The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-13
CAR GRANTS RIGHTS
RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE To BE OBJ
SERVED IN RUSSIA.
LOCAL RULE TO BE ALLOWED.
DECREE MOST SIGNIFICANT SINCE
sERFS GAINED FREEDOM.

In Common Oration of the Annfver-
HI the Decree of the Gar Is Is
sued-It Is Hailed as the ProcIa-
nation of n New Era of Religious
Freedom and Political Liberty.
Decree Is Believed to Include the
jews.
st. Petersburg, March 12.-The Car
has issued a decree providing for free
dom of religion throughout his domin-
ions, establishing to some degree local
self-government and making other
concessions to the village communities.
The decree, which was issued in COM
memoration Of the anniversary of the
birth of Alexander III. is considered
to be the most significant act of the
state since the emancipation of the
serfs. The public halls it as the proc
lamation of a new era, opening UP
bright prospects of the early improve
ment of Russian interior administra-
ton. The text of the decree is as fol-
lows:
THE troubles agitating our country,
which to our deep regret have partly
been sown by designs hostile to the
state and partly engendered by doc
trines foreign to Russian life hinder
the general work of ameliorating the
well-being of our people. These trou-
bles confuse the public mind, remove
the people from productive labor, and
often ruin families dear to our heart
and young energies among high and
low, necessary to the internal devel-
opment of the country.
viii Satisfy Needs of state.
I'm demanding the fulfillment of this,
our will, while remaining strongly op-
posed to any violation of the normal
course of national life and having con-
hdence that all will loyalty discharge
their local duties, we are irrevocabiy
decided to satisfy the needs for which
the state has become ripe and have
deemed 1t eXpedient to strengthen and
decree the undertaking observance of
the principles of tolerance laid down
by the fundamental laws of the Rus
sian empire, which, recognizing the
orthodox church as the ruling one,
granting to all our subjects of other
religions and to all foreign persua-
sions, freedom of creed and worship in
accordance with other rites and we
are further resolved to continue the
active carrying out of measures for the
Improvement of the material position
of the orthodox rural clergy, while en-
abling them to larger share in intel
lectual and public life
In accordance with impending mea-
sures for the consolidation of national
economy, the efforts of the state credit
institutions, and especially the mobiles
| and peasants banks, should be direct
ed to strengthening and developing the
welfare and fundamental pillars OF
Russian village life and that of the
local nobility and peasantry. These
principles marked out by us for the
revision of the laws of the rural popu-
| lation are, when formulated, to be re-
ferred to the provincial government
| councils, so that with the assistance OF
! persons enjoying the publics confidence
| they may be further developed ant
| adapted to the special conditions of in.
| dividual localities.
Relief from Forced Labor.
I'm this work the fundamental prin-
| ciple of the inviolability of communal
| property is to be maintained, while al
| the same time means are to be found
to render It easier for the individual
| to sever connections with the communi-
ty to which he belongs IL he so desires
Without delay measures must be
taken to release the peasants from the
present burdensome liability of forced
labor Though reform is to be effected
in the provincial government ana dis
trict administrations by the local rep
resentatives, attention will be devoted
to securing closer cooperation between
the communal authorities and parochfaI
trustees of the orthodox churches
wherever possible.
Calling upon all our subjects to CO.
operate in strengthening the moral
| foundations of family, school and pub