The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-13
STRIKING OFF gives
The Gar Provides for Free
dom of Religion.
The Most Significant Act Since the Emancipa-
tion OF the Serfs---A New Era
OaWning,
(By the Associated Press.)

St. Petersburg, March 12.-The Czar
has issued a decree providing for free
dom of religion throughout his dominions
establishing to some degree local self
government and making other concessions
to the village committees.
The decree which was issued in COM
memoration of the anniversary of the
birthday of Alexander III is considered
to be the most significant act of state
since the emancipation of the serfs. The
public halls it as the proclamation of
new era, opening up bright prospects of
the early improvement of Russian in
tornal administration
The text of the decree is in part as fol-
lows:
"The troubles agitating our country
which to our deep regret have partly
been sown by designs hostil to the state
and partly engendered by doctrines of the
Russian life, hinder the general work of
ameliorating the well being of our peo-
pie. These troubles 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 deyel-
opment Of the country. In demanding the
fulfllment of this our WILL while remain
ing strongly opposed to any violation of
the normal course of the national life
and having confidence that all will loyal
ly discharge their local duties, we are
irrevocably decided to satisfy the needs
for which the State has become ripe and
had deemed it expedient to strengthen
\ q
the principles of tolerance laid down by
the fundamental laws of the Russian en-
pire, which, recognizing the orthodox
church as the ruling one, grant to all
our subjects of other religious and to all
foreign persuasions 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 arthodox rural clergy while enabl-
ing them to take larger share in intel
lectual an dpublic life.
I'm accordance with pending measures
for the consolidation of the national econ
Cmy the efforts of the State credit insti-
tutions and especially the mobiles and
peasants banks should be directed to
strengthening and developing the well
fare and fundamental pillars of Russian
village life and that of the local nobil-
ity and peasantry. These principles
marked out by us for the revision of the
laws of the rural population are, when
formulated to be referred to the provin-
cial government councils, so that with
the assistance of persons enjoying the
public's confidence they may be further
developed and adapted to the special con-
ditions of individual localities. In this
work the fundamental principle of the in
Mobility of communal property TO be
maintained, while at the same time means
are to be found to render it easier for
the individual to sever connections with
the community to which he belongs, if he
so desires.
Through reform is to be effected in
the provincial governments and districts
administrations by the local representa-
tiyes, while attention will be devoted to
securing closed cooperation between the
communal authorities and parochal
trustees OF the orthodox churches wher-
ever possible.
calling upon all our subjects to CO.
operate in strengthening the normal
foundations of family, school and public
life, under which alone the WE'LL being
of the people and the confidence of every
one in the stability of his rights can de-
velop we command our ministers and
chief officials concerned in this matter
to submit to us their views regarding
the execution of our Intentions
Although the Jewish faith is not specifi-
cally mentioned in the degree it is be-
lieved that the liberty granted to "all
creeds" is intended to include the Jews.