The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-04
THE BILL OF
 GOVERNMENT Agrarian Measure Intro duced in Douma. PROCLAMATION TO PEASANTS The Emperor's Zeal for the People
 is Glorified. Attempt to show That the Realixa- fion of socinIistic Schemes Would
 Result Inevitably In Mis-
 cry Instead of
PROCLAMATION TO PEASANTS

St. Petersburg, July 3-The gov esnment's agrarian bill has finally been approved. introduced in the lower House and published in The oficiai Messenger. accompanied by sort of proclamation to the peasants. glorify- ing the emperor's constant solicftude for the peasants.
 It attempts to show that the reali- zation of socialistic schemes for the standardization of the lands, with which the country has been deluded. instead of improving the lot of the peasants, would result in inevitable misery, as the distributable as well as the arabic state lands in European Russia would give each peasant less than one additional deciatine, which would be subject to constant dimuni- ton owing to increases in the popula- tions, and besides would deprive the peasants of the opportunity of obtain ing work from the landlords. from whom a large percentage of their income is derived.
 As finally submitted. the govern ment solution makes the following propositions:
 First-To distribute upon favorable terms" all the arabic land in Eu- ropean Russia to the peasants who have not sufficient land.
 second-To purchase for the account of the estate the land which private owners are willing to sell.
 Third-To sell such lands to the peas ants on reasonable terms, even if this involves the assumption by the state selling prices.
 saIeable Only to Peasants.
 Fourth-To establish the principle that new as we'll as old peasants lands are not saleable to persons not belong ing to the peasants class besides ex- emptfng the land from seizure for debt.
 Fifth-To assist immigrants to reach Siberia and Central Asia, and to help them in installing themselves there, not only by a1lotments of land but building of government roads.
 Sixth-To make arrangements for inc sale of the lands, the immigrants leave hehsnd them for the benefit Of these immigrants, the rigorous in- provement of agriculture. correcting the inequalities in plots of land. etc. and the right of the distribution of the land separately where desired.
 The statement accompanying the publication of the governments agrari- an measures gives figures to prove that the peasants dream that universal distribution would give ample land to all Is fallacious. European Russia. it is nointed out. contains 3So, ,000, 900 deciatines, of which 150,000.oO0 belong to the five northern provinces and are unsuitable for agriculture. Of the re- mainer, 56.O00.0o deciatines. are for ests. the preservation of which Is ab- solutely necessary, leaving 153,0OO.000 Of that Ill. 100000 now belong to peas ants. 91,o00 being obtained at the time of the emancipation of the Serfs and 1s .o00, 900 being privately owned. Thus 4s. .oOo, 900 covers all the land of the state, church. crown and gentry, while there are over 40.000.000 peas ants.
 After reviewing many acts of the Russian emperors for the benefit of the peasants. like the emancipation of the serfs and the establishment of peasant banks, the statement solemnly denies that the government Is opposing ex- nronriation in the interest of the land lords who 1t says could convert their land into cash and concludes with an expression of the vital necessity or maintaining the rights of property as being the foundation of state' pres ent and future.