New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-11
CPTSPI AND ITALY.

..The King is dead; long i've TIE Ming
tho cry of the unthinking few In ltaiy. Inc
thoughtful many are silent and not without
apprehension Crispi Is out, because oi uls'iS'er
IN n policy which he pursued against his own
hest Judgment; and hi Rudini, having swai-
lowed his principles Is In, to pursue pohcy
he has bitterly opposed. The change was easily
effected. But what comes after! II the stern
old Garibaldian Red Shirt could not conquer
Abyssnia what hope has this demagoglcal
aristocrat Of doing So! Or what hope Is there
Of improvement in domestic administration! IL
is easy to make man 4 scapegoat for all
sins. his own and others, drive him out. ana
put another In his place. But what IL there be
no other competent to fill his place? That in
brief appears to be the plight Of Italy to-day.
The Justice or injustice Of making Crispi the
scapecoat for all the nations ills need not now
he discussed Doubtless he has done some evil
and much good. But the essential point Is That
he has AZ least ruled the country, and has done
so to the general satisfaction OF the people.
And that Is something no one else mas done.
perhaps there are others who could do it. If
so they have yet to be discovered Certainly
hi Rudni's former administration was not such
as TO give high promise for the one he Is now
beginning; while for the notorious Giolitti. a
hint of his return should provoke Il revolution.
An accurate estimate Of Crispl and his place
in Italy Is given. we believe. in the letter on
the subject which we publish elsewhere in to-
days paper. The writer is an American gentle
man Of eminent attainments, and of keen anu
cultivated powers Of discernment, who has for
years been an interested, though impartial OBJ
server Of the progress OF affairs in Italy lie
has found, rs he tells us. that the Italian people
are by no means blind to Crispis faults. AT
the same time they recognize his great ability,
and his vast superiority as an administrator over
all his contemporaries They have no espSial
love for him. But they deem it better to endure
the ills they have than to fly to others that they
know not OF. They are not willing to part with
Crisp until they have better man to put into
his place. and such man they do not now know
where TO find. That IL why Crspi, apart from
the use of force and fraud, with which he has
been charged, commands such great popular
support at the polls That is why he Will prob
ably be overwhelmingly returned 10 power
again just rs hi Rudn gets into diff
culties and appeals TO the country; which may
be very soon. That is why he would probably
beat all competitors in the race for the Presi-
dcncy If the monar, ny were 10 be abolished and
Il republic proclaimed to-day The Socialists,
Anarchists brigands and outlaws hate him, OF
course, for they have felt the weight Of his
iron hand without velvet glove. But the
Italian people in general trust him and prefer
him 10 any other man Of the time. They would
rather Lave good Government than bad
one: but at any rate, they want a Government
with positive convictions and with the full
courage of them.
Our correspondent Is doubtless right, too, in
thinking the Italian people do not care mulch
FOR tie Triple Alliance. for the military system
II imposes and for the foreign conqueSts ii has
inspired The King does care for these things,
OF course and 80 do the politicians 80 do the
/ army and navy officers for obvious reasons.
80, most Of all do the spectators and con
tractors who grow rich ont of them But the
people prefer low taxes 10 big ornaments, and
domestic prosperity 10 foreign prestige. We
have never been able 10 discover among them
any widespread desire 10 cmigrae to Ably ssinia;
nor any especial love FOR Austria, who once held
two Of their faircst provinces in bondage, as
she still holds thousands of their brethren; nor
yet any deep hatred for France, who aided
them albeit for price, in their first tight for
freedom ana unity. II is true that Crispi stands
for the Triple Alliance and for militarism; but
he stands for "A great deal else; and ii is because
~ the latter and in spite Of the former that the
Italians put their faith in him. What our CORE
spondcnt says about the dynasty is not the least
striking nor the least credible. II has for some
! time seemed probable that the continuance Of
/ the dynasty beyond the present reign will de-
| pend entirely upon It's good behavior. fact
/ which no one recognizes more clearly than King
/ llumbcrt himself There is In fact in all Eu-
rope no land with greater possibilities and prob
! abilities OF revolutionary changes In the near
/ future than are seen In Italy to-day; and the
principle on which those changes are likely TO
proceed is, Italy for Italians rather than for
, Germany and Austria. and Italians for Italy
rather than for the wds II Abyssinia.
GOLD EXPORTS AND TARIFFS.