The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-20
Russia VIII Have q National ASSEM-
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The concerted and resolute agitation
for representative institutions, which
under grave disabilities and often in
defiance Of official prohibition the Rus
sian Liberals have carried on for many
months through their provincial, dis
trict and municipal councils, has not
been utterly in vain. To a certain
extent NICHOLAS II. has needed their
grand remonstranoe. II is true that
only the germ of Parliament is granted
in the manifesto put forth on Saturday
BY the Car; but by it Russia will be-
come articulate. Experience teaches
that great nation, once endowed with
a voice, soon finds way Of making
it obeyed.
II we inspect the details OF the species
Of constitution outlined in the Cars
manifesto and in an accompanying
document, We find that many precau-
tons have been taken to restrict the
projected assembly to purely consulta-
tive functions and TO shield IL from the
pressure OF public opinion. The very
name, State Council conferred on
the new chamber, and the association
Of the popularity elected body with the
existing Council of the Empire, which
il composed exclusively Of the sover-
eign's appointees association equiva-
lent to the relation OF lower to an
upper houss-bears witness to an anx-
ious desire to deprive the peoples rep
resentatives Of decisive or even pre-
ponderant share Of the Awmaking
power, and to conflne them to the mere
rendering of advice, which may or may
not be taken. Thsir affirmative sug-
gestions may be repell d by the Council
of the Empire, which is the stronghold
of the organized bureaucracy, and if
by chance they should meet wi h the
approval of that body, they may be dis
regarded by the Gear, influenced by a
favorite Minister As regards The mega
tive or restraining authority Of the popu-
lar chamber, it is provided that If a
Ministerial bill is opposed by a two
thirds vote in both the lower and the
upper, house, that particular measure
must be withdrawn: but il empowered
by the sovereign, the Minister may re-
submit the substance Of his proposal
in another guise.
The Russian national assembly will
not be the outcome Of universal suffrage
and OF direct election. The 412 men,
bers are to be chosen by local electoral
colleges. analogous to the colleges of
Presidential electors in the United States.
ITO become q primary elector a man
must be rs years old and possess prop
erty qualification. Members Of the as
sembly will be exempt from arrest for
debt, but If charged with criminal
offense they will be amenable to judicial
process. They are to receive ten rubles
ts5) a day while the chamber is sitting,
and mileage allowance. Whether
public meetings will be permitted dur
| ing an electoral campaign seems doubt
full, for the right Of petition, promised
by previous ukase, is not conferred.
In order that the scenes witnessed in the
first French National Assembly, the
Legislative Assembly and the Conven-
ton may be averted, the public is denied
access to the popular chamber. Even
the publication Of its proceedings u re-
stricted. Representatives Of the press
will be excluded whenever the presiding
officer chooses to declare session a
closed or secret ono, and he must 80 de-
clare at the request of Minister who
processes to have q question to submit
involving Q national secret. The press
reports of even an open ession must
be reviewed and approved by the pre-
siding officer before they can be pub
lshed.
1t may seem at first sight that such an
assembly as We have described would
be but the mookery Of representative
institutions, and We should not be sur
| prised il advanced Libe ais evinced an
| inclination to boycott it. They will make
| a great mistake, however, IL they dc
not accept and make the best Of it. II
is a vast improvement on the States
| General, which met at Versailles in 1850,
for it is not divided into orders, it Is
elected for fivs years. it is at liberty To
discuss the budget and, indeed, any
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