New-York tribune., 1901-08-13
CRISPT.

The death Of Francesca Crispi would at one
time have been a political event Of the highest
international Importance AT this time 1t has no
political Importance whatever. 1t is still an
incident of great historical and personal inter
est. comparisons are odious." Yet at the risk
of invidious suggestions it must in justice be
declared that. with all his faults and frailtles,
Crspi was one of the three or four greatest
men Italy has produced-in statecraft-for
century or two and one entitled to a place in
the foremost rank of the makers of modern Eu-
rope There have been few more important
achievements in Europe in the last half century
than the creation of the kingdom of Italy and
the restoration Of Rome to a place among the
great capitals of the world. 1t would be diff
cult TO name any one man more entitled TO
credit for that achievement than Crlspi. His
comrade Garibadi? His services were almost
entirely military, while Crispi was statesman
as well as solder. His opponent, .CavOur? His
diplomatic efforts were directed toward the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of Piedmont, while Crispi's sole
idea was united Italy.
The world to-day is far removed in time, and
perhaps further still in feeling. from the Thou
sand of Marsala. There are few who can even
remember how eXutingly men once exclaimed
in the apt words Of a popular rhyme of the day:
Sic exit Bombalino.
Sic eXeant tyrants all!
And yet Marsala and the fall of the King of
the Two SiciIies and Garibalds crowning of
Victor Emmanuel as King of Italy were tre
mendOus facts in human history. All of them
Crispi saw. and great part OF them he
Especially do we owe it to him, and to him
above any and all others, that Victor Emmanuel
became King OF Italy instead-as Cavour would
have had it-of merely having other Italian
States annexed to his kingdom OF Sardinia. Not
even Garibaldi himself so strenuous, so
resolute and effective in the fight for Italia
Una as was Crspi. That fact may well be his
best memorial.
II was Crispis misfortune TO outlive his COM
rades Of the heroic age, and to have TO maintain
through years Of querulous and selfish peace
that which they won in the hot and generous
enthusiasm of war. There could be no greater
contrast than that between the red shirted
Thousand and the itching pamed ten thousand
whose corrupt greed has almost beggared Italy
We may well hold Crisp himself to have been
honest But it was impossible for him to avoid
much of the odium which properly fell upon his
associates. And for many years men have been
ignoring his former deeds and thinking only of
his later environment Since the fatal field of
Adowa the sun of Crispi has been in eclipse
Only the other day died Barateri, whose mis-
fortune IL was not only TO lose. but also to sur
/ vive, that disastrous battle. But ii was not he
/ but Crispi, whom Italians blamed. Now. in
Fate's strange irony, comes word that, after all,
Erythrea Is greatly prospering Italian influence
| Is paramount at the court of the Negus, and thus
| Crspi's African policy is vindicated!
But IL is not the adventurous coonizer or
as the extravagant politician thar Crispi will
have his place in history, but rather as the reyo-