New-York tribune., 1906-10-21
RADICAL VOTE REDUCED
Russian Plan to assure Control of
Neat Parliament.

| ST. Petersburg Oct. 20--The government has
thrown a bomb into the radical camp in the form
! of an Interpretation by the Senate of doubtful
points In the election laws. which makes only
actual resident house owners eligible for peas
| ant electors at the coming elections. Persons
! of peasant origin who no longer residents OF
the villages Ineligible to vote This VIII ex-
clude the educated leaders of the peasant group
like Alladin, Annikn and Zhilkin. who, under
the old system, abolished by yesterdays ukase
were considered peasants, no matter how long
they were absent from the paternal village
Such educated peasants usually extremely
radical. and often professional agitators
possessed of great authority among their former
fellows.
The senate's ruling will restrict the peasant
suffrage, disfranchising sons who are not heads
of households, even If they have passed the
qualifying age of twenty-five. The interpreta-
tions of the Senate cover a number of cases of
plural voting, especially in the case Of work.
men, who at the last election could vote as
peasants and also as city electors. by virtue of
their municipal residence. 1t was apparently
decided to promulgate these important restric-
tions in the form of interpretations OF the Sen
ate instead Of as changes in the election laws
so as to avoid criticism and give the matter the
appearance of being Of no importance.
AS further limitation of the activity Of lead
ers of the Alladin type, who travel from village
to village Premier Stolypin has ordered the local
authorities to prohibit non-residents from taking
part IN campaign meetings in the cities or vii
lagos, and he has also decided that persons de-
ported ineligible to Parliament. A similar
step in the former elections would have barred
Vice-President Grodeskul and several other
prominent members, who were elected while in
exile.
An important feature of the peasant ulase of
October 19 removes the administrative control OF
zemstvo elections. The peasants are to be al
lowed to choose their representatives freely. For
merly they submitted lists OF twenty candidates.
from which the Governor selected five. The
ukase also marks the final abolition of the COM
munal guarantee of the payment of taxes and
the exceptional status OF the courts before which
peasants are tried, in regard to nfiicting punish
ment.
The Monarchsts, who have been holding a
congress at Kieff, are working themselves up TO
high pitch Of indignation against the Stolypin
administration At performance last night of
Glinka's opera, Life for the Gar" before the
delegates to the congress, the audience inter-
rupted the performance at the point where the
Poles kill the national hero susanin. and refused
to permit his execution.
1t is reported from Chita- Transbaikalia, that
all the members of sapper battalion. officers
and men. have been disarmed and isolated under
guard, on account Of a mutiny. and that three Of
the ringieaders among the have been con-
demned to death and others to hard labor The
officers will be tried later
The Ministry of Education has finished draw
ing u? scheme of general education in Russia,
involving an expenditure of $10S, 100000 yearly,
half payable by the state and half payable locally
by the zemstvos. Realization of the plan will be
impossible for ten years, owing to the financial
condition OF tho empire and the lack of capable
teachers.