innovation was opposed even
moro bitterly by the German Liberals, who
are recruited almost exclusively from the
middle class, than by the sristocratlc land
owners Of Gallcia and Moravia. 1t lie GER
tain. on the other hand. that an overwhelm-
ing majority Of the vlennese favor great
extension OF the franchise, and Count
TAAPFE, who still retains the confidence Of
the Emperor, Is said to be determined to ei-
fecti the moment he returns to office No one
credits the present makeshlft Ministry with
n long lease Of life, or believes that any one
except Count TAAFFE has the skill TO form a
stable Government out OF the discordant
elements Of the Cis-Leithan Reichsruth. We
may add that, In Hungary. the assent Of
Kaiser FRANCIS JOSEPH TO the passage OF a
civil marriage bill lie generally accounted as
the greatest triumph achieved by the Lib
| erals In many years.
| Tho return OF Signor CRrspr to power in
Italy. with Ministry representing every
| political faction except tho Right and the
| Advanced Left. Is naturally regarded at
| Berlin and Vienna as guarantee OF the
Triple Alliance. SO long as ho remains
Prime Minister It Is certain that the
| italian army will not be materially re-
| duced, and that King HuMBERT's
| promise to cooperate with Austria
and Germany will be faithfully per-
formed. In Rome. on the other hand
there is feeling that. in falling back ON
| CRtsP1. after prolonged and anxious efforts
| to find substitute. the house Of SAVOY has
| played It's last card. No one, indeed. could
| be better calculated to deal with the
troubles In Sicily, for he himself is Slcil-
| Ian. and commands the trust of the masses
| OF the islanders. Any honest and resoute
Minister however, could put an end t.
those disturbances, for they are provoked
by dissatisfaction. not with the national
taxes. which cannot be senslbly reduced but
with tho octrOi. or duties levied on
the commodities consumed in munlcipali-
ties and oommunes. Not only are these
duties outrageously high. but. In collecting
them, the municipal authorities are &C.
cused OF taking brides from the rich and
OF brutally depressing the poor. The pro-
ceeds, moreover. to large extent. are either
wasted or embezzled. IL Is probable that
Signor CRTsPI will. on the one hand sub
stitute national for municipal officers in
large number Of the smaller towns and
villages, and. on the other hand compel
through the projects the rigorous ex-
posture and punishment OF malfeasance.
What Is true OF Sicily is also true OF
the Italian mainland, namely. that the
whole municipal system needs trenchant
reform. and that in the collection OF ma
tional taxes. also. there Is an enormous
leakage. due to the superfiuity Of under
paid officials. who cannot resist the tempta-
tion OF bribe. The whole scheme Of pub
lie works, moreover. requires to be re-
modelled. for there are dozens OF short local
railways which never ought to have been
begun. and which the country cannot
afford to finish. There Is no doubt
that. II the national taxes voted were
honestly collected and the proper retrench-
ments were effected In the civil adminstra-
ton, Italy would be able to defray even the
present inortlinate charges for military pur-
poses; but no Prime Minister has yet VEN
tured to attempt the needed reforms at the
risk OF estranging almost the whole Cham
Der Of Deputies. 1t remains to be seen
whether Signor CRIsPI, who himself did
not escape altogether untainted by the |
banking scandals. will show himself
more unflinching reformer than
any OF his predecessors. II he does, he
will certainly have to dissolve the present |
Chamber. and order a new general election.
When such an appeal to the constituencies
takes place. will faithful Catholics be suf- |
fered to go to the ballot box 1t is said
that the Jesuits. believing the present |
juncture favorable to demonstration |
against the monarchy. are urging LEO XIII. |
to rescind tho injunction of Plus X, by |
which Catholics were forbidden to take part |
In Italian parliampntaru nlantinnu ba
drift OF opinion at the Vatican, however, is |
said to be counter to the project. The |
chances are that. during the lifetime OF the |
present Pontin. no change will take place In |
the attitude of tho Papacy toward the civil |
power in Italy. but that all the moral inlu-
ence. which II can exert In Europe. will |
continue to DO exertcd on the side Of the
French republic.
In SPAIN the outrages committed at Bar
ce!ona by tho Anarchists seem likely to
strengthen the LIBERAL Ministry headed by
SAGAsTA. There exists also q popular un-
Willingness to replace him by CANovAs DEL.
CASTILLO, who is generally deemed guilty
ofconniving at the Madrid municipal frauds
The chronic difficulty experienced by the
Spanish exchequer in making both ends
meet, with not probably be aggravated by
the cost Of the expedition TO Melilla. as 1t Is
understood that the Sultan OF Morocco will
assent to the demands to be pressed by
Marshal MARTINEZ DE CAMPos. which in-
clude payment OF twelve million dollars, as
well as the establishment OF a neutral zone
around the fortress recently beleaguered
by the Riffians. II the Conservatives were
in power. they would probably Insist upon
large territorial concessions. rs we'll as an
adequate money indemnity: but SAGAsTA
is a long-headed man. keenly alive to the
rival interests OF France and England. and
resolved, at all hazards. TO avoid plunging
his nearly bankrupt country into a pro-
tracted and expensive war
There is no European sovereign who will
have more cause to watch the events OF the
new year with anxiety than will the Otto
man Sultan. who knows that in any war TO |