Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-07-14

ruaQ nominal EepIeScuIdIIOu al sAo
chamber Of 26 out of $50 members
though constituting four-fifths of the
population. These members were
not elected directly. but so peasants
voted for an elector, who, with his
colleagues and with the state-named
teachers and priests, chose the men,
bers Of parliament. '
Such system resulted in much cor
ruption and in the preponderant con.
troll of elections by the government,
which often put up candidates in dis
tricts where these candidates were ut
terly unknown and elected them
through its superiority of power.
The land owners controlled, and the
government was only a change from
faction to faction Of land owners,
with the peasant left out Of any con-
sideration which was not charitably
bestowed upon him. .. -
Little Change Since Revolution.
Such was the Roumanian peasantry
in and preceding 1907. !, What is 1t
today? What did the revolution &C
complish? For what did $4,000 peas
ants lay down their lives? 49,
The revolution did much to attract
the attention Of intelligent Rouman.
fans to the conditions. Two reforms
were soon afterward instituted. A
system OF communal pasture lands
was introduced, and these had q bene-
fetal effect in increasing the owner
ship of live stock among small peas
ants, which under tho former system
was impossible. A law passed by
which districts were established in
which land owners. middlemen and
peasants fixed the minimum wage for
farm labor. The law has not been in
force long enough to show whether
1t will be q" success. s5&.-- v 49,
The conditions Of labor are practi-
cally as before. The housing is with
out Improvement. The unequal dis
tribution Of land is much as ever. IL
literacy is still very high, probably
about so per cent, though convincing
statistics are lacking. The holding OF
elementary schools for army recruits
is still necessary, but these schools
are rapidly reducing illiteracy among
young men. .,y.,G .s sg.,sz, 7.,r,.
The political system of 1907 is still
existent and the peasant still has no
proportional voice In his own affairs
and no real chance Of speaking
through the small representation that
is allowed him. Roumania Is gov
erned by and for the rich, even to.
day. ., rs r
Reforms Interrupted by War.
But one still has no right to impugn
Roumania's good will in this matter.
The war interrupted reforms, as it has
interrupted much else. The weighty
machinery which amends the Rou-
manian constitution had been set in
motion last year and q constitution.
al convention had been called, which
was to consider and draft an amend
ment permitting the government to-
contiscate and partition large estates.
This needed legislation it has been
necessary to postpone. IA "a ,l;e,.
Reform Of the electoral system also
was intended. The present liberal
government is pledged to carry out
these reforms and can be counted
upon to do it best when the war Is
over But even these reforms did
not include the giving of rights to-
the Jew, who was destined to remain
without franchise and the permission
to own land. s..s@s.. ~
Whether the participation of Rou-
mania in the war. on behalf Of Rou-i
manians in TRANSATLANTIC, would be
justifable Is an unfair question at
this time. States, no more than In
,dividuals, can put .''the house In or
DER always at the time and in the,
way they like. .f... .;5
It may be that the self-consciousness
which the, nationalist movement has
given to Roumania will spur her on
to a worthy solution Of internal prob
lens. Perhaps Roumania will emerge
from the war, whether she actively
participates or not, a stronger, finer.
more sober state. facing her duties
with a deeper sense Of obligation.