The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-16
THE SITUATION IN ITALY.

THE IN
The press dispatches from the Italian
capital reflect to some extent the extreme
anxiety which besets the official classes
at this time in connection with the ap-
preaching rule of the young man who
follows his father on the throne. There
is an almost frenzied effort shown to give
currency to the conviction that the new
King of Italy is very humane and al
together superior young man, and that
the Italian people will be quite happy and
prosperous under his rule.
The situation is not rose-colored by any
means. The prosperous future of the
Italian people is as little securc1 as is
the permanence of the existing dynasty.
Corruption runs riot throughout AL Ital-
ian official life, including the army. The
people have no faith whatever in their
rulers. 1t has passed into x'roverb
among them that their corruption is in
durable Provincial divisions, still exist
ing, will long operate to prevent Italian
unity, save in name Indeed it is only as
a name that Italian unity has ever had
any tangible value. 1t has had its value
In that behalf as a means Of hoodwink-
ing the italian people.
While the ItaliaI. state IS being robbed.
and the Italian people oppressed. starved
and driven from their homes by the
representatives of the Quirinal govern
ment, the head of the entire system is
summoned before the bar of eternity at
the hands of a man, mad and irrespon-
sible perhaps, but none the less national
Nemesis. The Papal power stands cold
ly aloof Masses of the Italian people
make good their contemptuous protest by
refusing to take any part whatever in
the operation Of the existing political sys-
TEN, and many of the most thoughtful
students of italian public affairs, who
have no sympathy whatever with the
Vatican, avoW the belief openly that the
only remedy which the people have for
putting an end to the universal corrup-
ton in official life is to follow the ex-
ample of the friends Of the papacy and
refrain altogether from voting or con-
corning themselves in the progress Of
public events In this way, they argue.
the end must be reached more speedily
than otherwise.
This is in outline the situation which
confronts the young king. He Is reputed
to be bright young fellow; to have his
full share of the infinite tact and of the
qualities which make for personal pop
ularity possessed in such great measure.
by his father and grandfather. But
neither tact nor popularity will fill the
pot of the starving Italian peasent; will
buy him his cheese or provide him with
his chestnuts, his maccaroni, his oil
or his salt, or enable him to reserve for
his familys use the little bunch of veg
etables or the little measure Of milk
which he now carries off to market OF
the simplest necessaries of life he Is de-
prived, so that he may get the money
wherewith to meet the taxes that enable
the representatives of the government to
live in luxury, while he struggles on,
happy If he can save his little holding
from sale by the tax-gatherer for
some trivial amount, the non-payment of
a pauper.
Whoever has read Ouida's last book.
1.-THE Waters Of Edera," will appreciate
the helpless condition of the Italian
peasant, confronted as he is by the
rapacity of his rulers. His helplessness
Is all the more pitiful since he has gone
beyond the point where revolt Is pos
sibiIity with him. or where If It were
in his hopeless undoing. What actual
hunger may do with the Italian masses
some time when the present era of cruel
taxation and robbery reaches It's in
Whether the young king can successfully
ride the storm, or whether he will sue
cumb to the re-established control of
the Vatican, to an Italian democracy or
an actual dictatorship only time can re-
veal.
All who know or care anything for the
political concerns of the Italians will
watch the trend of events incident to the
establishment of the new king. The ex-
listing order cannot long continue. It
must be changed in the immediate future.
Changed it can be and to the advantage
at once of Italy and of the present reign
ing family if this young man who now
assumes the crown has IN him any of the
qualities of the true statesman. If he
is no more than his father and grand
father were before him-a royal puppet-
his fathers fate is not at all unlikely to
be his.
RIIIN RIASOnr onr GU