Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1902-10-09
ITALIAN TITLES REFORM.
Hereafter They Must Mean Something
More Than an Esquire"

announced a decision which will be
highly unpopular among those who,
in theory at all events, ought to be
bound by it. 1t has declared that the
most inmemorial custom Of noble
man of many titles ceding the in
ferlOr ones TO his sons for their life
or until succession to the higher dig
nifty Is illegal. These grants have
usually taken place on the sons mar
riagc. The younger members Of
the family have learned to look for
them, and the certainty Of bearing a
picturesque, and perhaps a historic
title, if only by courtesy, may reason
ably be supposed to count for some
thing in their matrimonial arrange
ments. The Roman Ileraldic coun-
ell has probably been moved by de-
sire to limit, as far as possible, the
excessive employment of nobilary
distinctions, but the usage it con-
demns Is so universal in Italy that
the new rule. probably, will be with
out much, if any, effect. How is the
prohibition TO be carried into effect;
Legally. it may be enforced. But
society makes it, own laws. Italy is
not only country with a very nu-
merous nobility, but some Of its great
old families cumulate dukedoms.
marqui,ates and countships in great
variety. They cannot, Of course,
compete in this direction with Spain,
Shosc titles are so frequently inher-
tied on the distaff side that a family
may own dozens, with several
grandeeships of the first class.
1t is not easy to understand why
the Italian nobility should be deemed
guilty Of improperly in adopting
this method Of keeping their sub
sidiary distinctions practically alive.
Exactly the same system. in so far
as regards eldest sons, i followed
blythe English peerage. from carls up
ward. save that there is no formal
cession of the complimentary title
1t Is used az a matter Of course.
In France a usage exists even more
closely akin to that which has been
condemned at Rome. each Of the
sons Of the houses more richly dow
cred with parchemins prcfxing an
inferior title to the family or terri
torlal name. In England, in one re-
spcct, We 90 even further than they
do in Italy. If, a. occasionally hap
pens, owing TO an accident of hcri-
tagc an English earl possesses nosec-
ond title be does not scruple to in
vent one for the bchoof of his heir.
who would otherwise be in an anoma-
lous position. There is no sound
reason why it should not be so-the
whole matter Is one Of conventions
al courtesy. differing only in degree.
but not in kind. from the universal
attribution of the word esquire"
which not one man in 10000 bears
by the strict letter Of the law.
Famous historical titles are. in
deed, SO often merged in newer ones
of higher degree that, without such |
customs as these many of them would |
never be heard, and their very exist
ence be forgotten. This is especially |
the case in Italy. whore possessors of |
the greatest medieval countships
and marqui>ates are usually quite
ready to add to them modern prince
dom or dukcdom, often from The
Even the proud Spanish
nobleman does not disdain "a step in
the pecragc,' but, quite as often as
not, he prefers to call himself count
Or marquis Of some creation which has
made lis mark in the history of his
country to employing a much higher
modern distinction which has not vet
had time to achieve luster. At the
same time, the encouragement of too
many courtesy titles is an ineligible
policy, especially in a country where
.ltolati are so numerous as in Italy.
The counts Of the north and the
princes of the south may each be
,ounted by the hundred, and if we
i'd the grades between the two and
hose above and below, respectively.
he talisunquestionably very large.
But it is not so easy to become
noble in Italy as once it was. The
'atican, no doubt. still exhibits con-
iderable activity in the manufacture
# blue blood, but it rarely issues a
'atent above the rank of count. and {
large proportion of its creations
re for foreign consumption, and
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