The new Suffrage Bill for Italy, reducing the qualification to
a simple education franchise, every man able to read and write being an elector, has now passed both Houses, though it has not yet received the Royal assent. The Ministry are waiting to see the result of their second Bill, which establishes the Scrntin de Liste as the only method of voting. It was believed that the fate of this scheme in France would indeue S. Cairoli -to withdraw it, but he is pressing it more earnestly than ever. 'The Deputies are dubious, partly because they fear for their own seats, and partly because they are genuinely afraid lest the innovation should enable the Clericals to obtain .a majority. Some adhesions are, however, announced from the Right, and at present the belief is that the Bill will be carried by a very small majority. The result will probably be a Chamber composed of friends of the party in power, varied by men of eminence, whom, it may be noted, Italian constituencies very rarely reject. They even elect great composers, in prefer- ence to unknown men.
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