The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1894-02-21

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 Officeholder petty
or important; justice is a mere mockery,
simply depending on who can give the
largest bride These manifold grievances,
agrarian, municipal and others, have long
been the curse of the island, and it is no
wonder that it's people now endeavor to 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 a 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 900 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 1873 people were killed
In Pretraperzia the mob sacked and plum
dered the houses of the weather. 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 a few noblemen
who live in Rome or Palermo and who lease
their estates to capitalists known as CAB
ellotti," or tax extorters. These in THEN
turn divide the estates and sublet them to
"subgabellotti," who again lease the sub
divided land piecemeal to the peasants, or
if you wish, farmers. These latterare most
shamefully bled They are permitted to
retain only one-quarter of their crops, no
matter how poor the yield may be. In adj
dition to this they are compelled to pay an
enormous tax and provide themselves with
seed and the necessities of life. Reduced to
the most abject poverty, the estate owner
''padrone" sometimes lends them money
at 80 per cent year.
The day laborer's lot is even worse, if
such thing is possible. The lowest Chi
nese cody lives in luxury compared with
the Sicilian day laborer. The result of al