The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-29
Nul,ln on Itniy.

Ouida has turned economist and In a
letter 10 London Truth paints a lively
pietllre OF Italian disagreement. OIL
cial statistics state that IN ltaly there
are 10000 persons dying OF pellagra. o.
10000 living on malarlOus laHn, l'p conf
muncs IN which corn Is rare, lbv COM
munes with scanty and foul water sup
s,lfes. coo cornmunes which have no doc
tor within reach, and over 100 cominunes
which have no burial place. she writes
Every week steamships laden with en-
grants sail out OF her ports for Brazil
and the Argentine From Calabria alone
70 per cent. more emigrants have gone
this year than last. Every month farms
are abandoned and no one can be found
to take them. Even in the rich country
of the Luchesia and Lunsigiana many
lie untitled. whilst I'm the porer regions
southwark from the Marches vast tracts
of land are returning to their natural
wild state owing TO the provinces being
depopulated by emigration What does
n country under these conditions want
with African colonies? What II wants
Is 10 better the condition Of its people
on their native soil and to keep them at
home. African colonies may be the de-
sired ouuol Of n superintendent and over
crowded population, but there Is not
such a thing in Italy. There IS not pop
ulation enough for the needs OF the coun-
try; and those who do remain at home
are harried out Of their lives and driven
into crime by taxation. CONSUMPTION ana
the espionage OF the police. The present
Government has confirmed for another
ten wears the tax Of the dazio consume
Che food tax. IL is the most cruel in
quisatorial and harassing OF all imposts'
a. f. q hunger-tax. striking the poorest
in their famished entrails; TO abolish II
yvould be more comfort 10 the Italian
nation than all the victories Of Suila
or Pompe.us.
40 attempt is made 70 alleviate the
sunerings OF the sulphur workers IN
Sicily although this industry ought 10 be
prosperous and productive 10 the IA
Lorers as well as TO the Government, TOT
Italy spplies two-tnirds or all the sui
rhur used I'm the world. Crisp. who ne
nounces Naneiik as q Shareholder ana
slayo-vcndcr. secs no shame In the fact
that the young Sicilian children are sold
for 100 francs. body and soul. into the
torture OF the sulphur works; when thus
eoid there Is no hope for them and no
release: they are as entirely and as mis-
crahlv slaves as any slave married III
Africa.
.rhc 1Iaremma IS more interesting and
r,eritorious than Erctia. and II is ahso-
lutelv neglected: its soil Is ~ infinite
value and capacity. and no attention Is
maid 20 a.. except 20 wiring taxes out OF
it's thinly-scattcreu population. The agra
rian question I'm Sicily is practically apan-
doned as q problem too difficult and m
different 70 be studied. and when noticed
the island Is only placed under the UNI
discerning harshness of military law. the
financial condition Of the commune or
Nanlcs and its depend 7ncies Is most
nerilous. and no consideration OF them
IS accorded Why should a governments
which is thus entirely incapable OF dis
CHARGING it's duties I'm its own country
DE urged 10 go further aield in search
Of realms 10 rulc2
"The treatment Of cattle and focks
the state of stables and slaughter places
the condition of horses. mules and asses
the Ignorance OF the simplest laws or
hva.icne. the kind of water drunk; the
bodily filth I'm which men, women ana
children perpetually live. and In which
they keen al The miserable animals de-
nondcnt on them-all these things neen
attention and alteration before those
who regard them with complacency OF
arathv should consider Themselves capa-
HE Of carving "ciyilization' INTO the
Harras and the Soudan. English poliu-
cians are not acquainted with the intern
al state Of Italy. but some English news
narer correspondents must be So ana X
is docplv 10 he lamented that their de-
votion 10 the African. and especially
the Egvptian policy OF England leads
chem TO conceal the truth concerning
H."