Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1897-11-04
ANALYSIS OF THE ITALIAN
As Seen at Home By the Hawaiian Con-
sui at Rome.
Important and Interesting Monograph Written
10 The Minister Of Foreign Affairs for
Information Of Planters.


nt INtiidh Soub'i indh III lllt
mountainous districts is not gen
orally given to cleanliness. The
lower clusses of laborers in tba
sections have never been so stu
ated as to encourage habits of this
nature. Aside from the lack Of
means to provide extra clothing,
and the facilities for a better per
sonal and living condition, the
fact OF their dwelling in closely
packed towns and villages, of
rude and primitive construction
and situated ou narrow streets,
" hich are often the ouly recep
tacles of garbage, initiates against
practically in the way of cleanIi-
ness. Mountain towns are either
built upon the highest peaks or
upon bold projecting spurs where
the space is limited, the choice of
location being entirely based up
on the question of defensibiity q.
AS relics of feudal times when
every town was principality aud
necessarily a fortress, they are
most interesting, but hardly de
sirable as dwelling places.
The inhabitants of these pas
toral nuclei, or all except the aged
and children, go down into the
valleys at early dawn and labor
until nightfall, or, as is more fire.
queptly the case with the male
portion of the community, from
Monday morning until Saturday
night, sleeping while in the val
e"s on straw, in thatched huts.
Their food during this time con
sists only of hard, blackish
J bread, coarse sausage, cheese,
dried fish and goats milk. As
cent by vehicles to these elevated
and barren points is impossible,
and the fact that wood, wateI,
food of every description, forage
for animals, ETC., etc, have to be
carried for miles up the steep and
winding paths among the rocks,
either on the backs of donkeys ur
upon the heads of wearied
humanity, would seem to place
the questions of the industry, the
patience and endurance of the
Italian peasant outside of the
necessity of discussion. No labor
pr goes to his home at night with
out bundle on his head weighing
from 10 to 20 pounds or more,
to which is added, on Saturdays,
the clumsy and buTdensome tools
with which he tills the ground.
Except in the vicinity of cities
and large towns, and in the sec
tons where there are extended
stretches of plain, such as Lom-
hardy and Venice, Que may travel
tor hours in Italy without seeing
a farm house of any kind. The
conditions here described repre-
sent the extreme Of the hardships
of rude manner of living where
the difficulties in the way OF
cleanliness are such as would
merit for it, when practised, the
first place among cardinal virtues
The more level districts OF
Northern Italy exhibit the labor
ing class in much better light
both rs to cleanliness of person
and dwelling places. A marked
improvement is also observable
in those who have undergone
military service, which ohIiges
/ every conscript to keep himsel
reasonably clean end presentabl'
for the period of three years
Though the tendency OF th'
peasant upon returning to hi
native village after the expiration
of his term, is to drift back to hi
: former habits, the rigid discip
line for such a length OF tim
leaves visible impress upon hi
appearance and bearing.
Italian couutrymen are NO
druukards. Strong liquors ar
practically an unknown quantit
in his brief category of luxuries
The light wines of the countr
e"e freely used with their meal
when the purse admits, and o
festal occasions it is no uncom
mon sight for numbers of them t
arrive at the high merrimer
point, but habitual intoxication i
the exception, not the rule. M
first visit to Italy was ]
1876, remaining until 1877
, Dnrinn fhasa three wear