Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03
Acting in Good Faith.


Accusations which are frequently circu-
lated In many parliamentary circles that
the government intends to manipulate cleo
tions are heard here concerning the douma
and, indeed. with predominance over
peasant electors and the peasants awe
of the projects and other local officials. the
government undoubtedly is in a position
TO do SO.
This undoubtedly will be the desire Of
many provincial Chinovniks who have been
accustomed to welding authority with lit
tie more reference to the wishes Of the
central government than to the desires of
the people of this district: but the provis-
ions of the project and election regulations
and special orders issued since show that
the government is acting in good faith and
is doing its best to make the elections in
dependent. A limit is put on the activity
of the provincial administrative authorities
and the elections are placed in the control
of authorities popularity elected or appoint
I've. The bureaucracy has no voice in the
arrangements and no vote in elections.
A number of computations have been
made by enemies of the project for the pur-
pose of showing the peasants in the ma
jority in douma: but these prognostica tons
valueleSS, as 1t is not known what COM
bination the three classes of electors will
form among themselves in the various gov
ernments, and the inclination of the pres
ent electors is to use their plurality col
legeS to secure an undue share of repre-
sentatives and force the city and nobility
electors to combine in self-defense.
The project is received with satisfaction
by the Jews in Russia, primarily because
it is the first general law promulgated in
Russia in thirty years not containing a
clause discriminating against Jews as
race. This is more than they had hoped
for. They are granted political rights
under the douma equal to those of all
the other races of the empire. but they
are still without large proportion of the
civil rights enjoyed by other Russians.
Brighter Prospects for the Jews.
The logical outcome of this condition
must be that in the course of time the civil
rights of the Jews will be increased and
broadened and recognition of this also
causes them satisfaction.
1t can be safely said that the establish
ment Of the douma means the dawn of an
improved condition for the Jews, but to
what extent this amelioration will be car
ried out it Is impossible now to tell. The
settlement of many details of the Jewish
problem will rest with the douma itself.
but Jewish representation in the douma
will be small.
All the Jewish soldiers who fought in
the war will be permitted, upon mastering
out. to settle anywhere in Russia except
Moscow and the Caucasus. This permits
the settlement of about fifty thousand
families outside the pale The zone of resi-
dence is very gradually extending and the
authorities say that further extension is
ontem plated
A tie deum was sung yesterday at the
synagogue in st. Petersburg for the grant
ing of political rights to the Jews, but there
was no public attendance whatever. The
tie deums were also sung in one or two
other cities. but with no greater public en-
thusiasm. The Jews extended congratula-
lions among themselves on the granting of
political rights, but in Wilma, Odessa, Co
mel and other places where spontaneous
expressions of satisfaction might be par
ticularly looked for the strong anti-Jewish
sentiments prevailing served to prevent
them, 1t being feared the demonstrations
would be attended by disorders.