The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-08-12

Victor Emmanuers accession to the
throne will have the effect of either
precipitating or averting the long
threatened revolution in Italy. In any
case it is likely to prove the turning
point in the destinies Of that nation,
and those who know the new king best
are of the opinion that this country,
so sorely tried during the past half
century by military and diplomatic de-
feats abroad and by political and econ
omic disturbances at home, is about TO
enter upon a new and happier era.
Indeed, the sacrifice of King Hum
bert's life may result In the establish
rnent Of the dynasty Of Savoy upon a
more solid basis than that which 1t has
until now enjoyed, and in the preserva-
ton of the kingdom from the disruption
and anarchy with which 1t has been
menaced for some time past
Young Victor Emmanuel has until
now been tie subject of more unfriend-
" MISREPRESENTATION than any prince
of the blood in all Christend0m. His
dimnutive stature-he is about the
same height as Queen Victoria; that
is to say, under five feet-nas served
TO expose him TO the ridicule which
people in general feel for those Of their
fellow creatures who may happen 20
be OF stunted growth, until they be-
come acquainted with their moral
worth; while his reserved, Unconditional
and somewhat cynical manner has not
been calculated to endow him with
popularity, or to invite public SYM
pathy, yet with all that, it may be
questioned whether any monarch has
ever assembled a European throne who
was more advantage0usly equipped in
an intellectual sense for the duties of
rulership than Italy's little king.
A Strong Figure.
He is a man Of exceedingly strong
and decided character, accustomed to
think for himself and TO do with orig
inality and independence, so much so
that on one occasion the celebrated
Italian statesman and savant, BOnghi
after a conversation with his future
king, exclaimed, "Questo Giovane mi
da Soggezione," which may be con-
Strued as an unwilling admission that
intellectually speaking, he has been
forced by the princes cleverness and
sound sense to play second fiddle to
him.
Victor Emmanuel is utterly free from
illusions and differs from Emperor Will
liam and from the young car in being
completely devoid of any tendency to-
ward phantasy, to mysticism. If ever
there was a mind that was well bal
aneed, and capable of carefully meas
ured and matured opinions, it is that
of Italy's new king. Whatever he IN
dertakes is duly thought out before
hand, and not only his subjects, but
likewise all foreign nations, may rest
assured that the young monarch will
never act on the impulse of the mo-
ment, or without proper consideration.
That Victor Emmanuel has not been
in political sympathy with his father
during the last decade is no secret to
those who have any acquaintance with
the Italian court of politics.
A Change of Politics.
There is at every court in Europe a
certain class of INSCRIPTIONS men and
women who, either through discOntenA
or else merely for the sake of further
ing their own Interests and ambitions,
devote their entire energies to promot-
ing ill-feellng between the sovereign
and his heir apparent, naturally at
taching themselves to the fortunes of
the latter. No more striking instance
need be cited than the case of King
Humbert and his father. So thorough
~ had certain of the courtiers sue
ceeded in estranging Humbert from his
predecessor that he was not admitted
TO the bedside of his dying father I'M
til the latter had become unconscious
1t is greatly to his credit that under
the circumstances he should have
shown so much cOnscientiousness in
paying of all the huge liabilities of his
parent.
During the past ten years strenuous
efforts have been made to bring about
the same kind of feeling between the
late king and his only son and present
successor. Fortunately all attempts
10 impair the affectionate sentiments
between the two met with failure But
the political estrangement between the
two WAS complete, and the crown
prince repeatedly gave expressions of
public character to his disapproval
Of his fathers methods, as, for in
stance, when, during the very midst of
the revolutionary disturbances OF two
years ago, he suddenly left the king
dom with his wife and proceeded on a
long yachting tour in northern lati-
tudeS
Among the many subjects of differ
ence between father and son have been
the Abyssinian war. Humbert was in
favor of continuing the latter, no mat
ter at what cost, bent On retrieving the
terrible defeats sustained by Italian
arms. Victor Emmanuel, on the other
hand, was opposed TO any further sac
ritices of Italian life and treasure in
behalf of an enterprise which he was
shrewd enough to perceive could never
prove of any lasting advantage to his
country.
Victor's Foreign Policy.
Humbert was in favor of maintaining
the triple alliance at all costs, even
though it should economically ruin
Italy. Victor Emmanuel. in spite OF
his personal intimacy with the kaiser
is opposed thereto, and is not a man
who will ever allow his political ac-
tions, and above all his responsibilities
as a sovereign, to DE Influenced by pri-
Vate friendships.
liumbert was an insuperable obstacle
to any reduction of the army or navy
for the sake of urgently needed econo-
mics, declaring that he had personally
pledged his word to the emDerOrs OF
Germany and Austria that there would
be no dimiDutiOn of his army or navy
Victor Emmanuel on the other hand
is in favor OF these reforms. which arc
indispensable TO the welfare of Iealy
The new king likewise strongly ,iisap-
proved of the tariff war against France
inaugurated by Premier Crispi. and
which has proved of such incaIculabla
injury to the economic welfare of Italy
while on the subject of internal admin
fStTaTiOn his ideas differ radically from
those of his parent and Of the latter's
principal ministers and political advis-
ers during the past decade.
Humbert, whose education has been
sadly neglected by his father-a man
who reserved all his affection and at
tentiOn for his Legitimate children
made the mistake of considering him
self perfect slave to the letter of the
Italian constitution.
He was not brOad-minded or clever
enough 10 realize that there were times
when he should have preferred to the
letter of the constitution its spirit. OF
that there were occasions when by TOO
Hind obedience to its ,..rit+o,, -.