The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-31
The 0zar 8 Surrender.

Inc VzaT SURRENDER.
cit is to the victory of Bouvines,'
says Green, the historian Of the Eng
fish people, "that England owes her
great charter" King John of Eng.
land sailed for Potion with dream of
conquering France. He was defeated
in bloody battle at Bouvines and re-
turned to find the barons no longer Sc
cretly plotting against him, but openly
banded together to demand reforms.
After considerable shutting John called
conference on an island in the Thames
between Staines and Windsor. The bar
ons came in great force and occupied
the fiat land then and still known as
Runnymede. John looked across the
river at them, and decided it was time
to yield .s
Victories are often wrung from de-
feats. The tyrant's extremity is the
peoples opportunity. The defeat Of
the Russian bureaucracy at Mukden and
Tsushima pointed the way Of the Gear 5
proclamation Of yesterday. It is diff
cult at this distance to determine ex-
actly what causes brought about the
surrender of the car, but undoubtedly
authentic reports have reached Nicho-
las that the army could not be depended
upon. The Cossacks might fire on the
people, but the infantry branch of the
army appeared to be just as likely to
fire on the Cossacks as upon the strikers.
The concessions forced from the car
include the basis of representative
government. He has conceded the right
of free speech, Of assembly and of as.
ISOLATION, but it will be observed that
the Russian people were beginning to
take these things without his consent
The most important concession he has
made, and the one which is best calcu.
lated to reach the leaders Of the insur.
| reetion and quiet them, is that dealing
with the douma. The car has made
it an Interchangeable rule that no law
shall be enforceable without the ap
proval of the state douma. Under the
first call for the election Of doums
it was mere consultative body. While
it had the power to initiate legislation
so had the czar's council, and while
the douma might make a law in con
junction with the council, the council
and the ear could make laws independ
emily Of the douma. = ,....: .s.-, (.
This was a piece Of juggling which
left the substance Of autocracy in tn,
| hands of the czar, since he appointed
his own council. The new rule make
it possible for the douma to becom
in time house Of commons, protect
ing and defending the rights Of tn
people while inquiring into the acts o
high officials. - r. g..
The concessions made by the cza
point to the educated and moneye
classes as the probable authors of tn
present revolt. The expansion Of tn
douma answers to the aspirations o
the educated Russians to have a gov
eminent really representative and t
the desire Of the taxpayers to have a
effective check upon the ruthless, debt
creating bureaucracy. 49,.
"The present disorders menace tn
integrity and unity of the empire
The car has said it, and it is undoubr
eddy true. It remains to be seen whetl
er the concessions Of the car will quie
the disorders. The responsibility for th
results will fall most heavily on Cou1
Witte. His masterfu1 mind has wrun
these concessions from the frightene
car. Will the people accept them an
accept M. Witte as the man to wor
out their destinyq - Fl !.