New-York tribune., 1901-09-01
ITALIAN PROBLEMS.
THE EVOLUTION OF A MODERN EURO
PEAN STATE.

Italian Unity which Mr.. Bolton King published
about year ago needed some such supplement
as that which he and Mr.. Okey have provided
In ITALY To-day" 1t deals with matters neces-
sarily sketched but in outline in the earlier
work, the purpose Of which was TO show how
modern Italy had been set upon her feet. The
present volume tells US in detail what she has
done with her new found statehood and for
living interest the story Is unrivaled in the
records Of modern Europe. No other nation
oilers quite so curious spectacle to mankind
for no other has formed itself in the midst OF
such paradoxical conditions. Heirs TO the great
est civilization the modern world has known:
the natural SUCCESSORS TO the unique power and
prestige OF Rome, the Italians have, nevertheless
been SO handicapped by the pressure Of disinte-
grating forces within and without the borders
Of the peninsula that politically they may be
sad TO remain even now at a stage Of Adde'S
ceGce. The expulsion OF The foreigner and The
establishment OF the House Of Savoy as the
cornerstone Of national fabric, Of an ITALY Tor
The Italians MAS only q preliminary tasil.. OF
Immense Importance il itself il was really 40
more significant, il the last resort, than that
o-oId-nation of provincial and communal inter
eSts which has been going on ever since and is
stu Ear from completion. Italy is a state in
The making. 1t is not surprising 10 find more
than one footnote in The present volume added
at the last moment. Something happens il italy
is generally something Of moment TO the nation
al large, though from what quarter il may
spllnS ana whether il may work for good or i'll
are questions difficult 10 answer without patient
waiting and the closest observation. Messrs
hinS and okey know their Italy, and ihey are
as 5oGicious in their CONGRATULATIONS as they are
pa!Lstaking in their statements Of fact
Inc facts are often Of a nature TO discourage
thu casual traveller. but our authors lemon
hoy
ful conclusions. Political corruption. iliteracy
poverty, the uncnding quarrel between church
and state and imperfect sympathy between
classes and masses evils with which a
nominaly united Italy has 10 rec kon. But Rome
as we have been told, not built in a day
ana II is a mistake suppose that because
u se evils are stin potential they are never
going 10 be got under control 10y the rober
elements in Italian life. That spirit Of resigna-
ton which has distinguished the Italian peasant
for centuries is mere stolid despair He is
awake 10 the possibilities OF life, and If he
ao4uiesces in much that is deplorabe he is also
Slowly but surely travelling toward better
things. In the mean time-and here lies his sal
Fation-h works. Messrs. King and okey are
strong on this point, saying:
There is no cruel or untrue taunt than
that the Italian be he from North or South is
Idle The Italians are the naVvies of the Con-
tinent; they have pierced the tunnels az tba
Alps they have built the hariSors Of C!s,aie G Ina aS
M2fse Hes: they have made the railways through
a large slice OF Europe. Thousands cross the
Aildnlc every autumn to reap the harvest in
the Argentine, then return to gather in their
oNn. The old Roman energy seems living in
the underfed and OYerWorked laborers of mod
ern Italy.
Let the reader who has never missed a meal
except when ill..ess made il desirable reflect
or the last sentence quoted, and ask himself
Il he has never allowed personal convenience
10 interfere with his going to the polls when
ms vote was needed there. before he scorns the
liaiian worker the willing tool of unsrrl1nl,-
lous politicians. The marvel really is that
against such backbreaking conditions the Ital-
Ian has, nevertheless, made progress One au-
thority has stated that his countrvnlen have
been used for TWO centuries TO live On baIf
fatons, and 10 this day the agricultural Ia bnrer
in the South rubs along a diet less generous
by a great deal Than that Of am inmate of =,
English WoTkhOuse. Cases Of d4a III e.,,o .,,.
Tation,' say our authors are very rare I'm,
mere rs a terrible permanent lack OF food 20,
cent inquiries into the food of scbool cbild,.,
nave proved that at Perugia one-tbj,d ba,-o
mite or no dinner, that at Pavia one in ten AT
Milan one in twenty-eieht have no dinner al ali
The case Of the adults is probably worse To
certain extent This povert. is inevitable
Italy" Professor Mill is quoted in this I,ool,
as saying is naturally poor country SO that
eFen if il were well governed il would stin be