it has created a system of obligatory fire-insurance, together with means for preventing and extinguishing fires in the villages—­a most important matter in a country where the peasants live in wooden houses and big fires are fearfully frequent.  After neglecting for a good many years the essential question as to how the peasants’ means of subsistence can be increased, it has latterly, as I have mentioned in a foregoing chapter, helped them to obtain improved agricultural implements and better seed, encouraged the formation of small credit associations and savings banks, and appointed agricultural inspectors to teach them how they may introduce modest improvements within their limited means.* At the same time, in many districts it has endeavoured to assist the home industries which are threatened with annihilation by the big factories, and whenever measures have been proposed for the benefit of the rural population, such as the lowering of the land-redemption payments and the creation of the Peasant Land Bank, it has invariably given them its cordial support.

* The amount expended for these objects in 1897, the latest year
for which I have statistical data, was about a million and a half
of roubles, or, roughly speaking, 150,000 pounds, distributed under
the following heads:—­1.  Agricultural tuition
41,100 pounds.
2.  Experimental stations, museums, etc 19,800
3.  Scientific agriculturists 17,400
4.  Agricultural industries 26,700
5.  Improving breeds of horses and cattle 45,300
-------
150,300 pounds.

If you ask a zealous member of the Zemstvo why it has not done more he will probably tell you that it is because its activity has been constantly restricted and counteracted by the Government.  The Assemblies were obliged to accept as presidents the Marshals of Noblesse, many of whom were men of antiquated ideas and retrograde principles.  At every turn the more enlightened, more active members found themselves opposed, thwarted, and finally checkmated by the Imperial officials.  When a laudable attempt was made to tax trade and industry more equitably the scheme was vetoed, and consequently the mercantile class, sure of being always taxed at a ridiculously low maximum, have lost all interest in the proceedings.  Even with regard to the rating of landed and house property a low limit is imposed by the Government, because it is afraid that if the rates were raised much it would not be able to collect the heavy Imperial taxation.  The uncontrolled publicity which was at first enjoyed by the Assemblies was afterwards curtailed by the bureaucracy.  Under such restrictions all free, vigorous action became impossible, and the institutions failed to effect what was reasonably anticipated.

All this is true in a certain sense, but it is not the whole truth.  If we examine some of the definite charges brought against the institution we shall understand better its real character.