The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-20
Contemporary Italy.

" " IL
Contemporary Italy.
We have lately had occasion to notice several
books dealing with the unifcation Of Italy.
but not one Of them is brought down to our own
day. That objection cannot be made 10 Modern
Itaip by PIETRo ORsI. n translation Of which by
MARYALIcE WALLS is published bv the Putnams.
This volume carries us to January. 1900. when a
treaty OF had been concluded with
France, and when the relations had been reestab-
lished between France and Italy which. for ten
years. had been almost entirely interrupted
TO the mutual detriment Of both countries.
We avail ourselves Of this work TO direct atten-
ton to the recent political development Of
Italy, no account Of which can he found in
any encyclopaedia, or so far As we know, in any
other book. We need not point out the useful
ness of such a summary Of facts 10 writer's upon
current politics.
In order to render Ineligible the last decade
Of italian history We should recall the fact
that the various ministries Of the left" which
succeeded one another after 1874, when
Minghetti, the head OF the Right. went
out Of office. established compulsory ele-
mentary education, abolished the grist
tax and granted a large extension
OF the Parliamentary franchise The intro
duction Of these reforms tended 10 minimize
the differences between the two parties of"Right"
and Left, and Depretis. In order 10 keep him
self in power. favored the so-called Tras-
formismo party. thus getting n majority made
up Of many shades Of opinion which. not being
committed 10 a formal programme that would
have held II together. initiated a rapid decline
in political morals Al the same timo, in order
10 satisfy all the small local interests which now
became the chief guides Of Parliamentary
policy. n kind Of mania was evolved for ey-
pending money on public works. especially on
railways Unfortunately. this mania coin
cided with the increased outlay on military and
naval ornaments necessitated by Italy's more
active participation In European affairs. 40
that hardly ten years after n balance had been
effected in the Exchequer tby Minehetti in
1879. a deficit was exposed, while. TO make
matters worse. came the additional expense
OF a colonial war.
Here we should note that, since 1870, the
Rubattino Navigation Company had estab-
lished in the Bay OF Assab on the Red Sea a
coalin9 station for their steamers which. ten
| years later. was coded to the Italian Govern
ment. The latter took possession Of this road
stead without any primary intention OF annexa-
ton or self-axgrandizcment. but later let
itself be carried away by the tendency then
become general in Europe to colonial devel-
| opment and early in 1885. with the idea Of
| pleasing and. perhaps. Of assisting England,
engaged at that time in planning the recon-
| quest Of the Soudan. sent troops 10 occupy the
| island of Massowah, frustrated in their de-
sign OF aiding the English expedition by the
fall Of Khartoum. and the resultant ascen-
dancy Of the Mahdists on the Middle Nile,
the italian contingent set about establishing
friendly relations with John. the Negus Of Abys-
sinla. in the hope Of attracting the
Of the interior to the port Of Massowah. The
attempt TO propitiate the Abyssinian ruler
failed One Of his chiefs. 'Ras Alula, with an
enormous army, repaired to Dogali. where on
Jan. 20, 1887. he surprised and surrounded
a column Of 500 Italians. who after fighting for
eight hours. exhausted their ammunition, and
after killing n great number Of the enemy we're
nearly all massacrcd, Preparations were then
made on both sides for war. Having delayed
operations until January. 1889, the Negus ar
| rived with n large army in sight of the for
treeses occupied by the Italian troops. but
without giving battle retired. Meanwhile,
Menelik. King Of Shoa. one Of his ~vassals. had
rebeled against the Negus, who was thus
| threatened on both sides; it was while fighting
| this new enemy that the Negus received the
| wound from which in March, 1889, he died.
\ There were several pretenders TO the Aby ssin-
ian crown. and for some time thereafter the
country was a prey TO civil war The Italian
Government. headed by Francesca Crispi. who
had succeeded Depretis in the PREMIERSHIP
on the %latter's death in 1887. thought TO profit
by this state Of affairs. and, while II extended
its possessions in the Ably ssinian highlands by
occupying Keran and Asmara. allied itself
with Menelik, who. TO triumph the more easily
over his rivals. made the most ample prom
ises. II seemed "a II an era Of prosperity
| might now be dawning for Ttalyis new colony,
to which Crispi gave the name Of Erythrea.
At the same time an Italian protectorate was
erected over a large zone Of the Somali Pentn-
sula Svnyed by the enthusiasm generally
felt among his countrymen, Crispi imagined
that he had laid the basis Of a glorious future
for Italy's colonial ambitions.
The year 1880. however, presented a grievous
deficit In the country's finances, amounting to
more than 100, 900. 00 lire. or say $40. OoO. ooo.
To recover an equilibrium BET tween income
and outgo. new taxes. little relished by the
country, had 10 be levied. especially az. owing
10 the impossibility Of renewing the commercial
treaty with France. which was piqued by the
Germanophile policy Of Crspi, che Of the prin-
cipal outlets for the export Of Italian products
was closed. Moreover. the system Of excessive
and frIitless expenditure initiated by the State
had been unhappily adopted by the provinces
and communes and had brought about a serious
economic crisis. In January. 1891 Crispi fell
from power and was succeeded. first, by the
Marquis d. Rudini and af,erward by Gioli,ti
both Of whom managed. by the pursuit Of a more
prudent policy. to reduce somewhat the deficit
~ l.