The Propaganda Bureau's political plan could not be decided, which directly affected the design of the government affairs bureau's government agencies, Fang Shengyuan had a lot of opinions on the Propaganda Bureau, and although the wedding was approaching, Fang Shengyuan still spent a lot of energy to communicate with the Propaganda Bureau. He positioned himself as the prime minister of the cabinet, and of course hoped to implement the responsible cabinet system advocated by Song Jiaoren, but he was limited to his identity and could only urge Hong Yuecheng's progress to be as fast as possible, and not to block the way of others. Hong Yuecheng thinks that the formation of the government has little to do with this, and you should set up those ministries and bureaus, so why bother staring at this? Hasn't Dashuai already set up the Beijing Municipal Government and the National Security and Ordnance Industry Bureaus? In fact, the Ministry of Education has also been established, and the opinion of the Propaganda Bureau has not been consulted.

Fang Shengyuan retorted, what you said is light! To each his own? How can each do its own thing? The marshal has repeatedly said that the two of us need to ventilate, and if there is no difference between the presidential system and the cabinet system, what are you arguing about? This is like a person, the head is of course the most important, what kind of head you have has to match what kind of limbs, can you leave the brain alone?

Both sides are full of resentment.

Long Qian didn't pay much attention to the quarrel between the two bureaus, perhaps thinking that a quarrel was not a bad thing, but recently he had been keeping an eye on the Northern Military Region with the General Staff of Guò, while turning his attention to agriculture.

Long Qian's understanding of agriculture is much deeper than that of most of his team. Although China is an authentic agricultural country, the rulers of successive dynasties seem to attach great importance to agriculture, and theoretically the status of peasants is not low. The scholars did not discriminate against the peasants, at least verbally. "First-class people are loyal and filial to their sons, and two things are to read and plough the fields" are hung in the study rooms of many high-ranking mansions, and the words "ploughing and reading heirlooms" have become the door plaques of countless families with status, but in fact, the situation of the peasants is very sad, because the positive tax of this traditional agricultural country is the agricultural tax, and the lack of investment in the basic investment of water conservancy facilities, the disregard for agricultural scientific research, the drastic annexation of land, and the gradual increase of countless miscellaneous taxes other than the positive tax will not let go of the peasants, so that countless peasants are on the verge of bankruptcy.

The food problem has never really been solved. In case of a famine year. It is inevitable that the tragedy of fleeing the famine and having to eat, the destruction of the family, and the loss of people. Increasing food production was a common dream of successive rulers, but in practice it was extremely ineffective. An important factor behind this is that the intensification of land annexation inhibits the increase in production, and in an agrarian society, land is considered the most valuable asset. The plundering of land by the powerful never stopped. This is the root cause of the annexation of the land.

The lesson is profound. The fall of successive dynasties was mostly due to land annexation and the rebellion of displaced people, and it cannot be said that the successors did not recognize this, but it was never difficult to change this strange circle.

Long Qian set up an agricultural department within the Economic Bureau. The aim is to explore a set of policy measures to save agriculture. He had talked to Chen Chao about this idea, and Chen Chao was one of the few people in Long Qian's team who could discuss agricultural issues with him, but Deng Gongchao, whom Chen Chao recommended to him, disappointed Long Qian. The Agricultural Department has been established for more than two months, and Deng Gongchao can't come up with a way to make Long Qian's eyes shine.

Invest huge sums of money in agriculture and don't even think about it! Relying on industry and commerce to feed agriculture is still an incomparably distant thing, and perhaps Long Qian will not be able to see it in his lifetime, how can he propose such a stupid proposal? It is not wrong to build water conservancy, where does the country get the money to overhaul water conservancy throughout the country? There is nothing wrong with cultivating good seeds, and it is not an overnight thing. What Long Qian wanted was to liberate the productive forces of the countryside, as he had known the story, to use the change of land policy to promote a major turnaround in agriculture and significantly increase the yield of crops. After solving the problem of food and clothing for the people, it is necessary to provide financial support for industrialization through agriculture.

Deng Gongchao obviously couldn't complete this task. This man was of good moral character, and he might be able to be a county magistrate, but he was definitely not up to the task of guiding the national agricultural revolution. There is a method problem in everything, and the way to find out the solution is talent, and the method should be found by yourself, rather than relying on it. Just like Ning Shijun preparing to build the navy, he must have his own ideas, and he must ensure that his ideas conform to the overall framework of the supreme leader.

