Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-07
WORK OF THE DONNA
Illustration of How 1t is Being
Performed.
Special cablegram to The Star.

A member of the electoral college of dele
gates is authority for the statement that
for weeks past the central executive of the
constitutional democrats has been assidu-
ously studying, partly in translation and
partly In the original. specially ordered
set Of Hansard's parliamentary records In
order to obtain familiarity with English
parliamentary procedure.
Whether the historian Of the future will
declare the douma of today the real begin
ming or the real ending of trouble in Russia
is something that the historian of the fu-
ture must decide. But one thing is certain.
The northern Palmyra has completely
changed its everyday aspects. The streets
are crowded with men, women and chill
dren. blithely hurrying to and fro at hours
of the day and night when in ordinary
vail. Well-groomed horses. smart car
riages, graceful broughams,/ and coy
victorias are whirling over the streets in
all directions. Horny handed men in long
coats, whose shaggy boards, rough-hewn
feathers and cunning twinkle of the eye
characterize as peasants, are sauntering
around the streets of the great capital,
evidently pleased, partly at their own i'm
portance and partly at the freshness of
the sights and sounds. These specimens
of Russian manhood, who are sacrificing
agriculture to politics, are being received
with Quasi-imperial honors by the repre-
winning them over to the side of liberty,
and although the peasants are likely In
most cases to succumb, yet many are
shrewd enough to look we'll before leaping.
Not for Any Party.
The other day one stout, greasy broad
shouldered fellow, who punctuated his Ian
guage by drawing his hand through his
shaggy beard, stroking 1t affectionately,
was heard to speak thus to an enterpris-
ing politician who was catechising him
about his political principles: I'VE are
not come hither for any party. We are
sent by the people to the car himself.
We have lost confidence In everybody else.
Parties may be good; we cannot say they
are not; but that's neither here nor there.
The douma is called together by the car.
who wants to know our will, and when I
was leaving home the peasants who sent
me said Go and see the little father the
car and do what he tells you. That Is
our will And 1 am come to do that, and
not to join parties nor listen to ministers.
I am come to the car"
Evidently that supplemented farmer. and
doubtless many others like him, fancy
they will meet the car himself, sooner or
later In the douma, and will be guided
by him directly, for they have said they
will not believe in Intermediates At a
meeting held recently radical was max
Ing strong speech In favor of liberty to
the peasants deputies, who listened with
curiosity and interest for considerable
time, until the orator began to depict the
advantages of q republic over a monarchy.
and then the rugged brows were puckered
into frowns, and stern disapproval was
written large In many faces. Obviously
these men have a strong faith In the car.
and are resolved to cultivate 1t. If the
bulk of them act thus when the real tug
of war has come, then the present govern
ment will have an easy task to perform.
The optimism of those liberals is un-
founded who profess to believe that M
hi Ia Co11aa
merely as heralds to usher in democratic
government. Heretofore almost everything
has come to pass in the matter Of govern
mental changes exactly as predlcted, and
not only have the fundamental laws been
published, but even M. Stishinsky, the IN
carnation of the quintessence or reaction,
has been appointed minister OF agriculture
and arbiter of the fate of the agrarian
problem. And yet the constitutional DEM
ocrats are congratulating themselves on
the disappearance of Count WHte and the
recognition of their electoral triumph by
the crown.
Chances of Being Dismissed.
If one must venture into the field of
prophesy 1t is almost worth while affirm
ing that the chances of the douma being
sunmarily dismissed by M Goremykin In
the manner which he himself recently pre-
scribed to the ex-premier are immeasura-
hlv greater than of power being conferred
upon the liberals. The present cabinet is
but the practical consequence drawn from
the successful floating of the loan on the
one hand and the tested loyalty or the
troops on the other. NJ. Goremykin is nat
urally DESTROYS of discharging his task
without needless violence, and Will en-
deavor in the first instance to govern with
the helm of the peasants, and If that fails
he will not Immediately d1ssolVe parma,
ment or employ brute force, but Will seno
the deputies to enjoy the dog days IN the
freshness of their rural haunts. postponing
the anal issue until the autumn. SUCH Is
the most favorable course or events tnat
can he expected. But II the parties get
out of hand and show themselves GEAR 10
reason very much worse things will be-
fall them. The spirit IN which the gov
eminent is acting may be inferred from
two facts. In the first place tne premier.
M Goremylin had not once called upon
Count Witte and this deliberate slight
ia noteworthy not solely because of the
nersonal bitterness which 1T petokens, put
also by reason of the circumstances that
~ threads of the most important matters
we're In Count Whites hands, ana a busl-
ness-like conversation with MIN wouio
have been great help 10 ms successor,
bent upon administering analrs cohgru-
onsiv with the interests of the nation
Second Significant Sign.
The second significant sign OF the times
Ia the sudden and unceremonlous dis-
missal of all the ministers without warn
ing. or observance Of the formaiities when
are never departed Irofn' sven III ZIG SaSS
of the pettiest civil servants who have
been guilty of misdemeanors The inya-
riable rule is dismiss nobody without al
lowing him to tender his resignation IN
writing. That charitable form covers
multitude of sins by saving appearances,
and allowing the official to say he was not
eashiered BY his superiors Only crimi-
mails are excepted from this rule. Now
Count Whites colleagues, anxious TO spare
his majesty the embarrassment when
would ensue from their joint resignation,
remained courageously at their posts some
of them continuing at their work jealousy
for the good of the empire. For example,
Prince 0bolensy, who is ober-procurator
of the holy synod and M. Pobiedonostsers
successor has proved an admirable man
of affairs. and Is highly esteemed by the
clergy. secular and regular and by the
Christian 1aity.
He is peculiarly qualified by training.
reading and tastes for the arduous post
in these exceptional times, and everybody
believed he would be allowed to continue
his work on the ground that church anairs
ought to be eliminated from party AFFAIRS
Yet he and his colleagues have all been
summarily dismissed, and the only PAIN
applied to their wounded sense OF dignity
is an official untruth interpoiated In the
government announcement, to the erect