The sun., 1904-11-27
ROME ENDS TIE NON EXpEDIr.
CATHOLICS SHARE IN ITALYS
LEGISLATIVE ELECTION.

Increase Their Vote Very Greatly.
ROME, Nov. 15.-Great importance has
leen added to the Italian election this
year by the fact that the Catholics in some
degree have taken part In them At Ber-
gamo the Guepth party went to the ballot
box with a manifesto signed by Its leaders
and approved, am told authoritatively, by
the Pope It defeated the Socialist candi-
date. At Milan Count Cornaggio, a
Catholic, was elected by the Catholics. 1t
was believed that the Cardinal Archbishop
approved with the assent Of the Vatican
At Treviglio the Catholics checkmated
the Socialists; at Rho, In spite OF Signor
Medals declaration that he would not stand,
the Catholics voted for the editor Of the
Osser,atore Cdaolico. At Naples, Signor
Pisani, Christian Democrat, was stand
ing as @ candidate, when at the last minute
signor Gianturco, the former Deputy and
the ally that must be put through at any
cost, begged the Catholic to withdraw.
Almost everywhere \large numbers Of
Catholics bolted, the Holy See and its
Journals keeping silent. 1t is this silence
which gave significance to the break with
the Non Expedit Neither Bishops nor
official newspapers nor the Vatican made
the slightest resistance to tho current. II
Is true, In spite OF the visits Of Signor Tit
toni, the Pope did not give the leaders who
asked for his advice the authority to stand
as candidates; but he allowed both the
director OF the Lega Lombarda, Count
Cornsggio and the groups that were op-
posed to the traditional veto to act az they
pleased.
What does this mean? Is the Pope
advancing by stages? Does he wish 10
uphold tho prohibition to be eleoted2 I
think that for the moment that is the desire
OF Plus Z. pending the full abolition OF the
prohibition as circumstances win permit
Tho case OF Count Cornaggio Is Of e1traor-
dtnary importance and throws much light
on the state Of things. 1t looks as though
the Holy Father were trying to extend to
Italy the system that was pursued at Venice
when he was Patriarch. a system Of alliance
with the Moderate party with the conquest
OF the capitol In view, the complete success
OF which emboldens him to apply Ii generally
In the legislative and national field. It
would mean then, before long, junction OF
Conservatives and Moderates against the
Socialists, whose progress disturbs the
Vatican almost as much as IL does the Quir-
inal Successfully priest. vicar, curate,
vicar general, Bishop, Patriarch, it seems
that Plus X. may be guided by oonsidera-
tions that are particularly ecclesiastical
and Italian. These are the higher reasons
that would lead him to break with policy
whose diplomatic and universal inspiration
leaps at once to the eyes.
In short, without commenting on the char
acter and the stages OF the conversion the
end Of the Non Expedit has come. What
ever the degree may be the fact cannot be
doubted. The policy Of the Holy See enters
on new phase, Since the encyclical
Rerum Novarum and the policy Of rallie-
ment in France this Is the most remarkable
evolution that the Papacy has made or could
have made. 1t reminds me Of the words
OF wicked Roman when Plus X. was elected:
-Distrust his gentleness and reserve
When he entered Venice he said to every
body Fear nothing all will remain as it is. >
Two years after he had changed every
thing and all the power was in his hands. y
What form will the Roman question take
now1 What will be the consequences
of the change? We shall doubtless have
soon plenty Of occasions Of discussing
them.
The cooperation Of the Catholics has
Increased the triumph OF the Government.
for It has helped to defeat some Socialists,
q result which the Quirinal desires above
all else Nevertheless, the victory has
been exaggerated. The losses Of So
cialism are not very serious and we must
wait to see how the new Deputies group
themselves. IL 1900 the Socialists won
great success because the lower middle
class was drawn to the banner of liberty.
All popular parties were striving for a
common object. After the five days Of the
general strike the position of the fourth
estate became less favorable. Neverthe-
ess, in spite Of the general uneasiness
and the detection of the small property
holders, the Socialist votes remain stead
fast Others and very many of them have
been won for the revolution. The result
seems all the more significant because the
Socialists were fighting alone and were
divided among themselves besides on a
account of the dissension between MARKHAM
dogmatism and the reform ideas Of Signor
Turati.
The increase In the number of Socialist
votes is Of very grave Importance con-
sidering the electoral conditions. In Italy
the right OF voting is denied to those who
can neither read nor write, the analpha-
bette as they are called on this side of the
Alps. In Italy per cent. OF the popula-
tion can vote, while the proportion in France
is rs per cent. and in Germany 20 per cent.
The number of illiterates in Italy in 1872
was Il, ,553 1872, or ~ per cent of the popu-
lation; in 1882 II 49, 14l I57, or 81 per cent
In 1901, ls,II5,323, or So per cent. The
small number Of electors makes the in
crease in the number Of Socialist more
important
In 1870 the number of Socialists votes
was 2e4,976 the figures this year show
3OI, ,625. To these Piedmont contributed
1856, Lombardy So 4si, Emilia 47.S3l, Tus-
cany s4,s24, Rome 6.772, Naples 5,o27, Sar-
dinia 1873. and Basilicata 7,7.
That is the distinctive mark Of this cleo
tion. 1t is a strong warning to opponents
OF social reforms and Of Christian democracy
ISNoMISATo.
WASHINGTON SOCIETY.