The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-02-22

) SigsEr azio s.sas written for the Lcgs-
Eslei Rene an ssrtic,a on Siciliap labor
nnioass ffeA &seliiles Ire doplorabfe'
state of affairs OIL t!ieg iaianasFto two
causes the ull;osla. 81, .fasei' del Iavor;s-'
tori. and. bl,igana.re I,lle Latter, he.
tsays, is grceetiy fostareafby tic fact
that thsra are large districts withcsl ;.
,roads. gha lasc5ess arc uactlucstett.
and Tvs like beasts. ittior4nf Of their
soc;al duties and OF Tic iaw. The
riches CT; the island are absorbed by.
the large proprictors and banl;ers.-
The signors live In Paieitno and let
their lands to tho gabeilotti, who sub
lets shcln to sut-gabellotti,E who relct
then 20 peasants, tie cor tract system
enabling them to cypress t'o lctscr.
The peasant tiils the land entirely az
his own expense, keeps d fourth
Of fhc produce, and surrerders
the remainder to the landlord.
The laborsrs' wage: average f"e CEN
TIRES AZ hoa:, ari arc olilost In7ays
paid IN inferior bread and vine. Nheo
they arc out of work they borrow corn
OF the landlord, who charges evenly
six TeI. cent Tor SIX months Crime OF
all sorts results
The peral statistics Of sicily ere the
worstin Italy. IRE extreme verge Of
labor tyranny has seen reached in The
case Of lt!,e car.isi or mine bogs, under
twelve vears Of age, who carry sulphur
cut Of Zee pit, climbing steep, narrow
ganc,yays more ftaa thiec hundred
feet high. Tho i>icconieri, who extract
tie salphcr, engage the boys by adj
varcins TO their parents tour ~ corr,
worth fifty francs. SO lorg IS the na1'-
ents ;,Ie in dehb15> boysrena;n e!aros.s
tlieir masters being able even, to iii
them without risk Hccent,y one boy
was killed 10y eight strokes Of a pici:
and another By q llicl. III the a1on!scjl
TIE officials gave their deaths as
due TO natural causes The boys are
pale, sicbly, STOPPING and ricllet: and
they sntfcr continually iron, fatigue
Their backs ere scored .sviih Old
wounds They work twelve nonra o
day, sleep III The mines, and feed on
bread and onions. They can obtain
water only ~ q long walk. Military
statistics provo that colscripts who
have besn ccrusi are i1:capeble OF
service, ewing 20 sickness and defects
in pl.yai4nc.
Brigandage is tie direct resul OF AZ
,hs tho people having reached Tie
limit Of endurance. Those most ron
cs.iy inclined jiare taken yefu%s in tEe
fasci Women haze become The soul u
tie movement One hupdvcd and thirty
uuiors exist in Sicily, WITH 4 fotal
membership OF three hundred thou
sand. The unions ere strongest in
Palermo The character OF tAe unions
has changed sjnca they were founded.
,Now all the members are disciples
of Marx. Tie most ignorant, perhaps
ncvcr heard ofrffGg,%:. BAT tEcy liisl at
~ eaual distribution OF houses aud
land '1ach union possesses = pass
word ana method OF communication,
enabling it 20 distribute messages
s.rittiy. Each has sits own police. who
inform the melnbevs Of al t.,e doings
of tue government police. a syste!n
OF mutual insurance az! SICK relief ex
ISIS. The fasci hare esta blishcd schools
Tor children and adults, herein the
value Of money. the duties and right
Of uoi'!Smen, and tie theories Of social
ism and co!lectivism are taught.
Many members have abandoned
church going, hating tie priests as
tv,'i.nts lhi> Increment 50 far is ron
political. aiming OILY 10 secure decent
mems OF livelihood and freedom ron
jy..'anny.--sN. y. Sun.