The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-04-29
Sees the Handwriting.
Decay and Ruin Prophesled
by La Liga Agraria, a
Spanish Paper.

The sacrifices made BY the Spanish
government to send troops to Cuba
make themselves felt in those places
from which the men are drawn A re-
cent copy Of La Agraria, a paper de-
voted to agricul,ur al interests 10 Spain,
contains the following editorial
eve are going at rapid gait. The
war in Cuba taking away the young la
borers from our fields, the emigration
taking away to foreign countries others
who are apt for agricultural work. but
whose ages exempt them from military
service, the expenses which the war
briggs with it, sbe lack of work. the ab-
stentioo Of capital from enterprises, the
heavy taxes on property. the scans
crops, the lack OF sale for other pro.
duets, the low remuneration obtained
from cultivation. and the actual misery
in which the snail farmers find them
selves, have determined condition of
things that sends horror into the
bravest spirits.
valleys aud hills smiling yesterday,
fields and inheritances worked recently
by the peasants, are to-day in complete
abaudo Tie Joy that reigned
in the country has been substituted by
silence and ruin, By the absent SOP. by
the tenant who has gone away to
escape total ruin, by the scantlness of
crop, be the plague which destroyed ip
one hour the work of many months. by
the persecution Of the tax collectors.
sit is the end
"Where are we going?
ITO depopulation first, to misery
next. and total ruin later.
six hundred Thousand men, who in
the last twenty years have abandoned
the fatberlaud. seeking employment
which at home they could not sud, is
terrifying figure. that should make those
who govern us stop to think. since they
have not doue so up to this time.
1.-The philoxera destroying our vines,
the low prices of our agricultural pro-
ducts, are less horrifyiog pbautoms than
the depopulatiou of our country. the
abandonment Of our lands and the con-
fscation Of them By the state for un-
paid taxes.
Far awav 10 dark fastpess, in iucle-
mens climate. and deadly war. our
jeunsse is perishiag. that youth which
yesterday made our fields joyful with
their tasks and their songs.
s.To the nc less uugrateful Brazilian
shores we see the arrival of that other
part of the population of our lands
strong and healthy for the work they
do noi 6nd at home. to be able to sus-
tain ;hei, families.
"Gais sad scene is very frequent
but ~ha, sad thoughts it awakes!
Very soon. perhaps sooner than we
ourselves expect. We will see the com-
ple,e abandonment Of our country. aud
even the depopula;icn os eur cities up
60 this day Of importance.
Agricultural lifc has bscome an lao'
possibility. How it is possible % cult,
vsse graius, or vines, or olive trees. 80
raise cattle, aud much less to establish
industries dependent oa all these. If the
government is day By day growing
worse, If the population is decreasing
very markedly, if toe fight which our
products sustain with foreign ones is in
sup2ortaele, and above all if the price
obtained BY these home products does
not cover the expeose Of producing
them
"People she Go not progress fall
into decadeuce. Those who increase
and obtain subsistence OCT of their
efforts never perish. at laast so has
wise man once said
Spain is fast going ic the direction
of its ruin. and if God does not rem
edv it. this situation will be the end"