The visit of President Loubet to Italy this week has
been a great success. Not only Rome, but all the chief provincial cities have shown by their gifts and addresses the widespread popularity which France possesses for the moment with every class of Italian. Italy has forgiven the later exploits of Napoleon III., and remembers only the part he played in her liberation ; and with the populace the recent Anti- Clerical policy in France, and the fact that M. Loubet will not be received by the Vatican, add to their enthusiasm for their new ally. It is a memorable visit in more ways than one, for, as the Italian newspapers point out, it is the first time that France has officially visited the new un-Papal Rome. The recently concluded Arbitration Treaty and Labour Convention give a practical importance to the friendship. The visit does not seem to us to have any great diplomatic significance, for between Frenchmen and Italians there is a. natural tie of race and feeling which gives a warmness to their greetings that is perhaps more than the facts warrant.. German papers seem to be content to take the sensible line that for a member of the Triple Alliance to come to an understanding with an outside Power rather strengthens than weakens the Alliance. We may note, however, that the difficult position into which the visit has forced the Vatican will not tend to ameliorate the struggle with the French Clericals.
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