Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-01
James Creelman Explains the
Meaning Of the Grant o
Liberty to People
RoWANoEFs sHoRN OF POWER
Absolutism Of The Gear Thing Of tho
Consent Of the People Neees-
/ cary Before the Gear Can Enforce
i Any Decrse-Powsr Of the Court
i Members ls Destroyed.

\
! Members ls Destroyed.
I 70 understand the immensely Of the
mars surrender to his people it Is nee
essary to know that even the new
Russian prime minister, Count Witte,
who secured the imperial signature to
l2ussia's magma Charta," has been
arm defender OF autocracy and as re-
0antly as his visit to the United States
declared his belief that greater and
snoee desirable reforms could be
brought about ty an honest and intel,
lligent absolutisn than through loose
and premature experiments in consti-
itutional and legislative government,
says James Creelman in the New York
World.
Witte came to America this year be
tlieving there was no middle class IN
his country and that, without such
bridge between the corrupt, arrogant
Iaristocracy and the ignorant. scattered
and inert peasalltry, constitutional gov
Iernment would be farce.
He went back to find that organized
labor, working under the advice of e1-
,perienced labor leaders from other Eu-
ropean countries, notably Germany,
had taken the places Of the old concep-
ltion Of a middle class.
The most powerful despotism in the
world, with more than a million armed
men at its command, has crumbled in
the presence of comparatively peace
lful strike Of the factory and railroad
employees led in many instances by
young students.
The Interchangeable guarantee of "free-
dom Of conscience" read in the light of
Whites written plea for equality be-
fore the laws Of all Russians, without
distinction OF race or religion"-a docu-
ment which the car Inscribed ITO be
taken for a guide"-not only removes
the cruel and unjust disabilities Of the
100000 Russi:ln Jews, but paralyzes
s the political power Of the Holy Ortho-
dox church, that terrible and relentless
system which has thus far prevented
the education OIL the Russian masses.
No one who has lived in Russia can
doubt that with the disappearance of
the exclusive netliaeval prerogatives
OF the Orthodox church-to proselytize
or to secede from which was grave
crime - the mi.,htiest bulwark Of OPP
preston falls.
This will cleaI. the way for q genuine
free public school system and compul-
sorry education.
The creation of Russian parlia-
ment, with real legislative rather than
advisory powers "a body without
whose consent 10 law can be enforced
In the empire gains its supreme value
IN the fact that virtually universal suf-
frage has been granted.
To appreciate the difference between
this new scheme of representative gov
eminent and the advisory douma pro-
vided for In the imperial manifesto Of
August 1t is only necessary to recall
the fact. that under the plan BY which
the douma was to be elected St Peters
burg, with 1901, 900 inhabitants, would
have only $500 voters, including 1877
Jews, and Moscow, with more than
100000 inhabitants, would have only
11,0OO voters. 1t was intended that in
rural communities the 90. 600 peas
ants should have altogether 2,5O5
votes, as against 1872 Of the landed
propristors and 1854 Of the municipal
councils.
With the extension Of the right to
vote to the ma.,ses Of Russia one gets
an idea Of the proportions OF the cars
surrender expressed in IAN unchange-
able rule that no law shall be enforce
able without the approval Of the state
DONNA"
e Up to this time the sole legislative
and executive rower has been the per
sonal will Of the car. Henceforth he
cannot enforce single decree without
the consent Of his people.
The guarantees Of the right Of habeas
corpus and Of "inviolability Of the per-
SOM sweeps away at single stroke
the dreadful system Of secret arrest,
secret trial and secret deportation. It
robs the minister Of the interior and
his police Of their terrors.
With free speech and the right of
association and union, political parties
may be formed and the future of Rus.
STA worked out in the open.
Nothing is said about trial BY Jury,
but the new parliament will have pow
er to provide fer that.
Hitherto there has been no cabinet,
no ministerial responsibility. The abb
solute car dealt with his ministers
separately. The particular minister
who happened to gain ascendancy over
his sovereign's mind became for the
time the real ruler. He could interiors
with and control any or all depart
nsnts Of the government Sometimes
It was the minister Of finance who
ruled, sometimes the minister Of the
interior and sometimes the minister Of
war. The ministers plotted against
each osbse. They seldom worked to.
gether.
Tho new cS1dnet must work In &C