The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-14
SELF GOTERNMENT ~ Russia

certain amount of local independence
has at all times existed in large part
Of the Cars domnions In the day ~
serfdom the communcs 81 NIuscovy were
suffered 10 manage their own affairs.
and their powers have in no wise been
narrowed since the embarrassment Of the
peasant. But self-ruing village Is only the
rudment 81 those liberal Institutions whose
consummatc exponent is n national ~ riament.
and the important question is. What progress
has been made by Russia in the DEVELOPMENT Of
large political aggregntesf What success has
attended the attempt To create graduated sys-
ten Of district and provincial legislatures?
II Is now thirteen years since the scheme Of
local administration. known ns the Zrmstyo.
WAS instituted. It, purport was 20 supplement
the action II the rural communcs. aud meet
those wider public wants which village nuthori-
Ties could not satisfy Besides keeping
roads and bridges in proper repair and
providing means Of conveyance for the rural
police and other officials. its duties COM
prchend the election of justices II the
Peace. the caro- Of primary education and
sanitary affairs ald In theory the general pro-
motion OF the material and moral well being of
the people, In form tho institution is unrlfn-
moniary. consisting primarily of q district as-
s"mhly. which meets M least once q year and If
~ ~ "'''' '''''' '"'9'H NV
tho chamber from among it, members. once
every three years the deputies are elected IN.
certain ilN'd proportions boy the landed pro-
prictor- the agricultural communcs. and the
town corporations. The marshal ~ the nohles-r
for the district il er 9fcio president Of the local
legislature; hut majority Of the members are
peasants. and it il said that the landowners and
u"'l. '"Ii'l'r s'rls meet ior the moment on
"""'hE Oh 'puail'y' we come now 10 III" Pro-
''"''"' ,'""''' "ni'h mas coshiNh'e 81 matters
i'hs more .n"n one dl'trlct' In general
.''' "n' n'''' ~ pr"'euur" 'hls resembles
u'' su""lu'u "' o'uS nut It's MENTORS are
""n''i ~" ny 'he primary electors, Int 10y the
a. ''"l''s 'i 'n' zen districts whih COMPOSE
. ui' p'"''n'' N''n'uF' peasants are eligible 70
". rs ~ S'n",' 'ney are rhrcy chosen;
"u' 'l'.y 80 ho' '"hli'N'n OF thls exclusion APP
p"r'n,p 'e'"us' attendance would demand a
'"ns''I"",' p''uhlary outlay while payment
mi. institution ,n,ln.ti,., ,
-tvo ,voa ber,ldnJ o. ,a,i.,,ai H.,
second IN the d.creo - o,,'anoi,'a,t'', .'''I
ar,us.,1 nnon,, tho ...l,.o,..l ,l,... WV
nxtrn,n,,nnt nxnoc,,ti.ns B..,,,,,
elective, rrin.inlo and rr,,i1ir,, a., ,~.,,, 80.
fr.. ,li.rnssi,, il ,,as a..',,',,i vs. go"
the condi,ious n nol,ical ,in,,.,,,'..e a,' ~ 90
cheney rfn o,r,,i, or,',,,, ~, ,..,
h.ou oon,na.-. in rn,la,,i ,,.'.'',,,' ''',.
li,ment- bu,. noy.r exi.,.i o,l ....,,
lnnd ovnors -fill on,,r,.s ,,,'c,, - ,l,,. ,.'i
nintstr,ti,n l..y, ,',.i, ,,,'''.,,..' 80 ','
l., l.u..io. ,yhor, e,.rv di.,ri., ,.,,i, l,... H..
el.riy.u-.n,,lhv in,,hft ,h., ,'.,o..,,., 49,, .,',
stund onn loyol viii, th,. ril.t ,.r.r,r.,.,. H.,
thon new .ir.umstnn,,.- ,,...o,,.ti',, ,'lf,,.t'y'
on,e which had ,h,r,.t.rtI,I ,h,, ,r,,,'.',i,.
formulation ,v0ul1 81, r'.,,'.,t.h 'al,,,,.i,,,
this change. Mncknnzin WnIlncn ,cII. -. ,',,.