The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-02-02

tile ground. Sicily at best has never been con-
sidered an Arcadia of law and order. On the
other hand, robbery and murder are almost
looked upon as legitimate means of subsist-
ence. The island has always been thought
of as the very paradise of the brigand, and
the people connive with and every way en-
courage this class of citizens
The Inhabitants of Sicily will receive the
sympathy OF the world in their endeavor to
better their wretched condition, says the
Chicago Herald. The poorer classes have
for ages been the legitimate prey for the
richer. They have been burdened with the
most exorbitant taxation, while the richer
have escaped without any. Corruption is
rife wherever there is an ofliceholder, petty
Or important; justice is a mere mockery,
simply depending on who can give the
largest bribe. These manifold grievances,
agrarian, municipal and others, have long
been the curse of the island, and it is no
wonder that its people now endeavor 10 in
troduce reform through revolution.
One of the most active agitators is Depu-
ty Giuseppe de Felice, the socialist leader
and the government was finally compelled
to arrest him. His imprisonment was the
signal for fierce riot, and the mob storm
ed the prison, only to find that their leader
had been taken elsewhere. Thousands of
workmen and others paraded the streets of
Palermo carrying banners with revolution
ary inscriptions and shouting: Down with
taxes Hurrah for liberty and revolution!''
Mazzara, a town of some Is, 600 inhabitants,
was the scene of the first bloody conflict
The troops that were called out to disperse
the rioters were put to fight, and many of
the soldiers joined the mob. All the pub
lie buildings were burned, and the soldiers
were prevented from reaching their bar
racks. A regular battle was fought during
the night, in which lS3 people were killed.
In Pretraperzia the mob sacked and plum
dered the houses of the wealthier classes,
killing any one who offered resistance.
1t is simple enough to find the cause of
all this trouble During the last few years
the crops in the island have been almost a
total failure; absolute distrust of the poll
ticians; enormous taxes to support the
''armed peace" and first and last the sys-
tenn which governs the agricultural inter
ests in Sicily. Any prominent particular
branch OF industry does not exist in the is
land
The land is owned by few noblemen
who live in Rome or Palermo and who lease
their estates TO capitalists known as CAB
ellotti," OK tax eXtorters. These in their
turn divide the estates and sublet them to
ubgabelotti," who again lease the sub
divided land piecemeal to the peasants, or,
If you wish, farmers. These latter are most
shamefully bled. They are permitted to
retain only one-quarter of their crops, no
matter how poor the yield may be. In ad-
dition to this they are compelled to pay an
enormous tax and provide themselves with
al lrln -,t.,o .t1 ID
the most abject poverty, the estate owner
"padrone" sometimes lends them money |
at so per cent year.
The day laborer's lot is even worse, if |
such a thing is possible The lowest Chi |
nese cody lives in luxury compared with |
the Sicilian day laborer. The result of ali |