Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-27

body to do everything that is not forbid
den by law. 1t contains fourteen sections
such as these
NO person can be taken into custody ex
cept as provided by law" The domicile
OF every person is inviolate.' The inspec-
ton or search of a dwelling place with
out the owners consent Is not allowed ex-
except as provided by law. Russian sub
jects have the right to establish societies
or unions for purposes that are not con-
trary to law" and SO forth and so on.
Enactment of Laws.
Chapter III consists of thirteen articles
relating to the enactment and enforcement
of the laws and they include several of
great significance. The emperor relin-
ouishes his autocracy so far as to share
with the new parliame-.t the lawmaking
power. Article "A contains the greatest con-
cesslons ever made by the car Of all the
Russias' to his subjects. 1t reads as fol-
lows:
Section A No law can be promulga ted
without the approval of the council of the
empire and the douma OF the empire. nor
be enforced without the sanction of his
majesty the emperor"
Until now the laws of Russia have all
peen In the name of the emperor. They
read Il forbid this or that
Section 40 provides that If an emergency
should occur during a recess of the douma
the emperor has the right to issue DEGREES
Tor temporary operation, but such meas
ures cannot repeal or modify either the fun
damental law or the statutes of the council
of the empire, and the imperial douma or
the regulation for the election of their
members; and the temporary DEGREES can
remain in force only two months after the
parliament resumes It's sessions In the
meantime they must be submitted for its
approval and ratification.
Section AZ provides that no law can be
retroactive.
Section 81 provides that the regulations
tive departments and the army and navy
shall not conflict with the acts of the coun-
ell and the douma.
Powers Of the Parliament.
Chapter of the constitution which re-
lates to the duties and powers of the i'm
perial council and the douma, is, of course,
the most important, and the liberality of
Its provisions has not been recognized by
any newspaper dispatches that / have seen.
1t is the prevailing impression that the
new constitution of Russia is merely an
empty form of words and, as / have said
many parts of IT. do answer that descrip-
ton Very few people realize that Russia
has constitution at all The newspaper
dispatches have not made that entirely
clear. 1t has been widely advertised that
In October last the car promised that he
would give his subjects q constitutional
government. but very few people realize
that his promise has been fulfilled. In the
fourth chapter of the new fundamental law
he has made greater concessions than any,
body realizes. 1t is evident that whoever
prepared this constitution made a close
study of the fundamental law of Japan,
voluntarily granted by the autocrat of that
empire to his subjects many years ago
Russia has learned much from Japan dur
| Ing the last few years and she could not
have chosen a better example.
Length Of the Sessions.
| Chapter provides that the emperor shall
convoke the parliament annually and shall
| decide where and when and how long it
| shall sit. 1t provides that each house shall
| be the judge of the qualifications of it's
own members, and sets forth the details of
| their organization. Section IS empowers
| both houses to take the initiative in the re-
| peal or modification of existing laws and
| the enactment of new ones. with the excep-
| ton or the fundamental law, 1.-The initiative
| OF the revision of which belongs exclusively
| to the emperor" Section 66 provides for
| the Interpolation of the ministers and other
| officials of the government. The emperor
| and his ministers may submit drafts of
| laws for the consideration OF the parlia-
| ment. Both houses can initiate laws, but
| before bill can become a law it must
| receive the approval of a ma jority of both
and the sanction of the emperor
The new parliament Is given control OF
! the expenditure of public money under
certain restrictions.
Section " protects the public credit by
| requiring that an annual appropriate
| must be made to pay the interest upon the
| state debt and that the parliament cannot
| neglect or repudiate the financial obliga-
| lions OF the government. Nor can the al
| lowances for the imperial household be
| made a subject of elaboration, provided
| they do not exceed the amount allotted for
| that purpose In the imperial budget for the
| year 1906.
| Section "a which is almost a copy of a
| similar provision in the Japanese constitu-
| ton, provides that whenever the parlia-
| ment shall neglect or refuse to make appro-
| priations the current appropriations shall
| stand and that one-twelfth of the total
| amount appropriated for the previous year
| shall be available monthly.
Section 76 gives the parliament control
| over loans for the purpose of meeting the
regular expenses of the government. but
| the emperor has authority to borrow
money in case of an emergency, and when
ever the parliament refuses to provide the
necessary provisions for carrying on war
| and meeting extraordinary demands on the
treasury.
Appointment Of the Ministry.
Chapter V relates to the ministry and
provides that they shall be appointed and
removed only by the emperor and are re-
sponsible exclusively to him for their acts
and conduct, but section 50 authorizes their
prosecution for crimes and neglect of duty
according to the provisions of the law.
This constitution Is now In force, and
YOU will observe that II contains the germ
of liberal monarchy.