The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-16

in the bill 10 enlarge the arbitrary pow
ers of provincial governors. proposing
that these officials should be the repre-
sentatlves not only of the government,
but also Of the autocrat. and should,
therefore, share his powers. The Emper-
OF then opened the sitting with few
words to tlc effect that he cJucurred
iu that view. Iu his study he is gen
orally busy signing replies 10 addresses
OF loyalty, or writing comments on the
various reports presented by ministers
governors. and other officials. He is en-
couraEed by his cOurters to believe
that ali these replies and comments are
priceless. for even such trivial remarks
as 81 am very glad" God grant It
may be So, are published In large type
iu the newspapers. glazed over 10 the
manuscript. and carefully preserved in
the archives Ike the relics OF saint.
But the most interesting are never pub
Ished. and or these. there is a choice
collection. Here is ones a report Of the
negotiations respecting the Warshlp
Maucnur was recently laid before him
by Count LamsGoTtt- The tenor of DO
was that the Chinese authorities had
summoned the AaDchur 20 quit the ueu-
trail narbsr Of Shanghai at the repeated
and urgent request or the japanese con-
sui there. on the margin or that re-
port. his majesty peuuea the memorable
words. The japanese consul IS a sccun-
dEeI-'
uucaIled-for Interference.
The Emperor imagines IL TO be the
right and the duty of the autOcrat OF
all the RussIas To- intervene personally
iu every affair that interests himself OF
has any bearing on his mission. The
instances OF this uuCaued-for personal
action are nearly as numerous as his
official acts. and the consequences Of
several are written in blood and fire Ia
the history of his reign. They have UNI
dermined the sense Of legality and the
end of legality Is always the beginning
OF the reign of violence. The saddest
part OF the story is that the more un-
steady he becomes, the more vigorously
DE sweeps away the last weak barriers
which stand between tire autocraCy and
folly, OF injustice. such as the council
Of the empire the committee Of min
listers. and the senate.
The senate, being "a judicial and also
an administrative institution, can pass
resolutions which. if approved 10y the
majority and not opposed Hy tine minis
ter Of justice. have the force OF law
But neither the council OF the empire
enact O. law, because their decisions
have 10 be- referred 90 the Car. who
mag agree with the PROPOSAL OF the ma
JoTity or the protest or the minority. or
ignore both and act on his own ulJla-
dive. Alexander III usually took the
side of the minority and his son ana
successor has followed his example re-
lig.uusly- He mas also established a
practice of first approving The bin in
pgiuelple ana then allowing the minister
to send d. before the council or the COM
mlr-e-. so that all the members know
beforehand the opinion of the monarch
But III the majority is bold or honest
enough to- throw 10 out, the Car always
adopts the view OF the minority.
Nicholas Carelessness.
Here is au amusing case which char
acterizes Russian government and
rulers. A bin was introduced 20 indem-
Nifty landed pr0pr.etors IN the Baltic
provinces for the losses they had i'm
CURED through the government mo-
u0poIy OF alcohol. NJ de Witte held
that the sum of seven millions should
be paid over TO them. iu the course of q
number OF years. tLe majority main
tanned that IL ought 20 be paid at once
NJ. de White first informed the Car OF
this divergence and his majesty prom
Used TO confirm the view Of the minority
The minister then wrote a letter TO the
secretary or the council, NJ. de FleuNes
telling him that the emperor mad prom
Ised 90 CONFIRM the decision OF the
minority so So as the documents We're
placed before -lm. N. de PlehVe freely
communicated this announcement 10 all
the members. Then many officials, see
ing that opposition would be fTuitless
changed their views. or their votes so
that the minority Unexpectedly became
tue majority. Ia the course of time the
documents were laid before the Car,
pledged himself 10 NJ de Wit:e to re-
Jtct the proposal OF the majority. Ac-
cordingly, without reading the papers