The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-12
The Italian Riots

The serious riotinE which has taken
place in Naples, Milan, Pavia and a
few other Italian cities is evidently not
the sporadic upheaval of one or more
of the secret political societies with
which the peninsula is honeycombed,
aCtuated by common motive and in
spired by a common cause. but the
symptom of a preCOnCerted but prema-
turely developed revolution. In Italy,
az in all other countries i'm which it
exists, tyranny is met by conspiracy.
The Carbonar, the Sanfedisti and
many other revolutionary associations
have extended their organizations
throughout the length and breadth of
the country. Adherents to these secret
societies are found in the kings cabi-
net, in his household. in parliament, in
the army, the navy, i'm the monasteries,
universities and schools. No one knows
better than King Humbert the power
which they WELD politically and social
ly The Carbonam is not an anarchical
society in the sense in which Nihilism
10. The members Of it do not desire
Of the king; but they are drawing every
day nearer and nearer to the conclu-
sion that constitutional monarchy in
Italy is a failure, and that a republic
is the only means Of salvation through
which this country can pass to that
measure of liberty and prosperity
which is the complement of its history
and resources. These are practical and
sober views, They are the enlightened
views of men with a high sense Of
duty ana destiny
The unifcation Of Italy has not
brought with it all that was expected.
1t relieved the people of one tyranny
to shackle them hands and feet in that
of another. The taxation borne by the
Italian people is unprecedented in its
magnitude and in its minute ramifica-
tions. Every object that can, by any
stretch of the imagination. be made
taxable is taxed. The burden on the
peasantry is overwhelmingly great. No
wonder that they are poor and discon-
tented and not adverse to a revolution.
Garibaldis brilliant achievements have
brought to them no relief. on the con-
trary the religious houses having been
despoiled of their property, that meas
ure Of eleemOsynary relief which was
doled out at the conventual gates to all
who sought it, the lazaroni and the in
dustriOus, has been stopped and the
country people are left starving. Italy
having entered the Triple Alliance, she
was forced by the conditions of the
compact to maintain an army and navy
which would bear the same offensive
and defensive relation to the whole as
those Of Germany and Austria do.
Whether Italy was wise i'm entering
this alliance seems at least open TO
question. She has an immense sea
front; her northern provinces have
been raVaged and conquered time after
time by French and Austrians, and the
same thing might occur again. Still,
the indefinite increase Of taxation
which the partnership in the Alliance
entailed has led to fearful discomfort
in Italy ana may yet precipitate a
revolution.
or course, the present revolt will be
put down with a mailed hand. The
army and navy are loyal to the king,
and will remain so during Humbert's
life. 1t is doubtful, however, if the
Prince of Naples will ascend the throne.
Those intermittent revolts will lead to
a general revolution and a republic as
in France. For some years they have
been almost periodical, and the Italians
will come TO regard them as perennial,
as long as the present state Of affairs
lasts. The scandals involved i'm the
Banco Romano exposures have not yet
been cleared up. Crispi admits that he
obtained large advances from the bank
which he used for political purposes
and which he hoped to repay from the
revenues. But the eXtrayagances of
Crispis wife, which became notorious
In every capital in Europe, lends color
to the suppostion that all the large
drafts which the premier drew We're
not devoted to political purposes, even
If it had been legitimate to so use
them which il was not.
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