Italy's condition is in some respects better than that of Spain, but
in others worse. Its population is 30,500,000, being three times more
to the square mile than that of Spain, and fifty per cent. more to the
square mile than that of France. Since 1830 the population has
increased forty-five per cent., and this notwithstanding the fact that
the loss by emigration is equal to one half of the natural increase
from the surplus of births over deaths. Two million people of Italian
birth are to-day residing in foreign countries. Again, the Italians,
except those in the southern parts (the Italians of Naples and
vicinity, for example), are the MOST INDUSTRIOUS PEOPLE in Europe,
with a special aptitude for gardening and tillage. In fifty years they
have reclaimed 20,000,000 acres from forest, and increased the area of
land under cultivation by one hundred per cent. In fifty years, too,
they have trebled the amount of capital invested in agriculture. Since
1860 they have increased the amount of material which they use in
their textile manufactures (cotton, wool, silk, and linen) nearly
fivefold. Since 1850 they have increased their external commerce two
and one half times. Finally, since 1830, they have increased their
internal trade two and one quarter times. But all these signs of
prosperity in Italy are negatived by the constantly increasing
magnitude of her NATIONAL DEBT. This now amounts to more than
$2,500,000,000, or more than two and one half times the total net
national debt of the United States, and about one fourth more than the
total national, state, county, municipal, and school-district debts of
the United States. And this vast debt for a people of 30,500,000 is
exclusive of the provincial and communal debts, which amount to
$275,000,000 additional. Italy since her reorganisation as a kingdom
in 1870 has set out to be a first-class military and naval power, and
the cost is more than she can stand. She has a permanent army of
nearly 800,000 men, 250,000 of whom she keeps under arms constantly.
She has a fleet of seventeen battleships, two coast-defence ships,
eighteen cruisers, and 272 torpedo craft, most of these being of
modern type and first-class rating. She spends on her army nearly
$50,000,000 annually, and on her navy nearly $20,000,000 annually.
This, with an annual interest payment of $115,000,000, all
unproductive expenditure, makes a demand upon her revenue that is
draining her people of their life's blood. EVERY SORT OF TAXATION is
resorted to--direct and indirect; land, house, and income; succession
duties, registration charges, and stamps for commercial papers;
customs, excise and octroi; besides government monopolies; and all
this exclusive of communal taxation. And yet since 1891 there has been
an annual deficit of national revenue under national expenditure
averaging $2,250,000. As a consequence of these taxes, and of the
repressive effect they have upon industrial enterprise, the net
earnings of the country per inhabitant are lower in Italy than in any
other European state except Turkey, Russia, and Greece--lower, even,
than in the Danubian states and Portugal and Spain.