The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-11

ment was quite ne requisite Tor MIN az Tor
Robespierre. but because the possessions OF the
Hohenzollern family. unlike tho provinces Of
France. had not yet been fused into q homo
aoneous state. But he was not insensble
ne tho French reiormers were. TO the dangers Of
bureaucratic government, and accordingly his
Legislation includes one signal innovation
| which has no parallel in tho French Revolution.
| While with the one hand he fortified bureau
cracy. he also laid the foundation OF the system
which IL its best nntidote. viz. self-government.
This he did by his municipal reform. He was
| prepared, indeed. to create tho whole machinery
OF popular control. all those parliamentary in
sttutions which the country did not actually
succeed In obtaining until after 1913. but that
part Of tho scheme which assured local inde-
pcndenco struck prompt root and survived
him. The reeonstruction of tho township was
at all events completely accomplished and hero
Stein was able to carry out his ideas Of popular
government. Tho French system by which
Mayors are appointed by tho central power,
while the municipal councils have only n
consultative function, was already estab-
| liehed over a great part Of Germany
when Stein entered office. Within tho COM
pass Of his authority he subverted It, and
replaced II by the English system where town
ship independence is recognized us the key
stone OF liberty In all his regulations on this
subject. Stein refers to the example OF England.
and adapted tho general principles whose work
ing he had admired in the English counties and
boroughs. Not only was tho administration OF
their own affairs confded to the citizens OF each
township but II was asserted that tho discharge
Of local offices was n duty for which no pay
could DO expected unless tho function should
consume the whole time OF tho occupant. How
| far STEMS measure went may be inferred from
tho objections urged against him. II was
charged. for instance, with abridging too
gravely the rights Of the Government; with al
| lowing uneducated people to acquire legislative
and executive authority. and with leaving the
magistrates too much dependent on popular
favor. In accordance with these structures. the
| law was subsequently revised in a reactonary
| spirit; but the changes did not strike ut the
core OF STEMS reform. and tho principles OF
local independence introduced by it into Prussia
are substantially in force.
| II appears. then. that we ought not 20 conceive
Prussia ms having been left heretofore long
way behind France, ne having had up 10 ls4S
no representative institutions at ali. while
| Franco had representative institutions which
worked III. The difference between the two
countries was more significant: II consisted IN
this. that whereas both had initiated n liberal
system. Franco had begun hers at the top and
Prussia at tho bottom. France had copied from
| constitutional States their conspicuous feature.
! viz, Parliament. and had neglected the vital
guarantees Of municipal liberties. Prussia.
meanwhile. had created local autonomy al.
though she had delayed TO take the second step.
| II would seem to be clear enough. from q re-
view Of the century. that France, at any rate.
was wrong; Prussia. in her more modest
course has no doubt advanced slowly. but she
has not yet had to permanently undo anything
that she has DONE
While in his municipal reform Stein alone
among Continental statesmen, had tho insleh,
to detect and the wisdom to reproduce. the vital
principle Of English liberty; yet some such in
novatlon seems 10 have been NJ the same time
suggested By experience and demanded by tho
public voice. There had been found such a
iielessness in the existing system whenever. in
the course OF the war against Napoleon. town
ship had been called upon for a sudden effort Of
scli-defence that Il had seemed needful. in
some cases. TO invite tho voluntary actions Of
the citizens and. as 1t wore. create free munich
paities extempore. Thus the remedy was
pointed out by the cropping Of German society
In its distress while precisely the opposite ton
dency appeared in France during the Revolu-
| ton. There too. municipalities had been called
! urtot cAistcIavV g0n-
eral enthusiasm for liberty. but as soon as the
| pressure Of actual conditions came to correct
theory. they were extinguished again and "A
rigorous uniform dospotism was in the end
established in LEGAL government Here lies the
secret Of the fatal compliance and torpidity OF
the rural population under the Second Empire.
! 1t is this habitual abstentlon from the manage
ment OF thoir local concerns which Is the curse
| Of the French communes and the reef on which
| a French republic may at any time he shiyered.
In tho relation OF classes. the distribution OF
| property and the condition OF the lower orders.
! Prussia differed from France in all the results
| Of the military system of the Hohonzollern. This
| system. whls II saved the noblcsse. by giving
hom employment. protected the peasantry at
| least from neglect. though not from hardship.
The tiiers OF tho ground composed the army.
and the military necessities Of the state COM
| PEELED the Government ~ exhibit q certain So
licitude for their welfare. Il is true that ieudnl
ism reigned at the epoch Of Stcin's reform. but
In much more liberal sense than that in which
ii survived in France The peasants. however.
were subject to the law OF caste. which axod
th0ir position for good and for evil. foTbidding
| them to Improve their status but securing them
against removal from the land. sten's edict
Of emancipation abolished serfdom. and trans
formed the peasants occupation into q nero
voluntary way Of making livelihood. Bv tho
| supplemental measure taken in 1911. when Har-
denberR was Minister, the peasant became alb
| soiute proprietor 0t his holding the lord being
indemnined by receiving u proportion Of the
land. and by being freed from certain oblga-
lions. Thus was fOundedthe peasant proprietor
ship OF modern Prussia. This redemption OF the
poasantry WIS followed bv variety Of meas
ures tending to the liberation OF industry.
When caste had been abolished. and permits
sion given to every Prussian citizen TO pursue
any occupation no might choose, 1t still re-
NAMED to sweep away all the indirect impede
mcnts placed in tho way OF industry by the
laws. Those were not likely to DO found iow or
trihing in a country whore the system of gov
eminent tutolago had reigned 50 long undis-
putod. What was done in this direction by
Stoin and his successor Hardonberg. may be
summed up in sentence. Government mo-
nopolies or so-cGlled royalties. were abolished.
and the further principle was laid down that
henceforth no corporation or individual should
have the power Of closing a trade or craft
against any OF his fellow citzens
Another feature OF tho land system existing
in Prussia at tho era OF STEMS reforms de-
serves to be mentioned here, because II throws
light on the exceptional aviditY with which