Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-27
ELECTION LAW PUBLISHED
Russian Cabinet Explains Reasons for Net
Granting Universal Suffrage.
MATTER MUST FIRST GO TO CONGRESS
Under New Rule Residents of cities
VIII Have Almost Universal
Suffrage base ON Tax
paying.
MATTER MUST FIRST GO TO CONGRESS

ST. PETERSBURG. Dec. 3-2:b p. NJ
The new electoral law was gazetted today
and was accompanied by a statement eX-
planning that in view of the fact that even
some OF the western countries do not per-
NIT universal suffrage the cabinet could not
assume the responsibility of decreeing H.
The ultimate decision must be made by tho
national assembly itself. The election list
will be published forthwith, the date OF the
elections will then be announced and AS
soon as the government receives notification
that half of the members are elected the
national assembly will be convoked. The
extension of the suffrage proclaimed today
applies especially to the cities where 1t is
made almost universal. Besides the work
men in the factories and mills. who are
especially provided for. the suffrage will
include every owner OF real estate paying
taxes, persons conducting enterprises, like
shop keepers paying licenses.
Others entitled to vote are persons paying
a lodging tax or occupying separate lodging
and persons in the government service, in
Guiding railroad men. All limit of rent paid
by lodging holders voting qualification
is removed The indirect system Of two
degrees OF voters in both the cities and
country is retained.
4 New Feature.
A new feature of the law is that the
workmen, instead of being allowed speci-
fled number of class representatives, have
to take their chances in the electoral col
leges with the other classes Moreover,
instead of the cities having separate repre-
sentatives, the electoral college will be com
posed by the provinces The workmen will
choose an eector for every 10000 men. The
result is shown in the case of the province
Of ST. Petersburg. where the electoral col
lege will contain fourteen peasant electors
eighteen landlords fifteen city landlords
and twenty-four workmen. BY this method
while the workmans electors are the largest
class, they will only be able to elect repre-
sentatives In combination. The new law
is "A great extension of the law of August.
| 1t contains clements which certainly will
appeal to conservative opinion, hut with
the slogan of universal suffrage" ringing
in tho popular ear 1t will prove a great dis
| appointment and is certain to furnish the
| proletarat organizations with new
weapon for agitation. They no longer want
| concessions. They are boldly proclaiming
| that nothing but the complete overthrow
of the autocracy and the establishment of
democratic republic will satisfy them.
| ReNoIutIonists Capture Tyer.
! PARIS, Dec. 1.-THE st. Petersburg cor
respondent of the Petit Partisan reports
| that Tver one of the principal stations be-
tween Moscow and St. Petersburg has fall
! len into the hands of the revolutionaries.
| The St. Petersburg correspondent of the
Matin says that II French engineer who
has arrived from Baku after traversing
most of central and southern Russia de-
clares that the whole population is in re.
volt and that starving peasants are Selling
trainloads OF -four