New-York tribune., 1906-08-27
THE CzAR,s LAND sCHEME.

The Russian government has played It's
strongest card in the electoral game, in the
scheme of agrarian reform which is put forward
IN the name OF the Gear. 1t is truism that the
land problem is fundamental to all Others politi-
CAL social and industrial, in the eyes OF the vast
majority of the Russian people. The chief de-
mand Of the people is for land. The sorest need
OF three-fourths of them. economically, is q suf-
hcient area of land for their support On the
face OF it, then, an offer Of the Cars govern
ment to provide the people with the land which
they desire and which they need should be Il
powerful means Of winning their support at the
polls. But such is not really the offer
at the present time the peasants not only have
not enough land TO live on, but also they have
not all they are legally entitled to- They possess
S5,06l,OOO dessiatines "a dessiatine is about
"a acres), while under the terms Of the law Of
1851, by which land was granted to them after
their emancipation, they should have 1885,
6760O0 They are thus legally entitled 10 49,
115000 more tnan they have. Whence is il 10
come? 1t is said the imperial agrarian COM
mission will presently begin TO distribute 800
600 dessiatines belonging to the appanages 1000
600 belonging TO the Crown and 2O0OOOO he
longing 10 private individuals, who are Offering
II for sale. That is a total OF 7,SGOOOO dessia-
tines, or a little more than one-tenth the amount
needed. Such an offering will not solve the
problem.
Nor can It be argued that the peasants do
not need as much as they are entitled to under
the law of 1861 A careful survey OF the situa-
ton shows that the number of peasants with
out land or without sufficient land, is 81 S57 OOO
OF course, the amount OF land needed by them
varies IN different parts OF the empire. In the
Don region the average holding is three dessia-
tines a head, and nobody pretends they have
more than they need. 1t is probable in fact
that in the present condition OF agricultural
efficiency as much that is needed on the
average throughout the empire. Then these
landless peasants need 1851. 600 dessiatines
If we grant that many OF them already have
some though not enough land It still seems sure
that at least as much as the 73115,0O0 dessia-
tines is required for them.
The entire area OF Grown land, excluding
forests, is about 6,363, 900 dessiatines, and Of
private estates 3s 1000, a total OF 44.245,OOO
dessiatines. If all Of this were distributed, there
would still be n shortage The ultimate resort
seems therefore TO be either that there shall be
wholesale migration from the congested parts
Of Euronean Russia 10 the more fertile and as
yet unoccupied lands Of the empire in Asia, or
that Russian agricultural methods shall be so
improved that it will not require an average Of
eight acres a head to support the people, But
neither of these things can be done In time to
affect the coming elections. and the thing which
is being done will, It is to be feared, prove en-
tirely inadequate
Moreover, It IS TO be observed that this small
amount Of land which is 10 be distributed is not
TO be given outright to the peasants. but sold TO
them on easy terms That is right, as we be-
lieve- But The trouble IS that the peasants think