Long Qian categorically replaced Deng Gongchao and sent him back to Shandong, and he chose Yu Youren, a member of the Kuomintang, to take over Deng Gongchao's class.

Yu Youren is thirty-one years old at the age of Chinese New Year's Eve. He is a member of the League, but he is not a big man in the League. Last year, Wu Nian's 7th Division came to Xi'an to promote the Xi'an Mutiny, Yu Youren was arrested, detained for more than a month, and then released by name and "escorted" to Beijing. This was a very high salary, because most people did not have the opportunity to talk to the new owner of the country for such a long time, and then Yu was assigned to work in the Agricultural Division of the Economic Bureau, serving as Deng Gongchao's deputy.

After Deng Gongchao was dismissed, Long Qian had another separate conversation with Yu Youren, listened to his views on agricultural work, and thought that he could use people, so he spent another hour and a half explaining his basic ideas in agriculture, and then appointed him as the director of the agricultural department.

Long Qian had three tasks for the Department of Agriculture: first, to conduct a survey of rural land and farmers' income by sampling; the second is to set up large-scale state-owned farms; The third is to introduce policies on land.

Yu Youren carried out the work in accordance with the requirements of these three aspects, he spent a month running Shandong and Inner Mongolia a month ago, and before the Spring Festival, according to Long Qian's instructions, he took people to Heilongjiang for a trip, and the Spring Festival was spent outside the customs, and he returned to Beijing before the fifteenth day of the first month, and reported to Long Qian on the investigation situation.

Needless to say, Jilin has a large area of wasteland, sparsely populated, and fertile land, and Manchurian soybeans are extremely popular agricultural products for export, and the supply exceeds demand, and all that is lacking is manpower and capital. He also pointed out that the establishment of national farms in Heilongjiang and northern Jilin is of great significance for consolidating national defense. But he did not understand Long Qian's opposition to reclamation in Inner Mongolia, in his opinion, Inner Mongolia already had a good foundation, and it would be a pity to give up. Yu Youren also found out the information of the Manchu Qing Dynasty's reclamation in Inner Mongolia in the past ten years, trying to persuade Long Qian to take the first step to operate Inner Mongolia. Then Xu Tu Beiman. Because although there is land in North Manchuria, the conditions are too difficult, and many places -- the Qiqihar sub-metropolitan area and the Mergen sub-metropolitan area -- are simply deserted, not to mention the Heilongjiang sub-metropolitan area further north. Climate problems, road problems, population problems are all restricting development.

The word "development" is an invention of Long Qian, and Yu Youren feels that it is very expressive and appropriate.

"President, the situation in Inner Mongolia is much better, why give up the existing achievements? It's a shame. ”

Long Qian did not answer Yu Youren's question, and buried his head in reading the information about Inner Mongolia reclamation compiled by Yu. He did not ask whether the information came from the household archives or from elsewhere. After Lu Shan entered Beijing, he took over the six Manchu archives - they did not destroy them. Didn't take it away either, it's basically intact.

The practice of agricultural reclamation in Inner Mongolia is due to the pressure of Gengzi indemnity. At the beginning, Cen Chunxuan, the governor of Shanxi, went to the Qing court to reclaim the land of the Mongolian banner to solve the problem of financial deficit. Cixi, who had just returned to Beijing from Taiyuan, immediately issued an edict and sent Yigu Chi to Jinbian to supervise reclamation affairs. Yigu was a Manchu minister. At that time, he was a squire in the military department. The solution is to take back the pastures that are suitable for cultivation by the Mongolian people at a low price. In the lease to the Han people for farming, as soon as it changed hands, a large amount of silver came in.

In May 1902, Yigu, who was promoted to the rank of general of Suiyuan and the secretary of the Imperial Court, arrived in Zhangjiakou. The Qingzhang Bureau and the East-West Road Reclamation Company in the form of a modern company were set up, and the reclamation work was carried out in a vast area from the left and right banners of Chahar in the east, to the two leagues of Ulanqab and Yikezhao in the west, to the Great Wall in the south, and to Outer Mongolia in the north.

Yigu threw off his arms and worked hard, ran the horse and stook the land, and whoever didn't deal with it was directly forcibly recruited, arrested a group of unconvinced Mongolian leaders, and beheaded Pierdan, who was making trouble.

