GOVERNING RUSSIA'S PROVJNCES 267a Rechtsstaat. The basis for clear and orderly governmental proced-
ure had at last been established, and even though the practice contin-
ued to fall short of the aim, progress was being made in the right
direction. This was a necessary condition for attracting free settlers and
developing to the full the economic potential of the region. In this
sense too, Speransky could find some justification for his boast that "I
have discovered the true political problem of Siberia. Only Ermak can
compete with me in this respect." 1
The new system of administration helped to promote and secure
economic and social changes fostered by some of the other statutes of
- They aimed at resolving the difficulties that had arisen at the
end of the 18th century. Pes tel's and Treskin's methods had failed and
had aroused violent distaste and opposition. A new approach was in
order, and Speransky provided it.
First, Speransky turned his attention to the promotion and creation
of a healthier economy. He had a twofold task, to break the old estab-
lished monopolies of merchants (something Treskin had attempted to
do in his harsh and tyrannical way) and to abolish all unnecessary
bureaucratic controls (which Pestel a~d Treskin had fostered). The
executive orders which Speransky issued during his residence in Siberia
and various provisions of the statutes, abolished most of the detailed
regulations heretofore imposed on trade.^2 The law of 1822 enjoined
the Governors General, the Civilian Governors, and the District Chiefs
to exercise their power of supervision for the benefit and preservation
of free economic activity. Specifically, at each level of the administra-
tive hierarchy, the chief executive official was to safeguard freedom
of trade.^3 Although it was realized that under Siberia's special condi-
tions, the government had to play an active supervisory -role to main-
tain state granaries in the remoter regions for emergencies, the law of
1822 did bring about a gradual liberalization of the grain trade.^4 As a
1 Letter to his daughter, 1 February 1820, from Irkutsk, No. 37, Russkii Arkhiv,
(1868), No. 11, p. 1735.
a Vagin, op. cit., I, pp. 178, 352.
3 "The Main Administration (glavnoe upravlenie) protects with all its power
and through its ordinances the freedom of enterprise and trade, the freest exchange
of the necessities of life throughout all of Siberia without any distinction between
districts and provinces." PSZ 29,125, par. 523. See also pars. 561, 397, 95.
To promote and secure free trade, the following provision was included in the
statutes; it speaks for itself: "It is forbidden to all officials serving in the Provinces
to enter into debt relations with peasants and natives, in their own name or under
the cover of the name of a third person. All debt obligations contracted in thi,
manner, with written proof or without it, private or communal, are invalid, there
can be no judicial action on them and their collection cannot be enforced." PSZ
29,134, par. 53.
4 "The first and principal means for supplying the people with bread [i.e. grain]
is private enterprise and trade. The second means, serving as aid and complement