The Washington herald., 1907-06-16
Other Glorious Fourths
WHY GERMANS AND ITALIANS ARE
CELEBRATING THE GREAT DAY

Julys Glorious Fourth will be ceie-
brated this year, not only by Americans
as their great national holiday. as the
13lst anniversary Of the Declaration Of
Independence, but also by Germans as
the second birthday OF their future
Kaiser; and by Italians in all parts OF
the W0ri0 as the centennial Of the com
u1encement Of the stormy career Of their
national hero, GaribaldL Just 100 years
have elapsed since he came into that
world 10 the political changes OF which
he contributed in so large a degree, his
activity extending over two hemispheres
For a time there was disposition, es-
pecially abroad, to regard him IN the
T light Of a Condottiere. owing 10 the fact
that he had served under SO many flags,
including those Of the Be- Of Tunis. OF
the republic Of Uruguay, Of other Of the
South American republics. and even IN
China.
But time, which softens prejudices. and
furnishes the necessary perspective 20
history has brought about a change in
this view Of GaribaldL II has demon
strated that # he fought under many
I
considerations that constitute the merce-
nary motives Of most soldiers Of fortune
/ but by an unsclfish and passionate de-
VOti0n TO the cause % political liberty
/ The sufferings Of victims Of tyranny
whether exercised by a crowned despOt
I such as King "Bomba'' of Naples. or
/ by the dictator Of a South American
republic found in him a ready sympa-
thizer, who was always ready 20 draw
| his sword IN their behalf and 20 cham
4 pion their wrongs. like some knight err
rant Of old, whose taste for stirring
adventure he shared 10 a degree far more
/ characteristic Of tho medieval era than
( Of the nineteenth century.
/ But there were none whose troubles in
/ this respect appealed to him so strongly
as those Of his own cOuntrymen in Italy
/ To understand him, IL Is necessary 20
recall the fact that he was the product
/ Of an era when the entire peninsula was
/ parceled Up into number Of petty
states, each one Of them ruled by a
/ prince who had learned nothing from the
lessons Of the great French revolution.
and who. regarding his people as little
/ better than cattle. existing merely for his
own advantage and benefit, misgoverned
/ them with degree Of cruelty and greed
/ that excited the Indignation Of the re-
mainder Of the civilized world. So terri
/ bic were the tales told abroad Of their
/ cruel lot. Of the manner in which they
/ were incarcerated IN foul dungeons, on
] the mere suspicion Of disafecti0n. Of the
way in which they were tortured. put
/ 20 death robbed Of their possessions. and
/ forced 10 witness the wreck Of their
] homes that the overthrow of all these
petty desp1ts, and the amalgamation Of
/ their d0miEions into one kingdom Of
/ Italy. was hailed with satisfaction every
/ where abroad. even by the occupants Of
! foreign thrones. who realized fun we'll
/ that the cause Of monarchy in the eyes
/ Of the people could not but benefit by
/ the change
/ To-day q new generation has sprung
! mp in Italy; but thirty years ago there
/ were few families in the peninsula who
I had not then living members who had
! been subjected 90 cruel suferings az the
/ hands of their hearriess princes, some
/ ~ whom We're men SO infamous that
Z when. for instance, the father Of the
present eX-DUke 81 Parma was struck
I down in the streets Of his capital, neither
. his widow. nor his ministers. nor his
f. people. made any arrempt 10 capture
or punish his assassins, thereby admitting
! that he had thoroughly deserved his
/ fate.
That such a condition Of affairs in Italy
/ should have stirred "A vsrm-hearted pa
J triot such as GarIbaldI 10 the very depths
Of his being, IS easy 10 understand. He
had the sunerngs Of HIS fellow country
men constantly before his eyes They
. appeared intolerahle 70 him. and that
is why he developed into such FIRE
/ brand. who found II impossible % rest
until he had brought about the liberation
. Of his beloved Italy Cavour. one of the
/ greatest statesmen Of the nineteenth cen
tury King Victor Emmanuel II. the Re
/ Galantuomo. and Mazzini the Conspira-
tor, all had the same object in view
/ But they disapproved as a rule Of one
anOthers methods. Those Of Mazzini ap-
! pealcd neither 10 Garibaldi nor yet TO
/ CavOUT and Victor Emmanuel On the
| other hand. the latter. and his premier.
found II frequently necessary to proceed
with a greater degree Of caution and dip
/ lomaCy than met with the approval Of
/ Garibaldi who was impatient OF every
delay. He could not understand that it
was necessary to take into consideration
/ the relations Of italy with the foreign
/ powers. and with the foreign money
markets, nor appreciate the fact that ii
political move would be rendered doubly
and trebly effective by waiting few
months, perhaps a year. Il was this that
occasionally brought him into conflict
| with Victor Emmanuel, and with the
latter's ministers, which led him to vio-
late his agreements with them, and to
disregard their instructions. forcing them
thereby, into positions where they were
compelled TO 90 through, at any rate. the
/ semblance Of arresting him and of plac-
ing him under a sort OF honorable re-
straint, in order 70 avert grave inter
national complications with other nations
While these acts of insubordination on
the part Of Garibaldi were a source Of
considerable embarrassment TO King Vic
tor Emmanuel, and TO his government at
the time yet they contributed I'm such
degree to bring about the eventual re-
suit, namely the transformation Of all
Italy into single constitutional state.
with Rome as its capital, that it is easy
10 understand why there were people
/ abroad who were convinced that the King
was secretly Connivlng at the old patriots
coups. even though he was obliged to dis
avow them officially. For had Garibaldi
obeyed 10 the letter the laws of the land
and the DEGREES Of that big. 5uTly King
TO whom he was so deeply attached it
is doubtful whether Italy would be rank
ing to-day was one Of the great powers Of
the world.
Among the features Of the celebration
at Rome on July 4, next, in honor of
Garibaldi. will be a parade through the