The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-04
Republicans and Catholics In Italy

hhu SothOilNb III
Little attention has been thus far paid
in this country to the fact that, this sum
| mer, since the propagation OF the Parliament
| OF Italy, the Constitution OF that country
has been suspended. That Is to say the
Cabinet headed by General PELLoUx Is
governing in defiance Of the provisions for
bidding O censorship OF the press and
protecting the right OF public meetings
which are imbedded in the Statute, or fun
| damental organic law. The Republicans
| have naturally drawn from this act Of
usurpation the inference that the monarch
ial system has broken down, and General
RIcCIoTTI GAR1RALD1, who aspres to lead
them, has defined the programme which he
would follow. What he proposes ia the
cooperation OF Republicans with the
numerous Catholic voters, who heretofore,
have held aloof from the ballot-box. for the
purpose OF substituting for the Savoyard
monarchy Federal republic, under which,
he says, the interests Of the Papacy would
have at least better chance Of being fur
thered than they have now.
The violation OF the italian Constitution
committed by the Ministry now in power
startles patriotic Italians, not because 1t is
unprecedented, but because it is applied to
rights which are universally recognized as
lying at the root OF popular self-govern-
ment The Statute which was granted to
his subjects in 194S by CHARLES ALBERT
King OF Sardinia, and which remains the
Constitution Of the Kingdom of Italy, con-
tains no provision for the emendation Of
itself It was, for some time, supposed
bok nbop In hov To ba
made by a constituent assembly, but, grad
ually, an opinion gained ground that the
political institutions Of Italy, like those Of
England could be modified by the ordinary
prooaes OF legislation.
Such a modification has been actually
effected on several occasions, and now both
jurists and statesmen are agreed that un-
limited sovereign power resides in the King
and Parliament. No one denies, therefore,
that the provisions for tho liberty Of the
press and the right OF public meeting could
have been suspended by bill which passed
both Houses and received the assent Of the
Sovereign. Such bill was, in fact, intro
duced. but 1t was referred to a committee
and had not reached vote in the Chamber
OF Deputies when the Parliament was
prorogued. Nevertheless, the Ministry
announced that they should exercise, dur
ing the recess, the power Of suspending the
liberty of the press and the right Of public
meeting, and they have done so.
1t Is true that, for this arbitrary course,
there are some ostensible presidents which
people alive to the dangers Of Ministerial
usurpation would never have tolerated. On
variOis occasions, n Cabinet has been per.
mitted to mako temporary laws, which
were to be submitted to Parliament later
rs, for instance. when n tariff bill was in.
troduccd, the Ministry was allowed to pre-.
vent by decree large importations before
the tariff went into effect. The final text
OF the recent Criminal Code was never sub
mitted to the Chambers MT an. but, aftcI
the subject had been debated. tho Govern
ment was authorized to make n complete
draft Of the CODE and then to enact it by
royal decree, taking into account the view.
expressed by the Chamber.
The same anticipation of the action OF the
Legislature was condoncd in the case o
tho Electoral law Of SS2, of several recon
laws on local government, and OF many
other minor cnactments. II these prece
dents are scrutinized, however. 1t will b,
found that none of them iustifes the sus
pension by the party in power Of rights 81
vital to self-government as the liberty o
the press and the right Of public meeting
There is no doubt that had such rights beef
suspended in France by mere Ministerial
decree, 1t would be universally felt that tn
Parliamentary system had committed sui
eide, and that nothing was loft to the peop
but tho assertion OF the right of revolution.
Tho cxtra-constitutonal position takel
by the PELLoUX Ministry Is, naturally
. made the prctext for renewed agitation o.
the part or those Republicans who, like Gen
RICCIoTTI GARIBALDI, believe that tn
needs Of the italian Peninsula and Sicil,
can be better answered by Federal RI
public thnn bya centralized monarchy. TIL
Republicans, however, are well aware that
even II aided by the Socialists, they wou
be too weak, numerically. to undertake
l constitutional agitation. with the aim c
, gaining a majority In the Chamber {
: Deputies. Might they not, however, gal
: such majority. could they effect a coalitio
} with the Catholic electors who mus
3 constitute from one-third to two-fifth
l OF the whole electorate, rs Is show
by the difference between the number {
R registered voters and the number OF vote
3 actually cast ct any Parliamentary eleC
3 tionP The Catholic voters. it must b
I remembered. take part In municipal an
. communal elections, but are forbidden b
: the Papacy to vote at any election for
t member OF tho Chamber OF Deputies.
= this prohibition were rescinded, and tn
= Catholic voters were advised to cooperat
r with the Republicans and Socialists, thcr
is no doubt in the mind OF any unprejudice
8 observer that the coalition would secure
Q majority in the popular branch OF I'll
: Italian legislature.
4 What would the Catholics have to gain b
a | annh a cnnnhin ahinn2 Qannrnl q LnInA I