334 THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE. 



enough and remunerative enough to the settlers — but at 

 a long price to the State. And the main point was not 

 achieved. The Poles did not become Germans, but rather 

 did the incoming Germans to a considerable number become 

 Poles. For the single men among them married Polish wives, 

 and it is the mother who determines the nationality of the 

 family. Those who were married already had of necessity 

 to accommodate themselves more or less to their surround- 

 ings. And the Poles soon managed to set up colonising 

 societies of their own which — as I have seen for myself — 

 proved to be exceedingly well organised and well sup- 

 ported, and accordingly resulted in success, without State 

 countenance. 



To such an extent the settlement scheme failed. But 

 it was found that, although the gold obtained in the result 

 had been paid for too dearly, still gold there was in it. 

 Deserts had been converted into smiling, thriving villages, 

 with fruitful fields spread out around them. Agriculture 

 prospered. There were more taxes, more recruits, more 

 ample crops and produce of every kind, more happiness. 



That made the Government bethink itself of the existence 

 of a long disused institution, originally created under Stein 

 and Hardenberg at the time of the enfranchisement of 

 the Prussian peasantry, enabling purchasers of certain 

 descriptions of land to operate with very little cash, through 

 the intervention of the State, given, not in the shape of 

 ringing coin but of instruments of credit. In approved 

 cases the public Rentenbaitk pays vendors in terminating 

 land bonds, for which the State makes itself liable, running 

 for a very long time, so as to make repayment cheap by 

 sinking fund, and issued at a moderate rate of interest 

 either of 4 or of 4I per cent. 



With the aid of the " General Commissions " appointed 

 for certain districts — each as a rule for two provinces and 

 assisted by local " Special Commissioners " working under 

 them — this Rentenhank carries on the home colonisation 

 aimed at with very good result. The State, while not 

 assisting with money, interferes very effectively with very 

 carefully conducted supervision. It does not itself colonise. 



