Arizona republican., 1905-08-27
Starving LabOrerS Driven
to Acts of Desperation
SUFFERING WIDESPREAD
Local Efforts OF Relief in the Prov.
inCes Are Utterly UnavaiIing-Im-
PEELED by Hunger the Population
is Being Driven to Butchery.

Seville, Spain, Aug. 26.-Heart rend-
ing reports continue to reach the pro-
vincial authorities from the outlying
famine stricken districts The latest
reports received are from Osuna and
Almogia, the respective mayors of
which notify the authorities that their
resources are exhausted and that they
are unable to further assist the fam
ished laborers and women and chill
dren as the distress is too acute.
At Ecija the population has looted
the bakers stores. The mortality
among infants and aged persons is at
tanning terrifying proportions, and in
many localities the working people are
living on roots. The government has
organized public works on a small
scale, employing about 600 men, but
this IS a mere drop in the ocean OF
misery, as moderate calculation
shows that 200, 900 are out of employ
ment
Cardinal Sancha. having exhausted
the available charitable funds is going
from house to house in Seville begging
for contributions while the employees
Of several banks and commercial
houses have decided to devote a por-
ton of their wages toward the relief
of the destitute.
ture has just concluded an exhaustive
personal inquiry in the distressed dis
tricts. following on relief fund of $780,
600 voted by the government. His re-
port creates the impression that heroic
measures for relief are essential. The
count jOurneyed from end to end of
Andulasia, and everywhere in the four
provinces comprised therein was con-
fIonted with pictures of desoIation.
The territory most stricken forms a
circle embracing Jerez, Seville. Cadiz
Malaga and CordOva, where natural
forces apear to have combined against
the peoples welfare. The rivers for
years past have been gradually filling
with sand, preventing navigation and
hindering commerce. The district had
two months drought, beginning in the
spring and destroyed all hopes for the
reaping of crops and rendering the
landscape practically a desert in re-
sembling portions of Morocco.
The population is almost entirely
composed of day laborers who depend
on agricultural employment, and when
that fails, which is a frequent occur
renee, though more marked this year
than ever before. practically every
body is thrown into a condition of in
digence.
II Is calculated that a third of the
population emigrated in recent years
to South America and these emigTants
naturally included the most robust.
The conditions of the remainder. how
ever, was not ameliOrated. thereby. The
soil, owing to lack OF irrigation, is
growing more and more unproductive
and the patience of the people is near
l. exhausted.
The absence of the landlords and un-
fulnllcG lectioneering promises added
to the fact that women and children
are suffering the agOnies of slow star
walton have led the people to listen TO
agitators who melted them to violence
the result OF which is seen in attacks
on farms, the seizure and killing of
flocks of sheep and the threat of arm
ed invasions of the towns.
Murnurs of revolution have awaken
ed apprehension and the farmers ev-
erYwEcre are taking refuge in the
cities. while the police regard acts of
pillage With indifference refusing to
arrest men who frequently accuse
themselves in order to obtain food