ITALY. 



453 



of allegiance. The Premier at once brought 

 in a bill disqualifying members who declined 

 to take the oath, or neglected to do so, within 

 two months after their election. Signer Falle- 

 roni, after twice refusing, was ordered to leave 

 the chamber by the President. Upon his de- 

 clining to do so, except on compulsion, he was 

 forcibly ejected. Signer Cavalotti, before swear- 

 ing allegiance in due form, on taking his seat 

 addressed a circular to all the members of the 

 Chamber, in which he declared that the oath 

 for him had no significance. 



Cabinet Crisis. Since the enunciation of his 

 programme at Stradella, Signer Depretis had 

 commanded an overwhelming majority, made 

 up of the Right, who accepted the programme 

 and renounced all opposition, following Min- 

 ghetti, while the other leaders retired, as well as 

 the Left, the different sections of which were rep- 

 resented in the Cabinet. The only opposition 

 was composed of the advanced sections of the 

 Left, who, without a definite programme, co- 

 quetted with the Republican and Irredentist 

 agitations in order to embarrass the Govern- 

 ment, and sought to break up the fusion with 

 the Conservatives and initiate a new era of 

 reforms. The situation created by the alliance 

 with Austria and Germany, and the stringent 

 measures taken by the Government to repress 

 Irredentist agitations, seemed to present the 

 opportunity desired. The Government was 

 represented to the country as suing for the al- 

 liance of Germany and Austria, and being re- 

 jected, and then finally securing admission to 

 the league on the condition of suppressing ir- 

 redentism, republicanism, socialism, and such 

 ebullitions of popular feeling. The charge of 

 having again degraded Italy to the condition 

 of a vassal of Austria was more damaging than 

 almost any that could be brought against an 

 Italian ministry. The action of the Government 

 in suppressing meetings and sequestering news- 



Cers was represented as the price of the al- 

 ice. The ministry was accused of bringing 

 pressure to bear on the judges to secure the 

 punishment of political offenders. The Ad- 

 vanced Left were determined to call the Prime 

 Minister to account. He was charged with 

 having changed his principles within the last 

 two years, and with pui^uingthe programme 

 of the Right. Signer Depretis was equally de- 

 sirous of clarifying the situation, but postponed 

 answering the multitude of interpellations that 

 were announced for week after week. He was 

 not ready for a test of strength until near the 

 middle of May. Then many of his antagonists 

 had withdrawn and the political atmosphere 

 was comparatively quiescent. Signor Min- 

 ghetti, the leader of the Right, offered his 

 support, and declared that the policy of the 

 Government was a continuance of that fol- 

 lowed by him before 1876. This declaration 

 gave Signor Nicotera the opportunity to press 

 the Minister President either to repudiate 

 the interpretation and renounce the proffered 

 support of the Right, or accept it, and thus 



run the chance of alienating the entire his- 

 torical Left. Signor Depretis, in his explana- 

 tion, said that governments in these times 

 have their task rendered difficult by the de- 

 mand of the peoples for the too rapid accom- 

 plishment of reforms and improvements of 

 every sort, which state of things necessitates 

 often repose and reaction. The difficulty of 

 preserving public peace and order was en- 

 hanced, the responsibility greater, and yet the 

 wishes of the country must be taken account 

 of and liberty not impaired. In this situation 

 the Government needed the support not of a 

 party, but of all the energies of Parliament 

 and the country. The acts of the Government 

 prove that they have remained true to the 

 programme of the Left. With respect to the 

 rights of association and of assembly, the sys- 

 tem of constant and strict vigilance was adopt- 

 ed, and toward Irredentist manifestations a 

 rigorous course was enjoined by circumstances. 

 In extraordinary events an extraordinary re- 

 sponsibility must be assumed. In conclusion, 

 he declared that his actions were not guided 

 by the grouping of parties in the Chamber. 

 Signor Nicotera proposed a vote of want of 

 confidence, which he expected would separate 

 from the Government either the Right or the 

 pure Left. In the explanations which followed 

 it was found impossible for the two more Radi- 

 cal members of the Cabinet to retain their port- 

 folios ; but the section of the party which de- 

 clared against the Government was numerically 

 insignificant. In the vote, which was taken 

 May 18th, the majority for the Government was 

 348 to 29. Signor Depretis thought it best for 

 the Cabinet to resign., so that it could be recon- 

 stituted in accordance with the somewhat more 

 clearly defined political situation. None of the 

 men of the Right were inclined to claim any 

 advantage from the position, while the dissi- 

 dent fraction of the Left was out of the ques- 

 tion. The Cabinet was consequently continued 

 after waiting a week or so, Signori Baccarini 

 and Zanardelli dropping out and being replaced 

 by Savelli and Genala, The former, a Neapoli- 

 tan by birth, was First President of the Court 

 of Appeal at Rome, and had been made a 

 senator in 1882, though without having taken 

 any previous part in politics. The other new 

 minister was a Professor of Political Economy 

 at Florence, had sat in the Parliament, on the 

 Left Center benches, since 1875, and had been 

 an active member of the railroad commission. 

 It was expected that Admiral Acton would re- 

 sign with the other pronounced Liberals; he 

 was prevailed on, however, to retain his port- 

 folio until he laid it down in November, and 

 was succeeded on the 16th of that month by " 

 Vice- Admiral del Santo. The new Naval Min- 

 ister is one of the most distinguished officers 

 of the Italian navy, but has never occupied 

 himself with political affairs. "When the par- 

 liamentary struggle was over, the popular agi- 

 tation suddenly ceased. 



Before the Parliament assembled again, on 



