New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-11
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
CRISPI AND ITALl.

WHAT THE PEOPLE THINK OF THEIR SlhoN"
MAN. OF THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE. OF ABfS-
sINIA. AND OF THE PIEDMONT DYNAslr'
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
s,r. Tbere ia one point In connection with the
nresent condition OF things IN Italy to wnch 10 III
structye reference Is made by the American news
naners and upon which some light might prohtaoiy
he thrown This point IS the exact attitude OF the
average Italian toward the Government, the army
the Triple Alliance and the man VINO mas Ma" 81
mich TO do with all three-Crisp see 'o''sioe'
able denunciation OF him as a fruitful source Oh
Italian woes and the impression Is also conveyed
mat r,al, ,thet u.s. the great body Of Ita!ans) has
been from the start enamoured OF the scheme OF
colonial agra nd cement which has at last put
the Government in difficulty. According 70 the
talk that is most In vogue in the newspapers IL
would seem that the Italians want Aoyssinah
territory. and at the same time are ground be-
meath the heel OF the who has been trying
to get IT for them. and hate him In consequence.
In the last five or six years have made several
JOURNEYS through Italy. and have never lost an op-
portunity ask questions in regard TO these mat
ters conversng at length with artisans traces
men, Journalists farmers. artists men OF leisure
and politicians. | have found them. one and all.
agreed upon the necessity for the retention OF
Crisp in command OF the Cabinet. / have heard
II said OF him that he is INSCRIPTIONS. ambitious.
Objectionable In dozen ways but Wheh X came
tc tho question OF brains and administrative ability
every Italian said the same thing: "Cr.spi Is the
best man We have. We should like some ore else.
Il we could get else with as much back
bone and with as many IDEAS But election after
election has proved that he IS b. all odds the
strongest In the country. We don't always
like his moves lie Is devoted TO the monarchy.
and does pretty severe things to restrain
radical ambitions. But the whole salts
fed with him He Is good man to have at the
head or aEairS. We are Glad 10 Keep MIN tnerc
until some one appears who can prove himself his
the s,.ha,ed man in Italy? Every now and then
some PUSHES into print to tell about the crimes
OF this leader. and one would think that he was
italy's tyrant But talk with the average man in
the peninsula and go far as my experience has
gone at leasO you will find that Cr.spi $ very
widely accepted evil.
Now as regards The Triple Alliance. It would
It. that the nation is pured up with pride and APP
proves the arrans ement' being DESTROYS that It, the
Powers. l have never run this enthusiasm to earth
among the ordinary Italians Of the country and the
towns. The general feeling seems 10 DE that u
might better have been avoided. that Italy would
be S speak h With i'p dsss alone OF the haS
affair. asserting that the Alliance and IL concom-
better be abandoned. There is very peculiar feei
ing In existence about the royal house, which may
the military incubus. which means. by inference.
the Alliance. The Queen is popular The King
felt that the ambition OF the Queen TO have her son
assured the crown OF Italy is one for which i is
the Alliance behind them the KING and Queen are
much surer OF the succession than without it. aud
therefore they cling to the Alliance. But the
mon people while desiring united Italy. no
reason why It should be secured alone by the coro-
nation OF the Prince OF Naples when the time comes.
Why not another form OF government? The read-
ness for change which exists In the country is
shown by the steady growth OF Socialistic bodies
and by such occurrences as have Just been De,
seem to have no passionate devotion TO the royal
house loving IT, when they do love II, as much for
Victor Emmanuel's sake as for his sons. They
are era teful but wrapped up in the monarchy
that they want the Alliance imposed upon them for
the maintenance OF the latter. should like to
see some discussion OF this In your paper and espe
ciay to learn Just how much the Italians want
anything TO do with Abyssinis My own impress
sion received from many talks with Italians in their
own country is that they would Ike nothing better
than country without military and colonial
burdens that the Army is thing Of which they
are TO some extent proud, but could gladly dis
pense with and that while they are fond Of their
present rulers they would rather change them than
carry them as q killing weight And don't think
they abominate Cr!sp.. hold him responsible TO
the extent suggested by most contemporary critics
of the present situation TRAN ELLER.
New-York. March 3. 1896