Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-25

button of the state and crown lands among
the peasants, a free press, free speech and
free associations and various other planks
common to all the platforms Upon these
the douma is unanimous, but the AGO men,
bers are likely to split up into factions at
any time over details
AS nearly the members can be classi-
fed at present they stand as follows:
Left, conservatives, called Oetoberists. ... 60
center moderates, called constitutional demo-
Right, radicals labor and peasants ...........l5o
The names of the various parties are like
ly to be changed. The Octoberists are so
called because they were elected upon
pledges to support the manifesto issued by
Nicholas II last October in which he prom
Used the people a constitution and parlia-
ment
The members of the constitutional demo-
cratic party are called cadets" for short.
The radicals the members on the right of
the chamber, are representatives of various
political organizations, socialists revolu-
ttonists, labor reformers. social democrats.
trades unionists and other associations of
extreme views. They are popularity called
radicals but in their serious speeches
they refer to themselves as the party of
toll" 1t is unnecessary to say that quite
a number of them have never earned a dol
lar by manual labor in their lives They are
professional agitators, but at least one-half.
however. are genuine, honest farmers and
mechanics, earnest. sensible men of high
aspirations and sincere convictions pos
sesSed of more less ability
Address to the Gear.
Each of these parties has its platform. or
program" as they call it here. but all Of
the members except five. as I have said
assented to the address handed to the en-
peror in reply to his speech at the opening
of the douma. This address, insshort. con-
tanned ten demands made in the name OF
the people Of Russia, as follows:
l. General amnesty for political offenses
! and the discharge without further proceed
ii.cs of about $1,000 persons now in prison
for revolutionary opinions. for participation
In political meetings. for leading the recent
strikes and on suspicion of other political
offenses.
2. The abolition of the death penalty.
8. The amendment OF the constitution so
as to prohibit the suspension of law. the
declaration of martial law, the Invasion of
private houses and the arrest of persons on
suspicion without formal charges or the is
sue o. a warrant by responsible magis-
trate
4. Full civil and religious liberty, free
speech, free press, free meetings and or
CARNATIONS and the inviolabflity of the
home.
5. The abolition of the upper house of
parliament. called the council of empire.
6. The revision of the constitution or fun
damental law recently promulgated by the
czar as to give less authority to him and
more to the douma
Z. The appointment of ministry from
the members of the douma, responsible to
that body instead of to the car
s. The distribution of the lands belonging
to the government. to the crown the church
and other large holders In small farms
among the peasants upon some just and fair
basis.
8. A guarantee of the rights OF trades
unions and strikes by labor Organizations
TO- That acts of violence by the police
the army and the authorities be strictly for
hidden In the name of the emperor and that
| those who are responsible receive adequate
punishment.
The Cars Incoherent Defiance.
The emperor lost the opportunity Of his
life when he sent his prime minister to the
douma with an answer to these PROPOSE
| lions. Instead Of asserting to them in gen.
eral terms and in pacific and conciliatory
manner, with such reservations as might
hereafter be found necessary, his reply was
herent defiance. The following were the
chief points:
l. Instead of granting universal suffrage,
which now exists to all tntents and pur-
poses. he evaded the issue and said that
reforms In the franchise system would be
considered by the ministry as soon as ex-
perience had taught them what changes
were necessary
q Instead of promising to release all In
nocent persons in prison he admonished the
douma that II had no right to discuss the
question Of amnesty, for ii was not q mat
ter that concerned them. and does not come
within their jurisdiction: and he declared
to pardon $1,000 citizens who are now
imprisoned for offenses no greater than
were committed by almost every member
OF the douma durtng the recent political