Italy. 283 



graduated annually, hence even this improvement in the 

 lower class police would not be completed for six or 

 eight years. No st^ps had been taken to educate officers 

 for the higher grades, and in this direction propositions 

 merely were discussed. 



In 1899 a change in the permit system was made, but 

 hardly for the better, justices of the peace being em- 

 powered, under certain conditions, to issue such permits. 

 Xor do we find in 1901 anything more than expressions 

 of good wishes, and desire for further legislation, besides 

 some attempts at popular education through the forma- 

 tion of tree-planting associations under the patronage 

 of the Crown Princess. 



While the government makes these efforts to improve 

 conditions, the indifference, stupidity, cupidit}', and 

 malevolence of the people, and the long established 

 abuses prevent rapid progress at reform. 



ITALY. 



The efforts to secure improvement in the treatment of 

 forest resources have been more active and strenuous in 

 Italy than ia Greece. They were induced especially by 

 the urgent need of protecting watersheds, the rivers 

 throughout Italy having been turned into torrents by de- 

 forestation. But owing to the weakness of the govern- 

 ment and to povert}' the actual execution of the ver}^ good 

 laws has lagged behind. Indeed while ample legislation 

 has been enacted, the people, overburdened with debt, 

 and needing the small income that can be derived from 

 pasturing or renting the pasture in the woods, make it 



