Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-07-15

ing two hectares.
The peasant IL required to do the
capitalists work before doing his
own. His land being poorer than the
capitalists, it often happens that he
gets only half the profit from his two
hectares, which the capitalist makes
from his two. And the whole system
so works out that the peasant pays In
rent from $50 to 400 lei (SS0 to $4O)
for what costs the capitalist 20 to 30
lei ga to $50.
Mud Houses for 100000.
The living conditions OF the peas
antry were appalling Two hundred
and nifty thousand peasants were liv-
ing in $4,000 holes in the ground.
dwellings unfit to be called by amp
other name. OF 100000 dwellings
only 10000 were Of brick, 298, 900 were
Of wood, the rest of mud. Most OF
these were Of one room, where the
whole family lived, even with domes-
tic animals.
Under these conditions mortality
was high, especially infant mortality,
which was more than 40 per cent.
The chief food was polenta, a corn
meal mush. and many peasants had
only one meal a, day. being unable to
spend more than two to three cents
per capita daily for food. Epidemics
were frequent, especially of pellagra,
which resulted from the exclusive
consumption Of corn
Despite compulsory education,
schools were scarce In many regions
and many children who otherwise
might have attended school were kept
at home by their parents, who needed
the extra hands In earning the mea-
ger family living. M. Branestianu es-
: timated the illiteracy of that time at
"a per cent.
Political Rights Only Nominal.
To crown It all, the peasants had
practically no political rights. They
had nominal representation in the
chamber Of So out of $50 members,
though constituting four-ffths 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 mem
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 it's 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.
Z Such was the Roumanian peasantry
in and preceding 1907. What is 1t
today? What did the revolution ac-
complish? For what did 10000 peas
ants lay down their lives?
The revolution did much to attract
the attention Of intelligent Rouman-
ians to the conditions. Two reforms
were soon afterward instituted. A
system Of communal pasture lands
was introduced, and these had bene-
fetal effect in increasing the owner.
ship of live stock among small peas
ants, which under the 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
it will be a success.
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. II.
iteracy is still very high, probably
about 80 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.
The political system of 1907 is still
| existent and the peasant still has nc
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.
Reforms Interrupted by War.
But one still has no right to impugn
Roumania's good will in this matter
The war interrupted reforms, as 1t has
interrupted much else. The weighty
machinery which amends the Rou
manian constitution had been set in
motion last year and constitution
al convention had been called, which
| was to consider and draft an amend
ment permitting the government to
| confscate and partition large estates
This needed legislation it has been
necessary to postpone.
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 or rights lc
the Jew, who was destined to remain
| without franchise and the permission
to own land.
Whether the participation of Rou
mania in the war on behalf of Rou
manians in Transylvania would be
| justifiable is an unfair question al
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.
1t may be that. the self-consciousness
which the nationalist movement has
given to Roumania will spur her on
to worthy solution Of internal prob.
lens. Perhaps Roumania will emerge
from the war, whether she actively
participates or not, stronger, finer,
i pore sober state, facing her duties