THE DIFFICULTY FAR-REACHING TO-DAY. 35 



of parliamentary inquiry, and it is found that the agri- 

 cultural class are in a very unhappy condition. The 

 Institute Natural of Paris reported some time ago, that 

 in parts of France peasants are living like beasts. Of 

 eight millions of land proprietors, three millions are now 

 looked upon as subjects of charity. 



As to Germany, one government commission after 

 another has been issued to look into the state of agricul- 

 tural troubles. They find that in many parts of the, 

 empire, farm mortgages are eating up the peasants' little 

 properties, that the condition is any thing but satisfac- 

 tory ; and many schemes are proposed to alleviate their 

 distresses. 



These matters in Belgium have also become a subject 

 of parliamentary notice. In every province in the land 

 a government representative has been stationed to ren- 

 der the farmers assistance, but still the trouble goes on. 

 In Russia, not only are the peasants' properties in very 

 many cases loaded with debt, but the owners them- 

 selves actually mortgaged for many years in advance. 

 As to Great Britain, her land troubles are a subject of 

 every-day conversation. We all know that efforts tow- 

 ard their solution consume a very large portion of the 

 time of the British statesman. This glance over Europe 

 will suffice to remind us that we are dealing with a diffi- 

 culty of large proportions. 



