Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-09
ITALY'S ELECTIONS AND POLICY

Dispatches from Rome announce that
the elections have resulted In q complete
victory for government
Government represented by the Gio-
c4:, litti ministry. Rome is
SoeseAAe". finally free Of the con-
troll Of Nathan. the mayor who has been
these recent years a conspicuous figure.
In the face Of the crushing defeat Signor
Nathan win resign. and in the interim the
mayosalty will be occupied by q royal
commissioner.
The special interest In Italys elections
Is due to the participation for the first
time Of = new class Of electors follow
ing a law which constitutes suffrage
almost universal. The number OF electors
formerly was 1919. 207, whereas 1t has
now attained S.Sc9. $3.50
1t was feared that the new class Of
voters would strengthen the socialist
anarchistic party, but II was not so. The
new class for a fact is composed Of the
illiterate and often degraded. and the
fear that they would fall In the net Of
such leaders as Nathan wae not ground
less. The Debate, commenting thereon,
writes: Probably the first practical re-
suit OF the reform will he to augment
Of the candidates. There will be no
question OF principle. only local questions
The absence of opposition Ia not without
obstacles. A chamber elected under such
conditions IL likely to be docile instru-
ment In ordinary times"
The observation Of the Debats recalls
an incident in Egypt when Ismail Khe-
dive would accord representation to the
ignorant fellah.. The members Of the
assembly were instructed that for the
mr. tyo NJ
sembly should be divided into two or
more parties. One party would favor
measures proposed by 'Men." or govern
ment, which was the khedive. the other.
the party opposed.
The lesson was understood by those
who would vote for Mer: the opposition.
however, was recalcitrant. When the
vote was taken to oppose government
measure the opposition rose az one and
vote against government.
The reason was apparent In Egypt.
The fellah opposition to government
heretofore had been opposition to the
tax gatherer. which had cost him a
bastinado. Oppose the khedive? Abidan!
The elections at Rome have resulted as
follows: Liberals. 80: socialists. 20: radi-
calls, 10: Catholics. 8; constitutional, o;
republican. B.
The second ballot on the I'd instant was
characterized by scenes of violence. The
Office OF the Messagero. the organ of the
bloc. was attacked by a mob. windows
were smashed and personal injuries were
inflicted upon the staff Of the journal.
italian politicians introduced into the
elections the most ultra up-to-date meth
DDS. the cinematograph.
Modern flaming bill-posters and
n... gramophones to excite
'AOo'' the interest OF the people.
Suffragettes, heretofore an unknown.
or at least an insignificant, quantity. made
themselves felt by active participation.
Numerous suffragettes rushed about in
cabs and motors. harangued the crowds.
urging them to vote for women or for
those favoring woman suffrage. Violent
scenes were enacted, some blood was
shed and thus It may be said that the
elections of the I'd instant have launch
ed Italy on the sea Of popular elections.
It should be added that there Is q
doubtful note In these Italian elections.
Nunzio Mast. formerly minister of public
instruction, who was condemned q few
years ago by the courts for misappropri-
alton OF public funds. was elected for
three different districts, receiving 5000
votes, greater number than was polled
by any other candidate!
It will serve to introduce us-familiar-
ize us with the ideas and inspirations of
the reelected Giolitti ministry to cite
from the long expose which was incor-
porated in the royal decree Of dissolution
OF the chamber.
In the first place the new electoral law
accords to deputies an equitable in
demnity'' for himself as deputy and also
demnity for expenses incurred In the
electoral. Heretofore the law was ex-
plicit: Neither senators nor deputies re-
ceive any salary or other indemnity. but
are allowed to travel free throughout
Italy by rail or on steamers Of such lines
as lave a contract with a stipulation to
that effect" A salaried deputy thus Is
an innova ton. doubtless rendered neces-
sary by the high cost Of living and the
prospective high price of electors.
The legislature that closed In October,
according to the royal decree. has left
profound traces Of its
Legislatures work. politically and
p.e. socially. Numerous and
'0AOA S' important reforms have
been realized. Among these is the crea-
ton OF a new code Of penal procedure.
the reorganization Of the magistracy, the
law governing elementary and popular
instruction. the law creating the monopo-
ly Of the state in assurance on life, the
electoral law and the law as to primary
instruction destined to efface the shame
of inability to read.
The decree emphasizes the utility Of life
assurance as the basis Of a great reform
for the retirement Of employees and the
replacement of the retired. The electoral
law was expected to transform the basis
Of the political life OF the country, and
parliament would become the sincere and
complete expression of the will of the
nation.
But the event which has absorbed more
than any other question the attention OF
the people is the conquest Of the Trfpoli-
tan and the Cyrenaie. The enthusiasm of
the italian people on the announcement
Of the campaign In LAbya was such that
1t may be compared to the best days Of
the national resurrection
Italy's situation in the Mediterranean
had been marked, and the most glorious
traditions Of italian history had made OF
the Tripolitan enterprise q necessity
which Italy could not avoid. Italy could
not permit the barbarous state that ex-
listed in Libya: besides Italy would never
have submitted to see that region occu-
pied by other peoples.
Nor has Italy's enterprise encountered
opposition on the part Of foreign govern
ments, for Immediately after the sigma
ture of the treaty Of Lausanne the en-
tire and full sovereignty of Italy over the
Tripolitan and the Cyrenaie was recog-
nized by all the world.
The r fb1,au nxpodf+inp hod nathan ar