Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1885-09-24
A SUNNY CLINE
WHICH BRINGS NAUoHT BUT MISERY
TO Its PEOPLE.

condition o the Farm Laborers in Gem
trial Italy Starting out to Work.
Life in Cave-sickness
and Death.
Sadder than most Of the recitals Of the
want, degradation, poverty, suffering, sick-
ness ana death among tho agricultural pop
ulation of western Ireland Is the account
given Of the condition of the farm laborers
in central Italy by Mr.. Beauclerk, one OF the
secretaries of the British legation at Rome.
The materials for this report were obtained
chiefly from the official report Of the Italian
agricultural commission, appointed to In
quire into the agricultural condition of the
country and to recommend Improvement to
DO undertaken by the state. The statement
In this official report are confirmed by the
personal observation of Mr.. Beauclerk. To
say that the farm laborsrs who embrace
tho largest proportion Of the population,
live and are treated like CATTLE would be
giving their condition much better than It
really L.
Cattle in most countries are housed In
Writer and protected from storm, during
other seasons Of the year. But in central
Italy the farm laborers do not en- Joy the
protection afforded by barns and stables In
the Champagne district there are but $50
houses for @, 754 inhabitants. Some live In
huts and wjgwams, others In caves and
grottoes or in the ruins Of ancient buildings
and tombs, whilst "many have no roof
above them but the heavens, and no bed be
meath them but the grass" In ono commune
704 persons lived during all last year with
out dwelling TO call home. When the
days work in the field was over, mon,
women and children ate their rations under
shed erected for the purpose Of protecting
mules, and then threw themselves on the
ground to rest. Here children were born,
middls-aged women suffered from fevers,
and old men died. Many were glad 10 OBJ
tain the sort Of food given to hogs, and to
find shelter during storm under shed
built to protect beasts OF burden
The condition Of farm laborers Is better In
some parts OF Italy, but it Is very bad ev-
erywhere. The average wages Of adult
male agricultural laborers are less than $50
per year. On the large estates they work
In gangs Of several hundred each. They
can DO seen starting out in the gray mist oil
the early morning toward the fields whore
they are to work, always accompanied by
an oversser, who rides on horseback. They
work in the fields till sunset, never leaving
them to eat food. Such as Il allowed them
is brought and dealt out to them on th,
grass. During the entire day the mounted
overseer rides among the laborers who are
Of both sexes, TO see that no one shirks OIL
neglects his task.
Here IL the picture Mr. Beauclerk draw
of them: "Mep and women bending to tn,
ground, shivering in the chill mists Of morn
ing, toiling in mournful silence, they might
bs but herd Of human CATTLE resembling
their fellows, but belong to different ant
degraded race Of captive helots." II Is Ger
tain that no one ever had the temerity t.
represent the condition of the serfs Of
Russia, the coolies of Borneo, or the slave
Of any country as bad as this. Still tn,
worst Is not told In this horrible recital
That Is contained In report that In som,
districts half the agricultural laborcrs were
taken to hospitals during last summer, ant
In the order from the general government
shat dead animals be burned or buried IL
quicklime to prevent the peasants from
digging them up and eating them, as often
happens"
The condition of the present proprietors I
hardly better than that Of the hired labor
ers. In the country 122, 6Y3 have farms
that contain less than two and half acres
each. The soil Is dug with rude spade.
There would be the reverse of economy in
using draft animals, il the farmers could
obtain them. Men are cheaper than hories
and women than mules. The beasts mu
be shod, but the human beings can go bare
foot It seems to be no great wonder that
the members OF family lament the dealt
of goat more than they do that of neal
relative.
This is the "free, united. and rejuvsnatet
Italy" about which we have heard so mucl
during the past few years. This is tho LIANT
of flowers and sunshine, the coun
try "where every prospect pleases,
the ancient home OF art literature
and science Here Virgil, Horace, an
Tasso sung. Here are the grandest nonu
mspts Of architecture the world contains
Here the finest paintings and the most beau
tiful statuary of both ancient and moder
times were produced. Here civilization
was established that extended over thre
great continents, and literature was pre-
drcsd that promises to endure through a
time Here "a language was perfected tina
was the basis Of most of the tongues mo-
spoken. This Is the country whose agricul
ture 1000 years ago was the wonder of til
world. Here, according to Pliny, reapin
machines drawn by horses were In Us
twenty centuries before Mccormick wa
born, Now the agriculture Of Italy Is wor,
than that Of Ireland; there are few mi
chimes for cultivating tile soil or for harves
ing crops Human muscle Is cheaper tina
rods Of steel.
Grant and His Staff.
~ NV. A. Croffut's Letter.l
To my inquiry about the labors Of Grant
staff, Gen. Horace Porter said;
"Grant never dictated his orders; he a
ways wrote them with his own hand in
manifold book he had. When one of ii
staff would say, Let me write that on
general, he would decline, saying: an
this order may involve the lives of tho'
sands Of men, and II there is any mistal
made ON account Of the wording of 1t mu
bear the responsibility His powers of ci
centration were very great He coul