The Minghetti Government in Italy has nearly been over- thrown.
It has demanded special powers to deal with the Mafia, the terrorist society of Sicily, which levies black-mail from all classes, threatens the officials, and defies the Police, but the Chamber was unwilling to accord them. It was argued, with some justice, that however bad the state of Sicily, the evil was due in part to the habitual neglect of the Southern Provinces, the non-opening of the roads, and the absence of effort to employ the people. Fortunately, S. Tajani, a Sicilian Member, was able to show that the influence of the Mafia corrupted the Police, menaced the higher officials, and had even alarmed the Ministry into concessions who, however, defended themselves by stating that they had hoped to break the Mafia up from within. On a final division the Bill was carried by a majority of seventeen, .aucl the Government saved. It is quite clear that Sicily is not_governed, for in one of the richest islands in the world no travelleris safe, and no tribunal in- dependent. The simplest civil order—such, far instance, as ex- ists in Tipperary or on the Gold Coast—would in five years double the incomes of the inhabitants, bat it is unattainable.
