Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-24
were defeated by the ministry, who made

were defeated by the ministry, who made
harmony impossible.
This party will, no doubt, attract the sup
port of the business element and the con-
sentative members of all classes OF society
The prime minister Is himself memper
OF the Octoberist party and will douotiesS
continue those relations. That PLATFORM
called for a representative parliament, uni
versal suffrage and a distribution OF the
church. state and crown lands among the
peasants, with the appropriation OF pr
vate estates upon basis OF fair compen-
sation. The prime minister subscribed to
those doctrines while he was member OF
the cabinet and his elevation to the head OF
the ministry is not likely to change his
views.
1t is assumed that the car expects to
get a more friendly duma by new cleo
ton. but 1t is difficult to find any SOUND
basis for such an expectation. As have
several times remarked 1t is impossible to
predict what his majesty Is likely to DO
concerning the matter. No one can tell
what he will think how he will act to-
morrow. because he is as variable as the
weather, and is usually obedient to the in
fuences that were applied to him last. He
has gone back upon his word 80 mauy
times has changed his purpose so often,
has violated his own promises so frequent
ly that even guessing to his course has
lost it's interest Therefore. 1t Is Idle to
discuss what may happen during the next
eight months, between now and the meet
ing of the new duma, but all Russia, reac-
tionaries, revolutionists, advocates OF a
constitutional government and everybody
else has interpreted the dissolution OF the
duma as a challenge to the champions OF
Russian freedom. And everybody expects
that the old policy of"repression will be re-
newed In order to suppress public sentl-
ment and prevent the election of liberal
parliament.
Certain Measures Necessary.
Mr.. Stolypin explains that certain re-
strictive measures are necessary to the
public safety. He regrets the fact and re-
grets even more that the cause exists. II
he had his way II Russia was any other
country, such restrictions would not be
necessary but he is responsible for peace
and order and fears that II the politicians
were to be given free action the whole en-
pire would be in tempest OF excitement;
Hence the social club OF the constitutional
democratic party has been closed by the
police; there has been a wholesale suppress
sion and confscation OF newspapers; houses
have been searched. and suspects nave oeen
exiled or sent to prison.
Instead of amnesty, new battalions OF
prisoners have been sent to the bastiles Tor
induging in freedom of speech and in otner
liberties guaranteed them by the October
the duma whose fierce denunciations Of
the bureaucracy were privileged until rev
days ago, because they were representa-
tives of the people, are now mute. and most
of what they have been saying from the
tribune of the duma since May 10 would
be an invitation to Siberia.
The action of the police will arouse uni
yersal indignation and will injure more
than 1t will assist the government, for,
while the mistakes of the duma are readily
recognized and freely criticised, public SEN
tment condemns the decree OF dissolution,
and no one can read the morning papers
without convicting the car Of bad faith.
The wholesale violation Of the October
manifesto has destroyed the confidence OF
the people In any further assurances that
may come from the throne, and the prom
Uses of peace reforms might as well have
been written in water II his majesty con-
siders it necessary to the safety OF the en-
pire to adopt a contrary policy and with
his people the October manifesto should be
formally revoked. 1t promised:
l. To grant the people 1.-The immutable
foundations Of civil liberty, based on in
conscience, speech, union and association"
2 Without deferring the elections Of
members to the imperial duma already or
dered, the car Invites the participation Of
deprived of electoral rights, the ultimate
development of the principles of the cleo
toral right to be in accordance with the
newly established legislative order Of
things"
g. ITO establish an fmmutable rule that
no law can come into force without the
approval of the duma, SO that 1t shall be
possible for the people to participate in the
legality of the acts Of the authorities ap-
pointed by us"
Pledges Disregarded.
The fundamental law, or constitution 80
called. proclaimed by the car on the
sth of May, also guarantees the invio-
liability of the person, and freedom of con-
science. speech. union and association. But
In defiance of both, thousands of persons
have been arrested merely for expressing
opinions unfavorable to the government.
Hundreds of papers have been suppressed
for criticising the ministry in terms less
severe than have been used in the upper
house of parliament, and almost daily have
public meetings been broken up by the
police and the speakers arrested because
their remarks were not agreeable to the
officials
The hated third section" of the police
department, the invisible police" the all
comprehensive system Of the Russian gov
eminent by which the minister of police
in former times was able to read the hearts
and the thoughts of the people, have been
abolished but the criminal investigation
department" under the command of Cen
eral Phiipoff. still has q complete record
of every house in the city Of st. Peters
burg, a brief biography Of every inmate
and opinions. st. Petersburg Is made up Of
apartment houses, most Of them being
enormous structures containing anywhere
from fifty to 200 flats In rows of cabinets,
like those used for maps In modern libra
ries are shets of heavy paper, each repre-
senting an apartment house, and bearing
a record of what has occurred within its