The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-07-07
RUSSIAN. DONNA IS !.
] MOST POPULAR BODY
Douma Is Most Democratic Body
Of Men Ever Gathered to
Work for an Empire.
Golfers Interesting Article on
Converting Of Noted Popu-
lar Legislature.

Golfers Weekly under date of June |
10th, published most interesting arti-
Gle on the assembling of the Russian
Douma. It is as follows, and ought to |
be of interest to every reader of the !
Labor World:
The Douma is the most democratic |
body of men ever gathered together to |
legislate on the affairs of an empire. |
This, at least, must go down in his
tory. Whether it survives the present |
stress and strain Is another question. |
The first business session of the |
Douma began with the reading OF
many congratulatory kilograms
the Diet of Finland, the municipality
of Prague, the prince Of Montenegro,
the largest cities of the empire. To-
ward the last were several from polit-
ical exiles and prisoners. The spon-
taneous applause which broke from
practically entire Donna when these.
kilograms were read was louder and
more sustained than for all of the 9th
ers put together. The president was
Obliged to read them a second, then a
third time, and then at the suggestion
of some one on the floor, another
round of applause was given standing.
l counted only eight men who re-
manned in their seats. Amnesty was
made the first demand Of the Douma.
Not partial amnesty, but full and
complete amnesty, to all political pris-
oners, including terrorists. This
means the release of many thousand
prisoners.
kilograms, letters, petitions daily
come from all parts of the country to
the deputies urging this and other de-
mands. IF we fail to get the things
we have come for we dare not return
to our homes said one deputy. If
the Douma fails, or is suppressed, it
will not be the Douma that is put
down, but the country. For in de-
gree difficult to appreciate the Douma
is the country. 1t is the most abso-
lutely representative organization ever
brought together; not of people mere
ly, but of professions and classes. The
United States house of representatives
is composed largely of lawyers and
professional politicians; the house of
commons of gentlemen" the cham
bre of journalists and men of letters.
Not so the Douma. An analysis Of
the professions of the members shows
that twenty-three are lawyers, fifteen
professors, six. teachers, fifteen doc
tors, nine authors, seventy-five ''zenn-
stvO specialists" (that is to say, men
who have devoted themselves to the
work of local governing bodies, men of
means generality, twelve rich land
owners, ten, marshals of nobility, two
engineers, nine "functionaries'' (men
appointed by .fRxoF, to -pineeuree. In
connection with public, afairs), seven
common school teachers, four Greek
priests, three Roman Catholic priests,
three Mohammedan mollahs, one Jew
ish rabbi, one Romanist bishop, fifteen
workmen, four merchants, two manu-
facturers, two students and one hun
dred and sixty-six peasants. The at
mosphere of the ensemble is, at first
glance, intellectual, but the peasants
and workmen together form a power
full block to any step proposed by the
intellectuals that. does not meet with
their approval. They, too, are the real
| Douma. The 1ntellectuals mostly be-
long to the Constitutional Democratic
party. The program of this party is
rather a good one on the face of it,
but most OF the members are cautious,
squeamish about splitting more blood,
and inclined to be humble and mild in
their language. They crave the en-
peror's grace, for example, for the
political amnesty, while the peasants
and the workmen say: I'VE ask moth
ing. We demand not grace and par.
don, but JUSTICE" It is generally held
by both parties that political prisoners
are all guiltless of crime. The
Rights" form so small a group that
they are entirely without influence.
The opening sessions of this remark.
able body were characterized by order.
illness, clearness, and real eloquence
There was much of the amateurish en-.
thusiasm, but this is not to be won.
dered at The first business session
was on Saturday, May II. The presi.
dent, who had been elected on Thurs
day, and had Immediately adjourned
the house that he might announce his
election to the emperor on Friday.
called the Doun1a to order at II
o'clock. The reading of the congratu.
latory kilograms consumed more than
half an htour, when the house pro.
ceeded to the election of vice-presi.
dent, secretaries and other officers. A
quarter past seven in the evening a
brief adjournment was suggested for
supper. But the peasants rose en-
masse and sale no. The routine bust
hess of elections was meaningless to
them. They had been sent to Peters.
burg ky their village folk and neigh.
bors to gain land and freedom. They
were willing to sit patiently through
any amount Of procedure which the in
tellactuals told them was necessary
but eat they would not until they had
done some business The peasants
carried the vote and the house sat fol
ten hours without recess.
Another interesting scene was wit