3 MARCH 1894, Page 1

Signor Crispi on Wednesday made a startling speech on the

condition of Southern Italy. He declared that the Govern- ment were ready to do anything to redress the wrongs of the people of Sicily, to readjust all local taxation, and even to use the resources of the island to buy up the latifundia and distribute them among the peasantry, but that the recent dhorders had not been caused by distress. They had broken out in the provinces of Palermo and Trapani, where social conditions were easy, and large estates scarcely existed. They had been instigated by Revolutionists from the main- land, whose centre was at Marseilles, and who had stirred up the Fasci dei Lavatori, with their 289,000 members, to a Revolutionary movement, including the division of lands. They issued proclamations preaching pillage and murder, addressed to the "Children of the Vespers," and promising war by the end of the year, to be brought about by Russia, to which Power it was intended to cede a Sicilian port. It was indispensable, therefore, to declare the state of siege. It is exceedingly probable that the Sicilians are affiliated with some French Revolutionists, and not impossible that they may have talked and written rubbish about hiring the aid of Russia with a port, but the Italian Premier forgets that 289,000 conspirators means a population of a million and a half, and that such a proportion of a people does not rise, or threaten to rise, without real and great grievances. The Chamber applauded, but it is said that the new financial plan is not approved, and that the demand for the "full powers" necessary to reform the administration will not be con- ceded. There is trouble ahead before Italy.