New-York tribune., 1905-11-03
TZAR STILL PARAMOUNT
Decree Creating Cabinet Se0ereiy
Criticised.

G. p..ershure Nov. Am imperial decree
,root,,~ the Cabinet ministers. under the mani
,esto granting a constitution IN Russia was
caze.ted this morning. 1t has aireaoy aiou'oo
cr,,c,sm as the machinery is extremely cofnph-
ooted and smacks of the old-fashioned bureau
cratic regime The relations OF the CABINET 10
,be Council of the Empire. or upper chamber,
and the Imperial Douma, or popular chahipei'
are not clear because the powers of these bodies
are vet to be defined under the manifesto.
Two features are especially unsatisfactory
While the Cabinet has authority to decide
matters within the competency of the leglsia-
five bodies no measure of general Importance
can be introduced into the Chambers without
the sanction of the Cabinet, and another pro-
vision requires that. when the Cabinet is unanl-
NOUS the Premier must go to the Emperor ana
receive instructions. This would seem to make
the final authority go back to the Emperor.
Moreover all questions affecting the imperial
court and domains the army and navy ana io'
eign affairs are specifically excluded from the
comnetency of the Cabinet without direct I'M
nerial authority. BY implication, these great
questions in which the nation is vitally inter-
asted are also outside the competency OF the
legislature and therefore, are bound to prove
,psst;sfactorv to the representatives of the peo-
pie when they assemble
Nothing is said in the decree about the fre-
mier or ministers beE~ responsible 10 tiie N"
tional Assembly responding 10 ihlelp
tions but care is taken to conSohoate eiio
mower in the hands of the Premier or as he is
called President OF the Cabinet, ana especiais
to prevent an individual Minister from going
to the Emperor with report without previously
submitting it to the Premier. Should the latter
not approve a report he has the privilege OF
heing present when the Minister presents II &c
the Emperor, and of stating his objections Ihis
provision Is designed to put an END TO the pfac
tice of one Minister undermining another Which
has heen one of the most vicious features Of the
old regime and the cause OF untold confusion.
General Trepoff has issued another manireslo
informing the people that all the reforms
I granted by the Cars manifesto cannot De rear
lied Immediately, as it will require time 10
formulate laws and place them in effect IN inc
mean time the people must be quiet and CO.
operate with the authorities in maintaining
order Otherwise the responsibility Tor harsh
measures will not fall on the government.
The generals manifesto was published TINS
afternoon In the official Messenger III the
form of an appeal for the support of the peopio
in inaugurating the new regime. 1t says;
The government counts on the sympathies OF
the majority of the population who desire 10
see calm restored in the country. In order 10
inaugurate successfully the new order OF thlnss
the government must labor with ulisM w q ne .3
the population be inlbued with the idea that IT
is given to no one to alter by single stroke tLe
whole normal life of the Russian state ana 10
replace it by a new order of things when oe
mands an enormous amount OF leglslatIon %
veil as a whole series of administrative meas
ures Until that is accomplished the exlstins
laws must remain in force, but the government
will do all within possibility to see that those
laws are applied by the authorities in the spirit
Of the manifesto of October 80 The success or
the acts of ahe government depends essentiaiiy
on the re-esta blishment of order and tranqull5s
1 - of
| their duty to come to the aid of the govern. d.
ment general improvement in the state OF
tbines viii follow If not it will not be on the
government that the responsibility for failure
will fall,
A drenching downpour to-day was a more ef-
| fectiye means of preventing a renewal OF the
| demonstrations than the police and military
patrols The crowds had no desire to appear on
| the streets In the torrents Of rain.
| The police having arrested three members OF
| the strike committee, the committee sent
| dann+ation 10 Count Witte, on whose request
General Trepoff ordered their release.