The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-19
Peasant Hereafter Is TO Be Con
sidered as a Citizen of the
Empire, and No Longer
as q Pariah."
MAY BE FREED FROM THE SOIL.
Car and Minister of Interior Ap,
prove Conclusions of Commit
tee That Made Arduous
Investigation Looking
to Reform.

St. Petersburg. Dec. 1S.--M. W!tte. Pres
ident OF the Ministerial Council. 10 whom.
as chairman of the special committee ap-
pointed in 1892 to investigate the question
Of the betterment OF the conditions OF
rural existence and general revision OF
the peasant laws, was confided the task
OF sitting the enormous mass OF evidence
collected, Including the opinions of Il 900
of the best-qualified peasants. landlords,
merchants and manufacturers. which
filed several thousand volumes. has com
pletsd the gigantic task.
His conclusions. which have Just been
published, are in line with the most en-
lighter ed opinion for ameiiorating the
peasants condition. These conclusions,
which are understood to have the indorse-
ment OF Emperor Nicholas and Minister
Of the Interior Sviatopolk- -Mirsky. are ex-
pected 10 be adopted by the commission as
the basis Of new laws
The press halls the memorandum, not
only as a signal victory in the direction
Of real national progre%S. but as marking
definite shelving OF the plan developed
by the late Minister of the Interior Won
Plehve. for extending the powers of local
officials over the peasants and increasing.
rather than decreasing tho tutclage eyer
cised over them. Won Plehve's purpose
was 10 rush through law before the com
mission completed its labors
WOULD END TREATMENT OF
PEASANTS AS CLASS APART
In all points. NJ WItte's recomruend,-
tons aim for completion Of the eruanci-
patton act OF ISL, by ending the treat
ment Of peasants as a class apart. giving
thsm q method enabling them to free
themselves forever from the soil and pla-
cling themselves on an equality with all
ether classes Of the population. and re-
moving the restrictions upon initiative en-
terprise which have heretofore crushed
out all ambition.
In orde. to accomplish this he proposes
TO abolish practically the whole system
Of laws applicable to peasants alone. AT
the same time, the backward condition
OF the vast majority of the peasants and
the fact that. II placed on a couple-e
equality in the matter Of the holding and
disposition OF property. they would soon
become the prey of the shrewder among
them. as we'll as of merchants who yyouId
like TO possess their lands and keep them
In state of perpetual debt. is fully recog-
nized.
CERTAIN LAWS TO BE RETAINED
FOR PROTECTION OF PEASANTS
u. Witte, therefore, recommends -Fo
preservation Of certain laws designed sole.
ly for the PEASANTS protection. s7Ich .s
the inalienahility OF communal lands and
Institutions
For the management OF one and the
freedom OF the other from debt, special
laws will be recommended, supplemented
by methods whereby peasants may leave
their communes under certain safes1Iarci-
ed conditions delimit lands for indi.
vidual ownership.
There is also in contemplation the or
gan!zafion Of a system OF land credit and
scheme for the settlement of state land,
by peasants who want larger onDortI-
mites
FRESS DELIGHTED WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE.
The press halls the memorandum with
the greatest satisfaction. the Russ re.
marking:
Like a golden thread through 1, all
runs consideration for the peasant az a
citizen of the Empire and no longer as a
pariah."
The memorandum IS in sharp contrast
with the draft prepared by Won Pleve.s
assistant. Stskinsky, which disresarIed
entirely tho opinions so Iaborlouslv col
iected by the commission. That draft VII
submitted to the provincial Governors
with the assurance in advance that +,
would have the Endorsement of the Minis
ter OF tfIs Interior.
Stiskinskv himself is member of the
commission. but is without Influence. His
dismissal from the position of assistant 10
the Minister of the Interior was one of
Prince Sviatopolk- -Mirsky's first acts.