The Irish standard., 1905-02-04
Its Administration is Entrusted to Four Great
Councils Possessing Separate
Functions.
There Are Seventy-Eight Provinces in 12the
Empire and Over Each Their is ,,,e== =:
Governor General.

While the government of Russia Is
an absolute despotism with the entire
legislative, executive and judicial
authority invested in an autocrat, it's
administration is entrusted to four
great boards, or councils, possessing
separate functions and Jurisdictions,
says W. E. Curtis in Chicago Record
Herald. The highest board is the
council of state, established by Alex
ander I. in 1901, and recognized by
Nicholas II. just 100 years later. It
consists of four departments -legisla-
tive; ecclesiastical; finance and in
dustry; education, science and COM
merce. The last section was establish
ed by the present czar only four years
ago. Each department has its separ-
ate organization and sphere Of duty,
meet for conference concerning mat
ters of mutual importance and interest.
The council does not often originate
matters Of business, it's chief duty
being to review and revise legislation
submitted by the presidents of the sew
eral departments, to discuss projects
brought before it by the ministry, who
are members ex-of1icio, and to approve
the budget and schemes Of taxation.
Generally speaking, the council is
legislative body, or, rather, consult
ing body, without executive authority
or final power. It can only recon-
mend to the emporer, who can approve
or disapprove of the recommendations,
and adopt, amend or reject them, ac-
cording to his judgment and his
whims.
The second board is known as the
senate-the Russian word is 'pravit-
elstvuyushchy," one Of the most
formidable in the official directory. The
senate was established by Peter the
Great, and corresponds to the Supreme
Court of the United States, although
it has legislative and executive as we'll
as judicial functions. 1t is composed
of lawyers of high rank, appointed by
the emperor, and is divided into six de-
partments, which have jurisdiction
over criminal, civil, commercial, po-
litical and other branches of legal
practice. The minister of justice is
its presiding officer, and it's members
are supposed to have advisory power
in directing the affairs of his depart
ment. The senate supervises all of the
courts throughout the empire, is ex-
pected to See to the general administra-
tion of justice by the local magistrates
and to review all new laws proposed
by the council of state before they are
submitted for the approval of the en-
peror. There is a special committee
or court Of five members entrusted
with the trial of political offenders,
and second committee of ten men,
bers which is expected to act as d
board of censors over the officials of
the government. These two courts,
however, are travesties upon Justice
SAC "oAS1 VI ulI luS manly III AuSSIu.
If the former would do less and the
latter would do more it would be for
the general welfare.
At present the senate is engaged in
recognizing the local courts through
out the empire, in introducing a uni
form system of procedure based upon
the French model, and preparing a
code of laws for the government and
guidance Of local magistrates out of
the enormous mass of imperial edicts.
legislation and regulations which have
accumulated during the last two CEN
turies or more These are so contra
dictory, conflicting and ambiguous that
it is said to be possible to acquit or
convict any person of any crime that
may be mentioned, upon any evidence
that may be submitted. The greater
portion of the Russian laws are in the
form of edicts, beginning: Il forbid"
and ending with the signature Of the
czar. To whip these edicts and regula-
tions into an ineligible and consist
ent shape, so that they may be under
stood by the people as well as the