Coffee With Milk Events

A Trickle of Beans coffee_with_milk.1 · dlc008

… holds vast potential - a large expanse of arable land, and a perfect climate for the growth of valuable cash crops. This wealth may hold the key to resolving the precarious situation of the … economy post-independence.

At full extent, the total area once controlled by Portugal stretched over a fifth of the continent. Brazil now stretches over those lands, with venous waterways feeding savannahs, wetlands, rainforests, rolling hills and mountains alike. Given the right field of life, anything known to man could grow somewhere here. But such vastness would need time, effort, and a river of blood to be tamed for use. Order and progress will not wait for long.

Coffee's Coffers coffee_with_milk.2 · dlc008

Local governments in …, a highly wealthy state invested in the plantation economy, has embarked upon a program of reinvestment of proceeds from the coffee trade. This has boosted its development even further past other … states.

"How many coffee plantations can one nation stuff into a single area? Seems every man and his dog either works or owns a coffee plantation here." "You should see the next administration. Cows as far as the eye can see. Every decent Brazilian must have milk with his coffee." "Explains why the air's so rancid there."

The Pitiless Fields coffee_with_milk.3 · dlc008

With a shortage of willing workers to man the … in …, local … have sought a solution to acquire more cheap labor for their fields.

To P. M., harbor master, Surely as I write this, I have no need to tell you of the crates of coffee flowing out of our ports and into the mouths of Americans and Europeans of every stripe. Tons, I am told, pass onto our ships to visit all corners of the globe. And surely, you would know, that picking these precious beans is backbreaking labor under our sun. Other plantation owners and I have come to a mutual understanding of sorts: we require more meat to feed the merciless sun, and our bloodthirsty crops. Surely what the British do not know will not hurt them.

Café com Leite coffee_with_milk.4 · dlc008

With the growth of … agriculture, the agrarian planter class has been greatly enriched. This class is exemplified by the "coffee and milk" barons of … and …, who now seek to expand their influence ever further.

"You should know that it's less democratic than you think. It's more a matter of choosing which manner of slop we want more: cow pies or burnt coffee." "How bad could it be, man? It can't be so bad as choosing between Tories in a rotten borough." "Coronels across the states... er... enjoy a great many liberties with their power. They act more as robber-barons than as men of enlightenment."

The Money Tree coffee_with_milk.5 · dlc008

The successful development of … agriculture has grown our nation's economy greatly. The fruits of our trade can be seen on every continent, flavoring tea in London and being sipped from steaming mugs in New York.

The latest taxation reports were incontrovertible: milk and coffee were most, if not all, of the products out of some administrations. Those same taxes and port tariffs were paying for no fewer than thirty Brazilian students abroad, and another four science institutes alone. Roads, hospitals and libraries bought and paid for by cows and coffee. Or rather, the coronels who controlled the trade.

Oligarchial Friction coffee_with_milk.6 · dlc008

The agricultural oligarchs of the less-prominent Northeastern state of … have objected strongly to the perceived domination of the … political system by … and ….

"Seems anything we do these days is dictated by … alone. And for what? Coffee? Feh, what good is their coffee compared to food, let alone sugar and meat?" "People are happy to pay for coffee. They aren't for sugar and meat. Besides, what's your point? You take the castaway cows and make shoes. People can survive just fine without shoes." "My point is that the … should declaw … and … before they overwhelm us. And you'd think better of shoes if you had to walk barefoot in the sun, fool!"

The Coffee Machine coffee_with_milk.7 · dlc008

The formidable political machines of the states of … and … have asserted themselves in the ongoing election, supporting the candidates of the … for all federal offices.

The Governors Policy coffee_with_milk.8 · dlc008

The governors of the powerful "Coffee and Milk" states of … and … have sought an agreement with the federal government of … to ensure the control of both their local oligarchies and our current administration.

The balances of power demand a slight recalibration. More palms greased with milk, honeyed with coffee, and all for gain in the end. The plantation and ranch owners would demand simple concessions: proliferation and support for their interests, at the cost of any real opposition. In turn, the flagging Senate would have more solidarity in its ranks. But it all ends the same: in a conspiracy against the public.

The Cangaço coffee_with_milk.9 · dlc008

Widespread destitution in … has led to an outbreak of crime and "social banditry". In the hinterlands of the state, bandits gain infamy amongst the rural poor for their bold and violent actions.

