The record-union., 1896-01-02
A CONSUL-GENERAL ON GERMAN
AGRARIANISM.


The drift of population into cities out
Of rural life is not alone remarkable in
this country. The Consular reports say
that is equally noticeable in Germany.
and has there been a source CT deep con-
Germ for several years. Germany main
tains an enormous military force. and
this is drawn for most part from the
homes of landed proprietors, farmers
and the peasantry, for it is accepted as
true in Germany that the best soldier
material comes from outside Of cities.
To keep the army in highest fighting
trim, says Consul-General De Kay in
his latest report, the country people
must be maintained. But the exceeding
low price of grain is driving landed pro-
prietors to the wall and incapacitating
them to pay their laborers. The effort to
strengthen the farming population by
establishing small independent farm
ing communities has not met with nota
BILE success, and promises no permanent
results, and laborers are less and less
attached to the soil, and more and more
becoming temporary in their residence
Emigration continues in the flood, and
dissatisfaction and distress ensue.
To some extent the mobiles and landed
proprietors are themselves to blame be-
cause Of a grasping disposition and the
policy of roofing out small owners and
farmers. In Prussia, from 1860 to 1875,
everything was favorable to agricult-
ure, and the work of crowding out the
small farmer and owner went merrily
on, but since the latter date things have
changed very greatly, largely because of
the opening up of virgin tracts in other
lands to agriculture. In the Prussian
Legislature the mobiles, small farmers
and land proprietors have been gaining
much strength, and there, at least, agri-
culturists have not lost hope, but are
set upon renewing the agitation for
strong protectionist measures from the
Imperial Parliament.
This spirit in Prussia succeeded in
organizing the forces of agriculture
against those of commerce and manu-
featuring. Chambers of Agriculture
were ordered formed, to which all land
proprietors paying S25 in taxes must
belong, and these chambers have the
right to exact taxes of the members.
The landowners league has already a
considerable fund in bank for cam
paign purposes. while the chambers re-
ferred to are to form financial centers,
establish banks and advance money on
crops to rescue the farmers from the ex-
actions Of the middlemen.
The farmers say to the Government:
I'VE are taxed, give us protection; give
us warehouses where we may deposit
crops, and have receipts issued. From
these warehouses railways, at low local
transportation rates, may supply home
consumption, and army purveyors get
good, clean grain at ruling prices"
This party has now such strength in
Prussia that, with the accession of the
Catholic Center party, which it is ex-
peosed viii go over to it, it
win be able to dictate terms
and secure such freights on
outside grain that the home article will
be favored-otherwise protected. They
win ask for representatives in the grain
exchange, for inspection on the Aus
trian and Russian frontiers to keep out
poor grain, and in other ways demand
legislation that win practically elimi-
nate the middlemen.
These Agrarians are therefore pro-
tectionists in every sense and are caus-
ing no end of trouble to the Imperial
Government. Mr.. DeKay says that they
do not hope to compete with North and
South America, but they do expect to
assault commercial and industrial Ger
many To this end they are to insist
upon the abrogation Of favored ma
ton" treaties, and especially the treaty
made with Russia concluded under
Caprivi, and will demand that if there
is to be any sacrifice, it shall be that
of Industries, that young men may not
be driven into the cities or into emil
grafton.
If the Emperor of Germany as King
of Prussia refuses this programme then
we are told that the plan of the Agra
rians will be to refuse to vote the
crown its supplies, a threat which
while not having much weight, tends
to show, says Mr. DeKay, the bitter