New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-21
ITALIAN UNITY.

The twenty-hfth anniversary Of Italian unity
was celebrated yesterday in various spirits ana
In various ways. To some 1t was an occasion or
rejoicing, to others Of humiliation and regret.
The former included, probably. the vast MAORI
ty Of the italian people, both at home ana
abroad They have cause for rejoicing They
are now. and for a quarter OF a century nave
BEEN a Nation. They are not merely Neapoli-
tans, Venetians Piedmontese, and what not but
they are all Italians and the Eternal City Is
their common capital. The name Of their Father
land has become something more than geo
graphical expression" 1t stands for one Of the
Great Powers Of the world Strange indeed
would II be If such considerations had not great
weight with a people so proud, so passionate so
patriotic as the Italians. The crime OF 1919 IS
avenged. The aspirations OF Rienzi are fuflled.
The cost no doubt has been heavy one
There has been corruption in the Government
and the military system has weighed cruelty
upon the people. These things cannot be denied.
Yet they are not because Of national unity. but
rather in spite of l.. The subjects OF King Bomba
felt the yoke of militarlsm somewhat more heav-
y, we imagine, than do those Of King Humbert.
The people Of Venice under Austrian rule were
scarcely more free from burdens than they are
to-day. Moreover, had the half dozen Italian
States remained separate and-if they may be
called so-independent, what would have been
their plight in these last twenty-five years and
what would II be to-day? The pawns, the play
things OF the greater Powers; their interests and
their rights ignored. their lands and people har-
ried and partitioned at the will Of alien tyrans.
To say this is not to justify the monsrous bur
dcns of the Triple League. 1t Is TO declare that
Italian unity is on the whole blessing to the
Italian people
There are, however, those 10 whom this IS not
time for rejoicing, and among them there are
not few Italians Their grievance is not that
Piedmont and Venetia and Tuscany and the two
Siclles are united but that the Papal States have
been incorporated with them and Rome Itself
made the royal capital. They do not object to
United Italy, but to the abolition Of the Pope's
temporal power Accordingly, the prelates OF
the Roman Church have commanded their focks
to observe this as time OF humiliation and
prayer for Papal restoration. That attitude Is
perfectly comprehensive. 1t Is to be treated
with serious respect, whether 1t Is agreed with
or not But 1t Is assumed probably, by only
small minority Of the Italian people, surely not
enough to destroy or much detract from the
national character Of the fcstal celebrations How
many or how few may assume it outside OF the
Italian people is a matter of slight importance to
Italy.
These protests against the italian possession
Of the ancient Italian capital must rest upon one
Of two grounds They may be based upon the
Pope's rights as an ordinary civil ruler In that
case we can merely say that Plus IN suffered
the same fate as the King Of Naples and the
King of Hanover and the Emperor Of the French.
He lost his dominons in the great game Of war
because he was not strong enough to hold them.
Perhaps it was unjust, but II was only what had
been done thousand times before. On the other
hand, it may be claimed that the Pope had
spiritual claim upon the territory In question.
To that 1t is to be replied that the principle Of
union between Church and State is everywhere
a waning and losing one. Even in Austi1a-iun-
gary, always more Roman than Rome, it is very
near It's end. Moreover, the enormous progress
and prosperity OF Roman Catholicism In the
United States and in Great Britain must be re-
garded cs ample proof that the Church does not
need the assistance Of the temporal power.
The note Of protest was not conspicuous yestcr-
day 1t Is 10 be hoped, and to be confidently ex-
pected, that 1t will grow weaker with each re-
curing anniversary, and finally disappear. That
will not mean a weakening Of the Church or n
lessening Of the Holy Fathers spiritual author
iy over his children in Italy elsewhere. 1t will
mean the triumphant realization Of Cavours
dream, "a free Church In n free State" and that,
we are persuaded, will be the best possible con-
diion for both Church and State. 1t Is idle to
talk of the Pope's being a prisoner In the Vail
can. He is no more a prisoner than is the Arch
bishop Of Canterbury. All that is needed IS for
him to recognize Italian unity as an accom-
plished and benefcent fact, and to be content
not with temporal sovereignty over a city and
one or two weak provinces, but with spiritual
sovereignty over scores of millions in all the
lands Of the earth. There Is no enmty TO Leo
XIII in congratulations to King Humbert, nor
any to the Church Of Rome in acclaimlng United
italy