OTHER SCHEMES OF LAND REFORM 267 



pose other obligations upon them. He held that the 

 inalienable right of a man to freedom was a sufficient 

 and just ground for thus withholding compensation. 



The spirit of the legislation throughout was, that in 

 matters affecting the land, the State, on behalf of the 

 community, can disregard, and, if necessary, override, 

 the prejudice and opposition of the individual. This 

 was done, but done on lines that were just to the 

 landed aristocracy, and, as events showed, much to 

 their advantage. Another notable principle in this 

 legislation was that of helping those who were helping 

 themselves. One illustration of this principle is that 

 the State, through the Board of Agriculture, grants 

 loans to cultivators for works of improvement. These 

 loans are at a low rate, usually at 3 per cent interest and 

 2 per cent sinking fund, with a free period of three or 

 five years. It is rightly held that public money, when 

 spent for improvements of the land, is spent in the 

 interests of the whole nation. 



For those who have not time to study the lengthy 

 and detailed reports referred to, the short and clear 

 account given in Professor Seeley's excellent work is 

 sufficient to give a general idea of the land legislation, 

 of which, taken as a whole, and in connection with its 

 results, it is no exaggeration to say was an epoch — 

 a starting-point in the foundation by consolidation of 

 the present great German Empire.^ 



Seeley quotes the views of Stein as to the danger 

 to the cultivating classes of removing all restrictions 

 to the free sale of lands: "There is but one limita- 

 tion of free disposition of landed property which must 

 be allowed to remain. It is that which restrains the 

 covetousness of the rich and educated classes, and 



^ Seeley's " Life and Times of Stein," University Press, Cambridge. 



