The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-25

communes are Fepfesented. Each am
ton is entitled to two delegates in the
district assembly. which in turn elects
two members of the provincial congress
to represent the peasant interests IN
what we would consider a state legis-
lature. The provincial congress- makes
the local laws. -
The Land owners.
The land owners are separate class
and. are represented in the provincial
congress by delegates, more or less in
number, according to the cultivated
land. A farmer who cultivates $50
acres, approximately (the minimum va
ries in different parts of the empire),
the congress. Small farmers who do
not cultivate as much land, can club to-
gether until they get enough to qualify
one of their number as a voter. Thus,
while it may be necessary for eight,
ten or perhaps twenty small farmers to
poll their issue in order to vote for a
member, of the state legislature, the
Of thousands of acres, have NO greater
influence. They. can have only one
vote, no matter how large their estate.
mus IN her provincial government
Russla is more democratic than Ger
many. -
me lnnaD1tants OF small cities elect
delegates to the provincial congress,
just. as they do the members of their
| municipal councils--the same as in ST.
Petersburg. b.
Provision is made for the represen-
tatlon OF mechanics, artisans and other
working men. The EMPLOYEES of all
factories having fifty or more names
on their regular payroll are put into
class by themselves. and each fifty
are entitled to a vote for member Of
! the, provincial congress. Employees in
factories who do not have fifty regular
hands vote with the rest, Of the public.
! Thus the provincial congress is made
up of representatives of the municipaI-
ties. the factory hands, the peasants
OF the commune, and the landlords, in
Guiding the princes and mobiles, and they
are presided over by the marshal Of
the nobility who is a sort of. inspeo-
tor. general and mouthpiece Of the mo-
bles Of his province and is chosen by
them. Each province is entitled to
Its quota of members of the dourra-
from six to Notwithstanding to popu-
lation, and they are elected by the
provincial congress.
Peasants in Majority.
The first thing the congress does Is
to elect by secret ballot one genuine
peasant as the. representative of his
class in the douma, because the peas
ants constitute 80 per cent of the total
population. In thirty-two of the fifty
provinces they have majorities in the
provincial congresses. When the peas
ant member is chosen the congress pro-
ceeds to vote for candidates for the re-
malnder of the delegation, as many as
they happen to be, be they peasants or
mobiles. Thus far only'one election has
been held. and it was. evidently con-
QUOTED with great fairness and impair.
tlality; because, Notwithstanding the IN.
= experlence and Ignorance of the peas
i ants, the. latter secured something like
+ $50 members Of the douIna
AS the peasants have a majority in
thirty-two of the provincial congresses
they could practically control the
douma by combining with the labor
members from the cities, but heretofore
in local elections, their respect for the
nobility and their landlords has IN
, variably prompted them to waive THEN
superior electoral strength and divide
, even. =
Certain large cities like st. Peters
: burg and Moscow have their own direct
: representatives in the douma without
: regard to the provinces in which they
, are located-.the number being based
upon population. st. Petersburg is en-
. titled to six representatives who arr
=, elected by a body of eighty-four dele
. gates chosen by ballot. .zf