The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-10-26
LAND OWNERS
CONTROL LIvONIA

Washington, Oct 25-Livonia, one
al the three Baltic provinces of Rus
STA now being over-run by the Ger
mans, following their capture OF the
provincial capital Rigaa, is described
in the following war geography bull
letin issued by the National Geo
graphic Society from its headquar-
tiers in Washington today:
The province of Livonia, which
has the Gulf of Riga as its western
boundary, and which is berdered on
the east by the government (states)
of Petrograd, Pskov, and Vitebsk,
has an area about equal to that OF
the combined areas of Massachusetts
and New Hampshire. but with a pop
ulation OF only about million and
half, comparable to that of South
| Carolina. More than 1000 square
miles Of Livonias territory is insular,
however, including the islands OF
Oesel and Rundo, in the Gulf of Ri
ga, while another 1000 square miles
is represented in that portion of Lake
Peipus which belongs to the prov
ince Nearly two-hfths of the re-
mainder of the territory is forest
land, while there are nearly thous-
and lakes, numerous marshes and
| peat boys and a considerable tract of
sand dunes on the Gulf of Riga shore,
so that the agricultural area is small
er than would at first appear.
Aristocrats in Control
The cultivable lands of Livonia are
largely in the hands of the wealthy
mobiles, the size of the average es-
tate being nearly 10000 acres On
these estates the most scientific
farming implements are used and
cultivation is conducted according
to the most modern methods. The
chief products are rye, barley, oats,
potatoes, and some wheat, hemp and
buck-wheat
Among the chief industries of the
province are woolen. cotton, -four,
| fax and saw mills. distilscries,. brew
cries, soap tobacco and furniture
works.
More than 10000 persons exc out
a livelihood in the fisheries of Lake
Peipus and the Gulf of Riga.
History Runs Into Antiquity.
| Although coins Of the time of Alex
andcr the Great have been found on
the Island of Oesel, the history OF
the province energies from obScurity
not earlier than the llth history,
when the Germans began 10 pene-
trate to this region. About the mid
die OF the 18th century, merchants
from the powerful Hanseatic city OF
Lubbock reached the mouth of the
River Dvina, and established trading
posts in the vicinity Of what is now
Riga. These commercial pioneers
were followed by emissaries of the
Archbishop of Bremen who began
to preach Christianity to the semi
partical natives Then came the Or
der of the Brethren OF the Sword,
apostles who inculcated their relig-
ious teaching with the aid of steel.
About the middle of the 10th CEN
fury, Livonia underwent partition,
the northern half being assimi1ated
by the growing power Of Russia
and the southern portion being an
nexed by Poland When the war
i between Sweden and Poland was
launched this unhappy province be-
came the battle-ground of the war
ring armies, and a century later it
was the scene of the triangular con-
hict between Russia, Sweden. and
Poland By the treaty of Nystad, in
1921, the province was definitely as
signed to Russia.
Inhabitants Mixed Breeds.
| About 43 per cent. of the inhabi-
tants of Livonia are Let's, while an
almost equal number OF Eths. so
per cent. of the people are communi-
cants of the Lutheran church.
In one particular Livonia outshines
every other province in Russian
its public school system 1t is esti-
mated that nine-tenths of the child
rem receive regular instruction in
times of peace"