Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24

- " t<sc 49, oAAoh AoSoAi0h tikci6 - lew
added according to late dispatches. the
question OF q new constitu-
Rowing ton whereby the car be-
Forward. comes constitutional mon
arch based upon universal
suffrage and q ministry responsible to tho
douma, manifesting thus tho truth Of the
maxim that revolutions 60 forward, not
backward"
President MouromtseR In accord with
members Of tho constitutional daEnOcrao.
has prepared the draft q new constitu-
ton to be submitted to the douma IN
which the words Russian citixens'' are
used for the first time, and In which the
rights Of these citizens are defined. repro
ducing and paraphrasing the Declaration
Of the Rights OF the Man and the Citizen"
The Matin OF Paris Of June 8 cites from
the text Of the draft the following: Clause
10-The law is binding upon all. Clause II
"A law cannot be repealed except by an
other law. Clause 1.-THE supreme execu-
tive authority belongs to the emperor; the
lie within the attributions of the executive
authority have full effect only II counter
signed by the imperial chancellor or one
Of the ministers who assumes the RESPONSE
bility. Clause 10-Ail Russian citizens.
without distinction Of race, confession or
class. are, so far as civil and political
rights are concerned. equal before the law
Clause 17---All Russian citizens are free to
confess their faith. No one can be prose-
cuted for his faith or opinions, nor forced
to observe religious practices; there Is no
prohibition against religion. Clause 20-No
one can be kept In custody except accord
ing to the prescriptions of the law. Clause
2t-Unless the occupant consent. 1t Is not
allowed to invade his domfcile and to make
Of law. Clause 2s-Every one Is free within
limits to express his ideas, either by voice
or pen. as well as to publish or disseminate
them by means OF the press or in any other
way.
The London Times of June 9. commenting
upon the proposed plan, says that "the car
thus can dissolve the douma only upon the
condition that the decree of dissolution con-
tatns the date OF the new elections, which
cannot be deferred for more than eight
months. The present law requires the pres
ident of the douma to present an annual
report to the car on the work of the legisS
lature. There 10 no reference in the new
draft. The latter, moreover. carries the
principle Of ministerial responsibility to a
point quite unknown in the French consti-
tuition, rendering cabinet ministers amen
able to impeachment and punishment for
acts affecting the rights of citizens vio-
lating the laws. The abyss between the
two constitutions Is as great as that which
separates absolute sovereignty from consti-
tuttonal monarchy
If the conditions of affairs Of state were
normal. If there were not disorder in the
administrations and
The Cars reported disaffection
Embarrassments. in the military and
naval service. the
car might refuse to abdicate his "di-
vine right" But under existing circum-
stances the concession Is imposed unless,
indeed. he takes the initiative and treats
promptly and directly with the peasant
party in the douma by granting the expro-
priation Of lands, in principle II not abso-
lutely, in some manner which may save the
face Of the peasant deputy and permit him
to go back to his village and say: THE
Little Father grants your prayers. the land
is yoursp'
At a moment when the douma. apparently
decided that the agrarian question is one
much more difficult and embarrassing than
1t first appeared, the concession on the part
Of the car would be In the nature Of a
formidable commensurate, which attaching
enthusiastically the peasant to the empe-
ror, would render him thus the absolute and
indisputable master of the situation. The
peasant until now has resisted the blan-
dishments of the socialist and anarchist par
ties and has remained faithful to the en-
peror. This question Of land Is the limit,
the supreme test OF his loyalty to the
crown, and it will not be surprising If the
council OF the empire will endeavor to an
ticipate the douma.
The douma, for fact, has already sub
nlitted the agrarian question to q commit
tee composed Of such men as NJ. Petrounke-
witch Hertzenstein, Prince Dolgourokt, Pc
trajowsky and Nicholas Lvoff, of the consti-
tutional democrats; Count Heydon, Stako-
Witch, Prince George Lvon and Volkonsky
of the conservatives, and prominent mem
bers of other interested groups. The Sc
lection of Petrajowsky and Lvon Is signlh-
cant of the desire of the douma to secure
practical solution Of a now recognized very
66ftS fra J,NO
having vigorously attacked the rental side
of the proposition in the douma
X
NJ Paul Leroy Beaulieu in the Journal des
Debats, of the 9th instant, under the title
of LIE Question Agraie en-
Agrarian Russie." says in substance
Question. on this head: Among
all the problems before
the douma the most interesting, the
most difficult and thorny is the agra
Ran; one of those which IN searching
for amelioration there may be easily ADOPT
ed solutions which may be retrogresslve ana
which may hurt the economical future Oh
Russia rather than improve 1t. Not"ith-
standing the development IN the course "
the last quarter of century OF the great
mining and metallurgical industries. Russia
has nevertheless remained the most rurai
and the most peasant country OF the ciVi,,
lied world Her productions are ABOVE an
agricu,tural She Is noted for routine. the
medocrity of the matter produced ana tine pn
poverty, If not misery, OF the iaporeIs al
the fields. who. for the most part, are either
proprietors, or iease-holders for xarie 30
terms of the lots Of grounds belonging 10
the Mir. or commune. which distributes
them among its members. 900.
'aThis regime, relic of the primitive ages,
does not lend itself to modern culture ana
is against all agronomic progress, along
side of these peasant CIVILIZATIONS there are
found vast properties, generally oeiongans
to the nobility. very extensive, certain
number of which are conducted with care.
It is necessary that lands in Russia
should become as In Holland, Belgium ana
France since decade, as In all western
Europe, grand proprietors or small holding
the soil perpetualiy and without any reseaH
ton whatsoever, instructing and aiding each
other mutually by habit and 1 social saa, ira
ditions This Is the only modern regime,
the only one which may assure abundant
crops and procure ease and comfort for the
rural population"
Those who invoke as precedent the sale
- ,5ar fba French