"'Lantern?' Huh, what kind of name is 'Lantern?' Doesn't exactly make a man terrified." "You should be. The man can work a lever-action so fast that no machine gun can keep up. We'd be dead, and the boss would be fileted with a peixeira in minutes. Or knowing how much he likes money, make him watch as Lantern throws it to the poor, then filet the poor sod." "Gives money to beggars? Doesn't sound all that bad. 'Lantern.' Tell you what, I'll oil him up and put a match to him if it will stop you wetting your pants."

The Lamp in the Dark coffee_with_milk.10 · dlc008

The notorious bandit … has assembled a great band of cangaceiros and struck at the large … of …. … activities have inspired the rural poor to intensify calls for land reform.

Although it had taken the better part of a day, the photographer had finally convinced … to shoot. … suspected there was a gun in the camera. Reasonable, given the ludicrous methods the law had used in the past. Nobody in the gang had been photographed before. Now, they would have to get used to it: they were more than bandits. They were heroes, and they had more hearts and minds to win.

The Revolt of the Eighteen coffee_with_milk.11 · dlc008

A group of lieutenants in the state of … have launched an abortive coup to install a more modernized, liberal government. Whilst the plot has failed, the incident has revealed cracks in the structure of ….

Fort Seized, Tenentes March! Shock grips the city of Rio de Janeiro as a pack of officer cadets and some of their seditious higher officers seize a fort near the capital. Treasonous citizens, monarchist sympathizers and anti-republicans alike, have joined the revolt. Reporters close to the city say that the full strength of the revolt is unknown. They have captured the fort's artillery, and have begun moving into... (cont. pg. 4)

The Coffee Kingdom coffee_with_milk.12 · dlc008

With the maintenance of the …' power over … politics, the Milk-Coffee oligarchy has been fully and firmly entrenched. The conservative political machines of … and … look to be the country's true rulers for the foreseeable future.

And with the final slash of the pen, it was done: bosses sworn in for life, seats won and lost on principle of land alone, and the Senate made unassailable. The Army, having once helped depose the dying monarchy, was now brought to heel. As a final guarantee, states made armies of their police, and the humiliated Navy was all too eager to regain favor. Glory to Brazil. Our brave breast shall defy Death itself!

Against Coronelismo coffee_with_milk.13 · dlc008

The government's passage and enforcement of … has successfully reduced the influence of the … within … politics. The era of the Milk-Coffee oligarchy is slowly coming to an end.

Milk coffee sprayed from his mouth. The aide wiped it away with a sweat-stained handkerchief. He then repeated what he said to the coronel: reforms to voting and to governorship rendered his political worth no better than a mere librarian's. Invective spewed forth as the coronel crushed the coffee glass in his hand, milk and coffee mingling with blood.

Expropriation with Cause coffee_with_milk.14 · dlc008

The … government's policy of … has struck a grave blow against the …. The Milk-Coffee system has been rendered obsolete under the auspices of the people.

"Do you see here, now, good people of Brazil? This property once owned by a cattle rancher? This cattle rancher and his father were once brutal slave drivers. It doesn't matter what his name was, for he is gone now. But now, his ranch? Expropriated. All of these cows he left to starve? Expropriated. His lands? Expropriated. So it is from Minas Gerais to Amazonas. A big day has arrived in Brazil. May it be the only big day we ever need."

Cangaceiros Raid … Plantations coffee_with_milk.15 · dlc008

In an increasingly common display of the violence known as the cangaço, bandits have raided the homes of several wealthy … in …. Their families have been slaughtered, and a portion of the loot distributed to the local rural poor.

At night, they came with fire and axes. Come sunrise, the coronel's men found the night watch's remaining pieces. By noon, they found suspicious lookalikes of some of the coronel's cheaper possessions in the market. After sunset, a dirty man smelling of Parisian perfumes beyond his station returned a donkey to a farmer. With a hand on the missing work overseer's pistol, the Cangaceiro winked at the coronel's men as he walked back into the forest.

Romanticized Terror coffee_with_milk.16 · dlc008

Amidst the storm of bandit violence known as the cangaço, elements of the local … in … have been inspired by romanticized tales of cangaceiro communities. Calls for increased autonomy and discontent with the … threaten to spill into violence.

"That's the fifteenth peasant we've ejected from these halls today. Honestly, the nerve of these dung shovellers. Does due process mean nothing to them?" "Senhor?" "Not now. 'Check the coronels or they'll do it for us.' Pah! We should draft fresh legislation to prevent them from returning-" "Senhor!" "What is it? Is it two dozen of the hooligans now? Fetch the guards and arrest this rabble too!" "Senhor, look! Hundreds of them!"