226
THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY.
the elevating influence of Republican institutions. His disciples
have inherited his hatred against the International Alberto
Mario, one of the best known leaders of the Republican party,
never misses an opportunity of violently attacking the Inter
nationalists, whom he calls incendiaries and assassins. Gari
baldi was less attached to the Republic, and more inclined
towards Socialism, without connecting himself with any
particular system. He regretted the fall of the Commune.
In a letter published by the Gazettina rosa in 1873, he says,
“ The defeat of the Commune of Paris is a misfortune for
humanity, for it leaves us the burden of a standing army,
which every party that wishes to gain the upper hand will
make use of. ... I say it with pride ; I am an Internationalist,
and if an association of demons were constituted to fight the
priests and despotism, I would enrol myself in its ranks.”
After the death of Mazzini, Mazzinians and Garibaldians united
in order to found a vast association which was to embrace all
the democrats of the peninsula. They took the name of /
jranchi cafoni. Their journal was the Spariacns. This grand
project could not be realized^ and the cafoni have almost all
drifted towards Socialism.
It was Bakunin who brought the International into Italy-
In 1865 he formed there a group of very active Socialists, who
published the newspaper Libertà e Giustizia, and formed the
Neapolitan section of the International. In 1867 sections
were established at Genoa and at Milan. The “sons of
labour” at Catania affiliated themselves in 1868. In 1869 a
central section was formed at Naples, which addressed an
appeal to the other sections to constitute a national federa
tion; but the police interfered with prosecutions. In 1870
and 1871 numerous sections were established in the Romagna,
and were federated under the name Fascio Operaio. On the
12th of March, 1872, they held a congress at Bologna, at which
thirteen towns were represented. On the 6th of August the
delegates of the Fascio Operaio assembled again at Rimini, in
order to declare, “in the face of the labourers of the whole
world,” that the Italian federation broke away from the general
council of the International. The Italian Socialists separated