Yigu has been engaged in six years, and it is said that the results are not small, but in fact there is not much money to be paid to the central government, and the accounts of the Qingzhang Bureau and the reclamation company are in a mess, and Yigu himself was investigated, and he was supposed to be exiled to Xinjiang, but finally went to Batang, Sichuan. According to Yu Youren's investigation, Inner Mongolia reclamation has a considerable foundation and should be taken over and continued.

"I don't agree with the reason for continuing to reclaim in Inner Mongolia, I can't think of it," Long Qian put down the report compiled by the Yu family, and admired the high-quality fly-headed Xiaokai in his hand, "Mr. Yu, the reason is very simple, the environment. If the grassland is abandoned on a large scale and the land is cultivated, it will inevitably lead to the desertification of the land. Inner Mongolia is different from Northern Manchuria, and the situation in the two places is completely different. We can't just focus on the present and ignore the future, you must not imagine what kind of scene Beijing is full of wind and sand. ”

"Environment?" Yu Youren was really confused. According to his calculations, after the reclamation work in Inner Mongolia really achieved results, the annual grain output would be enough to supply the frontier garrison.

"Yes, the environment. Of course, it's not a generalization. The Hetao area is suitable for farming, so it is better to continue it. In fact, "Long Qian personally made a cup of tea for Yu Youren, which flattered the young man from Shaanxi, "The food problem we are facing is not strict, how many people do we have?" 500 million is enough, although I don't have detailed statistics, but I dare to say that as long as the yield per mu of cultivated land is increased by 100 catties, there is no need for food and clothing. Frontier reclamation is not just for food, you see an important side, that is, the frontier, also has the effect of improving the distribution of the population, this is not the main thing, the key is to liberate the suppressed productive forces of agriculture, Lunan Mountain has more land and less land can solve its own food, and can even provide surplus grain for the army, there is no reason for other places not to do well. You have been in Shandong for a long time, how do you feel? ”

Shandong is the old nest of the Mengshan Army, and half of the more than 20 people in the Agricultural Department are from Shandong, and half of Shandong is from Lunan, which shows Long Qian's appreciation and attention to Lunan. Previously, Yu Youren thought that this was just an emotional problem, and Lu Nan, who provided manpower and material resources for the Mengshan Army, of course, wanted to get the biggest dividends in the new dynasty. However, after Yu Shi investigated Lunan, he admitted that Lunan did have something worth studying and learning from, "Returning to the president's words, I have a lot of feelings, and there are two main points, one is that the survey and statistics in Shandong are very complete, and they are clear at a glance, and secondly, the power of the peasants in Yizhou and Yanzhou is extremely strong, and the gentry are ...... for it."

"Haha, it's better to say that the rules are broken, and the mud legs are in charge. Haha," Long Qian didn't ask about Yu's background, but since he could be admitted to Xiucai and study in Japan, he must not be an ordinary peasant child, "Less, there are two economic concepts I don't know if you have heard of, productivity and means of production?" ”

Yu Youren shook his head. He didn't have much contact with Long Qian, but he felt that there were a lot of fresh words in Long Qian's mouth.

"The means of production are relatively easy to understand, that is, the cost of production, land, cattle, farm tools, and the machinery and plant of the factory. Productivity is a bit more complicated, and the key is people. Even those who are engaged in production, of course, science and technology, should also be classified in the category of productive forces. Let me talk about a principle, if you go back and think about it, whether it is correct, when the means of production and the productive forces are separated, the effect of production will not be good, and vice versa. In agriculture, for example, hired farmers cultivate the landlord's land, and yeoman farmers cultivate their own land. What's the difference? ”

Needless to say. Yu Youren thinks it's very simple, "Of course, cultivating your own land requires a lot of care. ”

"Yes, because the latter is the complete combination of the productive forces with the means of production, while the former is not. What crops to plant. When to fertilize. When to water. Doing it for yourself is not the same as doing it for the landlord, or carelessly, or it doesn't count. As far as I know. There were many opium growers in Guanzhong, mostly at the behest of the landlords rather than hired farmers. You may say that the farmer is also very careful, because after paying the rent, the rest is his own, but it is an ironclad fact that the rent is too high and will affect the enthusiasm of the peasant. ”

Yu Youren understood the meaning of what Long Qian said. Lunan is indeed different from other places, the rent is low, and the average land occupied by the landlords is also small, which is the result of rural autonomy, and also because of the rise of industry in Lunan, which attracts a large number of people to Yizhou Yanzhou to engage in industry, is the gentry's investment in industry, many landlords sell land to the government at the price stipulated by the government, raise funds to invest in industry, and provide intermediate products for Yizhou iron and steel and Zhongxing industry, which is leased or sold to farmers by the government land...... In this way, the pressure of land annexation is relieved.

