Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1911-12-29
vlNEA AGRICULTURAL
LABORERS IN SICILY
...Acr FROM BOOKER T.
c..asHINGToN's FoRTHcoM-
Il nc BOOK, "THE MAN
FARTHEsT DOWN."

4 wAsHINGToNs FoHIr1CoM-
ia BOOK, "THE MAN
FARTHEsT DOWN"
(Used BY Psrmlsslon)
,sva previously discussed the
49,. Of the agricultural laborer In
49, and Hungary. In the present
80 s.,.er | shall continue the discus
80 III II the agricultural conditions Of
.ntbern Europe by telling what
~ the conditions Of country
A yomen in Sicily.
|, was late in September when
Il ...ched Catania on the eastern side
I \ Sicily. The city lies at the foot
!, M Aetna on the edge Of the sea-
( lhove It looms the vast bulk Of the
I .o,cano: its slopes girdled with gar
ANS and vineyards that mount one
,.rrace above the other, until they
,osa themselves in the clouds.
Although it was Sunday morning
md the bells in q hundred churches
vere calling the people to prayers,
there was very little Of the Sunday
ouiet | had somehow expected to
meet Most of the shops were open,
4 every part of the city men were
sitting in their doorways or on the
nyement in front of their little cell
Ike houses, busily at work at their
accustomed trades. Outside the
southern gate Of the city 6 thrifty
merchant had set up hasty wine
,hop in order to satisfy the thirst Of
the crowds of people who were pass
81 in and out Of the city. and in or
III. perhaps, to escape the tax which
10 city imposes upon all sorts Of
rovisions that enter the city from
the surrounding country.
Out of the southern gate Of the
dty. which leads into the fertile vine
clad plain, dusty and perspiring pro-
eession-little two-wheeled carts,
beautifully carved and decorated. car
ring great casks Of grape juice; lit
te donkeys with pigskin filled with
vine on either flank and q driver trot-
ting along beside them-pushed and
crowded it's way into the city. At
he same time q steady stream Of
PEASANTS on foot, or city people in
carriages, mingled with the carts and
tts pack-animals, poured out the gate
along the dusty highway. dividing and
dvinding until the stream lost it.
Ut among the cactus hedges that
mark winding roads.
Il was at this gate that I observed
oss day, peasant woman haggling
With the custom officer over the tax
she was to pay for the privilege Of
bringing her produce to town. She
vas barefoot and travel-stained and
svidently came some distance carry
Ing her little stock Of fruit and vege-
lables in sack slung across her
back 1t seemed, however, that she
lad hidden, in the bottom of the
lack, q few pounds Of nuts, covering
hem over with fruit and vegetables.
in her manner, suppose.
betrayed her, for the customs officer
INSISTED on thrusting his hand down
. the very bottom Of the sack and
'rought up triumphantly. at last. q
title handful Of smuggled nuts. L
'ould no. understand what the woman
aid. but ! could not mistake the
Heading expression with which she
'egged the officer to let her and her
title produce through. because. as she
showing him her empty
'alms, she did not have money to pay
u that he demanded.
] had heard and read great deal
bout the hardships and uelties Of
10 tariff in America. but confess
nat the best argument for free trade
nat ever met was that offered by
70 spectacle Of this poor woman.
nth her little store Of fruit and nuts,
Fying to get to market with her
Gods. .:.
Not far outside the city, the high
'ay runs close beside cemetery.
rom the road one can see the ele-
ant and imposing monuments that
ave been erected to mark the final
ssting places Of the wealthy, and dis
nsuished families OF the city The
'ad to this cemetery passes through
marble archWay which is closed, as
remember. by massive iron gates.
By this gate. noticed one
y young peasant woman silently
eeping She stood there for a long
ne. looking out across the fields as
sne were waiting for some one who
= not come, while the tears
reamed down her face. She seemed
helpless and hopeless that asked
70 guide who was with me to 70
sloss the street and find out what
= the matter, thought there was,
srnaps, something that we could do
r her. 8 Il
Inc guide, with the natural tact
= politeness Of his race, approached
: woman and asked her what her
ouole was. She did not move or
.ause expression, but. while tho
~ sun streamed down her face,
,'nted TO pair Of high heeled slip
u. which she had taken on and
. ..,,a beside her On rhs ground.
ney hurt my feet" she said, and
=, sne smiled a little Tor she, too,
y mat there was certain element
numor IN the situation.
- me southern part Of the United
's.es the colored people manage this.
= q thing better. especially on
:. 4 colored woman will buy 1
= :! snoes On Saturday that is often
J, = = tnree sizes too small Tor. her
J a.. uas nigh heels, but she will walk
tvvy -