Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-10-20
MEMOIRS OF CRlSPI
POsthumous Writings Of Italian
Statesman to Be Published.
LONG INVOLVED IN LITIGATION
Delay is Due to Dispute Between
Heirs and Relatives.
LIGHT ON ITALIAN HISTORY
First Volume Includes Correspondence
with Mazzini and Garabaldi.
HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH BISMARCK
Written Near End of His Life, Books
Reveal Here aud There Touch
of senIIe Hand that Pro-
duccd Them.
First Volume Includes Correspondence,
with Mazzini and Garabaldi.
HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH B1sMARcE

statesman, are nnHlly 70 see NHe iibh'
after a long delay which has much In
creased public expectation regarding the
nature Of these posthumous papers penned
by one who played so important a part
In the policy not only of Italy, but OF all
Europe. It has been foreseen that there
will be more than one high-havored page
in the Memoirs, considering the active
share Crispi took IN the AFFAIRS of his
country, first as a republican member of
Parliament and later as converted minister
OF the monarchy his great friendship
with Bismarck. his epic domestic troubles.
and his connection with the scandals and
broglios of the Italian banks.
Unfortunately the work will here and
there reveal the senile hand that produced
e.: Crispi never thought seriously OF the
task until fallen from popular favor and
almost blind. he took advantage of an
operation that gave him back his sight
some four months before his death to
write the memoirs. He passed away de-
serted by friends and adulators, at his
villa in Naples, August 10, 1901; and the
members OF his family assert that his end
was hastened through the activity he dis
played in this last work which consoled
him In his loneliness and loss of his
partisans who had turned against him
in his impotence.
Litigation Delayed Book.
BY order of his will the memoirs were
to be published Immediately after his
death; but litigation ensued between the
state and his relatives and heirs, carry
ing the question who was the owner of
the memoirs from one tribunal to another.
and It was only lately that the opposing
parties in the quarrel came to an ami
able understanding that permitted the
appearance of the book.
Great Importance Is given to the memoirs
because It Is affirmed that its effect will be
90 cause italian history to be rewritten
owing to tho new light Crispi sheds on the
organisation and the constitution OF the
UpFed Kingdom. The first Of the three
v4 bmes, drawn evidently from notes made
the time deals with the revolutionary
period of Italy, Crispi's connection Will
the revoiutionists and the lively role the
dead statesman filled in his country's up
rising against tyrannic rule The volum,
also includes the writer's correspondence,
with Mazsini and Garibaldi. his opinions
Of these personages and his eventual spill
with the latter. In 1888 when the TIVE
friends parted forever. causing Crispi t,
change his opinion of Mazzini. who re
uldlntN obuutdNe INphullNdls NuNWlln
standing his enmity. crlspi has handled
MazEini in his 4nemolrs with great impair
tiality.
CrisDi and Bismarck.
The second volume treats Of Crlsprs ris
to the summit of Italian politics and hi
career as minister up to the year 1891
when, through vote OF lack of confidence
the Crispi cabinet was Obliged to dissolve
Crispi, however. re-emerged to public viev
in the melancholy period of the Africa
disaster. which was the beginning of hi
unpopularity. One of the most importan
sides Of the work is the intercourse betwee
Crispl and Bismarck and the consequen
causes that produced the isolation OF Ital
In 1873, the occupation of Tunis and tn
dissension between Italy and France tina
threw the former into the triple alliance.
II is 20 be regretted that, owing to IN
family dispute over the memoirs, the wor
will be- published simply as its materi'
was gathered and set down. The idea
the italian government had been TO preser
the manuscript with commentaries. so tina
the statesman's pages might be more con
prehensible. The suggestion was. howeve
not accepted. out Of fear that many fac
therein stated would be velled.
II Is interesting to learn IN connectio
with the memoirs that Crispi while writin
them sought a foreign Maecenas IN n
person Of Emperor William II, for whom
Il Is said he had an unbounded admiration
With this intent he dispatched a your
lawyer, Giuseppe Paratore. in 1901 with
letter 10 this German majesty. In his le
ter Crispi stated that the idea OF havir
such q noble patron would be a great II
ducement in producing the work. and tha
having nothing else to offcr in exchang
he sent him the gold medal the Stellar
had coined for him in the year 1899 III
emperor was touched by the request an
agreed 20 become the patron of the m
moirs. Then Crspl died and litigation ei
sued, and the emperor was never call,
upon to fulhr his' agreement.
Gloom of Deeadence.
Though the hrst part OF the memoirs r
fleets the tremendous activity Of Crisp
manhood. the latter part is overshadow
by the gloom OF the statesman's decadenc
Crispi towards his close had grown pes,
mistic In the extreme and though stu ma
Aaer OF his faculties he was but the shade
Ipf his former self Disease caused him
most continuous pain, and the writing
lhe memoirs was often interrupted
falntinG spells and physical collapse,
II has been a matter OF much specul
tion among his friends at the last VIII
Crispls attitude would be In the face
death. lie had always expressed a bel
IN God and on more than one occasion Z
clared himself a Christian. Would he
would he not call q priest to his bedsid
lie was on the point OF dissolution when
daughter asked him II he wished religio
attendance. Crispi opened his eyes-th
lad been closed for an hOur-to stare
ais daughter, saying In decided voice
believe In God, / am a Christian; ma
10 need OF priests" The last part OF
memoirs contains a profession OF fa
pluch In this spirit, for Crispl. like Nj
stint had the opinion that II Journalism We
dispensed with Ia religion the Christi
faith had nothing 70 fear from rational
"a Rhil0sophies.