Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-09-17
STARVING PEOPLE ROAM THE COUNTRY
Farms Are sacked by Men and Women
Who Take Animals,
WEATHER. FAMILIES co TO CITIES
Despite Police Fanisbed People Force
Their Way Into Towns
PUBLIC WORKS TO RELIEVE DISTRESS
Minister of Finance Levies Tax to
start work, but Money is
slow I'm Coming TO
Treasury.


MADRID. Sept l6.-Cspeclal Cablegram to
The Bee. THE famine in Spain is believed
TO be the worst in the history Of the king
dom.
Telegrams are arriving from all parts OF
Andalusia giving most alarming accounts OF
the disorders arising from the famine.
Great excitement has followed the dispatch
Of troops to Osuna, where anarchy is re-
ported 10 prevail
Starving men and women are roaming
over the country sacking the farms and
carrying OF sheep and cattle.
The weslthier families are hocking into
Seville and Cordova for protection. At
Ecija. Utrera and Carmona the prisons are
crowded. In spite OF the efforts of the
police new bands Of hungry peasants have
forced their way into Malaga.
The minister OF finance has accorded
credit of 100000 for public works in An
dalusla to relieve the distress of the
peasants. but money is slow in coming
Meanwhile immense throngs OF emaciated
men and women are encamped in the open
around all of the towns. and at Osuna
crowd of 1000 strong threatens to storm the
houses OF the richer classes. The proprie-
tors. accompanied by deputies OF the prov
ince. have visited the prefect Of Seville, de-
manding protection. Nearly all Of the sheep
are disappearing and are being openly sold
upon the streets at a penny pound, for
the thieves declare that they are only too
glad to go to prison, where they will have
something TO eat.
Troops are being sent to every town, but
the prefect hesitates to issue rigorous or
ders in view OF the desperate condition Of
the peasants.
The minister Of agriculture has issued an
appeal to managers OF railways and other
Industrial concerns in Andalusa urging
them to give as much work possible to
the starving population. He will ask for
still further government credits to relieve
the distress
Riots at Malaga.
A telegram from Malaga states that riots
are occurring at Teba, where the employers
and landowners have suspended the assist
ance they have been giving to the inhsbi-
tants
According 20 one estimate there are 10000
men out OF work in Andalusia alone and
900 will not be sufficient to relieve the
terrible situation caused by the famine.
Blame is laid upon the government, which
for centuries has neglected the agricultural
Inhabitants OF the provinces. The intense
drouth this year has brought things to a
crisis
Meanwhile an attempt is being made to
relieve the distress by an abundant distri-
button OF victuals. The archbishop OF
Seville has opened a public subscription
list
Reports from ARGOS state that the work
less inhabitants have reached such a state
Of debility that they are unable to masti-
cate the bread which is charitably sent to
, them. As far as possible they are being
kept alive with beef tea and wine.
Three thousand people belonging to the
villages of Casarobonela, Junquera, Pizara
and Alozaina have made a piteous appeal
10 the government for food. The local
treasures are exhausted and no more as
sistance can be given by the authorities
The town OF Trebujena is in a state OF
riot owing to the construction Of a high
way having been discontinued and hundreds
OF men thrown out OF work.
In BuJalance, near Cordova the principal
square is filled all day with starving people
who lie in the sun and look like living skele-
tons. The town council is at the end Of its
resources and is In three months debt to its
employees No grant has yet been made al
this particular place by the government Ir
many places both COWS and goats are fail.
ing to give milk for want Of food
Throughout the former fertile valley OF
Andalusia children are living on mr. conei
and the fruit OF the wild cactus. The jaili
are crowded with persons who have com
mitted no offenses but who have gtver
themselves up TO the police on the pretens,
OF having committed a crime In order tC
get shelter and food. Hunger riots are o.
daily occurrence. It Is impossible to main
tain order because OF the governments in
kitchens have finally been opened in th'
worst stricken villages,
DrOuth in Many Places.
The cause OF this extreme condition &
due to the fact that not drop Of rail-
has fallen in many OF the provinces sine
March. There has been no work for an,
laboring peasant because OF the extrem
drouth II is feared that the winter month";
during the coming season will be period
OF great suffering from lack OF work an,
food.
The peasant OF the interior plateau liv
ing upon the rocks dehes hardships H
scorns the voluptuousness of the mild, sof
regions below. nl-clad. with tattered gar
ments huttering In the biting cold wind
men, women and children present a sterl
face to their lot Their stoicism Is onl,
equaled by that of the rock upon whicl
they tou ihey are i1ah NiSaseu' Win com
plsxions like leather, They go about thel
work as though centuries OF toll weighe,
heavily upon them. Even the beautiful
black-haired Andalusian girls wear a mel
ancholy expression that seems Immature
upon their oval faces.
II Is said that the country OF Spain /
especially well adapted TO the growing o
wheat II the government would only irri
gate the lard In the wheat growing region
Il would not be necessary to buy whsa
from beyond the borders. In 1903 ther
was comparatively no rain. The recsn
bread riots are the results OF the drouth
Irrigation would not be difncult for tn
rivers, swollen by the melting OF the snow
from the mountain ranges, iow fun banke
throughout the dry season. The dTouth
deprive the laborers OF the opportunity {
earn even the small wages 10 which the