New-York tribune., 1905-01-23
RUSSIA'S GOVERNMENT.
Al Poyer United IN the Emperor
The -Four Councils.

The government OF Russia is an absolute
monarchy. The whole legislative. executive and
judicial power is united in the Emperor. whose
will alone is law. There are, however, certain
rules of government which the sovereigns OF the
present reigning house have acknowledged as
binding. The chief of these is the law or sue
cession of the throne. which, according TO a
decree of the Emperor Paul. of the year lIsI'
is TO be that OF regular descent by the right
of primogeniture with preference Of male over
female heirs. Another fundamental law of the
realm, proclaimed by Peter I, is that every SOW
ereisn of Russia, with his consort and children.
must be a member of the Orthodox Greek
Church. The princes and princesses of the I'M
periaI house, according to a decree OF Alexander
Y must obtain the consent of the Emperor to
any marriage they may contract, otherwise the
issue OF such union cannot inherit the throne.
The administration Of the empire is intrusted
to four great boards. councils, possessing
separate functions The first Of these boards
is the Council Of State established by Alexander
I In 1901 and reorganized by the imperial ukass
of May 90 1901 1t consists Of a president
nominated every year by the Emperor. and an
unlimited number of members appointed by him
The council is divided into four departments
legislative civil and church administration,
states economy and industry, and sciences and
commerce. Each department has its president
and a separate sphere of duties. but there are
collective meetings of the four sections. The
chief function of the Council OF Empire Is that
of examining into the projects of the laws
which are brought before 1t by the Ministers
who have a seat ex-off1cio. and of discussing
the budget and all the expenditures to be made
during the year But the council has no power
of proposing alterations and notifications Of
the laws of the realm. 1t is. properly speaking.
institution in rnattarS of leefs-
lation.
The second of the great colleges boards of
government is the Ruling Senate, established by
Peter IN I'LL. The functions of the Senate
are partly of a deliberative and partly of an
executive character. To be valid a law must
be promulgated by the Senate. 1t is also the
high court of justice for the empire The Senate
is divided into six departments which all sit
at st. Petersburg. two of them being courts of
cessation. Each department is authorized to
decide in the last resort on certain descriptions
OF cases. The Senators are mostly persons of
high rank or who fill high stations. but lawyer
of eminence presides over each department who
represents the Emperor ana without whose sig
nature It's decisions would have no force In
the general meetings Of several sections the
Minister of Justice takes the chair. Besides its
superintendent over the courts of law. the Sem
ate examines into the state of the general ad-
ministration of the empire and has power to
make remonstrances to the Emperor A special
department consisting of fve members is in
trusted with judgments In political offences and
another (ten members) with disciplinary judg-
ments against officials CT the crown.
The third college established by Peter In the
year 1I21 is the Holy Synod. and TO II is COM
mitted the superintendent of the religious af-
fairs of the empire. 1t Is composed of the three
metropolitans (St. Petersburg, Moscow and
Kew. the Archbishop of Georgia (Caucasus)
and several bishops. sitting in turn All its de-
cisions run in the Emperor's name and have no
force till approved by him.
The fourth board of government is the Com
mtttee of Ministers. 1t consists OF all the min
listers, fourteen in number. Besides these five
grand dukes and many functionaries chiefly
former ministers, form part of the committee
The empire is divided into seventy-eight gov.
ernInents, nineteen provinces and 792 districts
AT the head of each general government is a
governor general, the representative OF the FInn
peror with large powers
The Russian Empire comprises one-seyenth of
the land surface of the globe. or an area Of
$3.50 395 square miles. The population was as+i
mated in 1908 to be about 141 100000 THE low
est estimate which can be made of the neace
strength OF the Russian army, according To 'HTha
Statesman's Year Book" puts the number OF
officers at 1900 and of the rank and file more
than 100000 men. the total number abonf
100000. In war the total strength Is On
proximately 10000 officers and 45O0 600 men
total 100000 men. with 562 900 horses
me emperor Is in possession OF the revenue
from the crown domains, consisting Of more
than million square miles Of cultivated land
ana forests. besides gold and other mines in
siberia, and producing a vast revenue the actual
amount or which is unknown. no reference to
the subject is made in the budgets or finance
accounts, the crown domains being oonsIdared
the private property of the imperial family