The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-05
RUssIA's GOVERNMENT.
All Power is United in the Emperor
The Four Councils.
~ York Tribunel

CNew York Tribune.)
The government of Russia is an absolute
monarchy. The whole legislative. eXecu-
tive and judicial power is united III the
emperor, whose Will alone is law There
are however, certain rules of government
winch the SONerelgnS Of the present reign
ing house have acknowledged rs binding
Inc chief of these is the law of succession
of the throne which according, to a de-
cree Of the Emperor Paul, of the year
1194, is TO be that of regular descent. by
the right of primogeniture. with prefer
ence of male over female heirs. Another
fundamental law of the realm, proclaimed
by Peter l, is that every sovereign of
Russia, with his consort and children,
must be a member of the orthodox Greek
church. The princes and princesses of
the imperial house, according to a decree
of Alexander 1, must obtain the consent
contract otherwise the issue Of sucn
union cannot inherit the throne.
The administration of the empire is in
trusted to four great boards, or councils.
possessing separate functions The first
of these boards is the council of state.
established by Alexander / in 1901 and
reOrganiZed by the imperial ukaSe OF May
20, 1901. 1t consists of a president nOm-
mated every year by the emperor and an
uIlitIlIteu Iluihper OF iueinptTs dDPOlltSu
by him The council is divided into four
MISUNDERSTANDING civil and church
administration, states economy and in
duStry. and sciences and commerce Each
department has its president and a sep
arate sphere of duties. but there are col
lective meetings of the four sections The
that of examining into the projects of the
laws which are brought before It by the
ministers who have seat eX-officio, and
of discussing the budget and all the eX-
penditures to be made during the year.
But the council has no power of propos-
ing alterations and notifications of the
laws of the realm. 1t is, properly speak
ing, consultative institution in matters
of legislation.
The second Of the great colleges or
boards of government is the ruling senate,
established by Peter I, in I'LL The func-
tons of the senate are partly of a de-
Lucrative and partly of an executive
character. To be valid law must be
promulgated by the senate 1t Is lso 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 de-
partmcnt is authorized 10 decide in the
last resort on certain descriptions OF
cases. The senators are mostly persons
of high rank or who fill high stations,
but q lawyer of eminence preSideS over
each department who represents the en-
peror, and without whose signature It's de-
ciSions would have no force. In the gen
eral meetings of several sections the min
lister of justice takes the chair Besides
its superintendent over the courts of law
the senate examines into the state of the
general administration of the empire. and
has power to make Recommended lions to
the emperor A special department con-
ssting of five members is intruStCd win
judgments in political offenses. and an
other (ten members) with disciplinary
judgments against officials of the crown.