"The situation in Lunan or Jinan is special, and I am afraid it cannot be extended to the whole country."

"Why not? The Department of Agriculture is the skeleton of the Ministry of Agriculture, and I am going to set up a Ministry of Agriculture, or the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry can also be established. If we don't solve the agricultural problem, we won't be able to stand, and if we don't have enough to eat, what kind of construction can we talk about? Limit the amount of land occupied, regulate the price of land circulation, levy land taxes that exceed the standard at high prices, force landlords to choose to sell their land, sell or rent it to landless peasants at low prices, and encourage landlords to transfer the funds they obtain to industrial ...... This is the main policy that the Agricultural Service should promote. You have seen the power of statistical surveys, and the situation is different from province to province, and the southeastern provinces and the northwest cannot be the same standard. It's a pity that Deng Gongchao has been engaged in rural autonomy for several years, but he can't turn this corner! It is difficult to open and close one's mouth, and the Mengshan Army did not have anything that could be done openly against the Qing Dynasty, but after we took control of the national power, they did not dare to do it, what is the reason? I admit that not all of the landlords' land comes from cunning and plundering, and that a large number of landlords have accumulated wealth through hard work, but the concentration of land in their hands will not increase grain production! Don't doubt this, only by giving land to landless peasants can the problem of food shortage be solved! It is said that our country has the longest history of agriculture, but it has reached the point of not having enough to eat, isn't it ridiculous! ”

Yu Youren lowered his head and pondered Long Qian's words. Obviously, Long Qian is going to use strong means to solve the problem of uneven land ownership, and it is the ideal of the peasants, but how high should the standard be set? 100 acres? 200 acres? How much tax is levied on excess? What if the landlord doesn't do it?

After a long time, Yu Youren raised his head and met Long Qian's gaze, "President, since ancient times, the gentry have been the foundation for maintaining rule, and the introduction of this policy of yours will inevitably offend the gentry of the world......"

Long Qian sneered, "Who said that the gentry are the foundation of the country's stability? Stupid! Maybe it was in the past, but it will definitely not be in the future! You are right, ruling needs a foundation, and in the future, the new China will rely on the army, the peasants, the workers, and a large number of intellectuals who support the new government, not the landlords and inferior gentry. As long as the new government benefits those who rely on it, what waves can a few disgruntled landlords make? The agricultural policy we need to formulate is to break the monopoly of land, and then liberate a large number of peasants who are bound by land, so that they can free themselves from the shackles of land on their lives, have the opportunity to enter the cities to engage in industry and commerce, and provide endless human resources for the development of industry and commerce. ”

Yu Youren is silent.

"Of course, it is also necessary to introduce scientific farming, cultivate improved seeds, teach farmers to farm scientifically, and then accumulate funds to build water conservancy, improve transportation, and enhance the flow of materials. Fruits in the south are so cheap that they can't be eaten in the north, which is a problem of circulation. But the premise is to strike at the landlords and liberate the peasants. ”

"In this case, I am afraid that the central unification policy is inappropriate." For a long time, Yu Youren said.

"Yes, the situation is different from province to province and there should be no uniform criteria. But time is not waiting for anyone, and I am scheduled to convene in the Diet in April, and the basic policy on agriculture will be discussed in the Diet, so you should pay close attention to the sample survey. It is not just a matter of a few dozen people from the Department of Agriculture, but also the provinces that are mobilized, and the Economic Bureau has the right to give orders. The Central Plains region such as Henan, the northwest such as your hometown of Shaanxi, my hometown of Shanxi, Guangdong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Lianghu and other provinces with large populations should complete the survey and obtain relatively reliable figures to formulate guiding policies. This must not appear in our hands, your investigation must have the cooperation of powerful organs, the army can intervene, and for those who dare to resist the investigation, it is not impossible to arrest a group and kill the head! ”

Yu Youren heard that Feng Guozhu, the commander of the Northwest Military Region, had killed Dong Fuxiang's old troops in Gansu a few years ago, and when he saw what Long Qian said lightly, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. At the beginning, my friend was right, Mengshan Jun Bingguo, and the landlord's life was not easy. (To be continued......)