The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-12
THE UPPER HOUSE
FORMALLY OPENED
Recognized CounCi of the Rus
sian Empire
WITH POMP AND CEREMONY
Count Witte Is a Working Member of
the council-Previous Omission
From Lists Was an obvl-
Gus Slight.
WITH POMP AND CEREMONY

St. Petersburg, May 1.-THE third act
In the great drama of Russian parlia-
mentarism, the formal opening of the
recognized council of the empire, up
per house of the parliament, took place
at . o'clock this afternoon in the hall
of the mobiles In the winter palace. The
pomp and ceremony characteristic of the
old Russian official life, the absence of
which at the opening meeting of the pop
ular house in parliament In the Tauride
palace yesterday was significant Of the
new spirit in Russian affairs, found vent
in the convocation of the council of the
empire which with half the members
elected and half appointed forms the con-
Meeting link between the new and the old
systems. The display Of uniforms and
orders, vivid ribbons and gold braid which
was seen at its height during the cere-
mony at the winter palace yesterday,
was repeated on smaller scale in the
great white hall of the mobiles today. The
ministers displayed their full regalia, the
members of the chancellory wore court
dress ana swords, the doors were guard
ed l., ants in picturesque livery and
the 1t. scre occupied by diplomats and
nigh uii.l4ais and richly dressed women
and though a number of the elective
members were not In uniform, the colored
smock and kaftan of the peasant. and
the high boots and rough coat of the
workman. We're not in evidence
The Landed Nobility.
The majority of the elective members
indeed who came from the landed nobil-
ity and upper ranks of commerce and
industry, We'd with the appointves in
the number and richness of their deeora-
tions. Only a sturdy little group of lib
eral professors, pledged to move the abol-
ition of the legislative body to which they
were elected, came in democratic SIM
phcity, their civil garb not being relieved
by "A ribbon, or a medal
While the lower house of parliament
is distinctively body of new men, the
names Of many of the members of the
council Of the empire can be found in
the index of Russian history of the past
century. including lgnatieffs, Alexieffs.
Pobiedonosteseffs, and the Dologourkofs
OF the old regime, mass of retired min
isters. soldiers and statesmen Of the past
and the heads of many of Russa's noblest
families
Though picturesque as pageant, the
ceremony at the opening was uneventful
and unimportant historically After Count
Solksky. president OF the upper house,
had declared the session open the trans
action of business began. 1t consisted
of the announcement OF the appointment
of Officers and the signing OF the oath
of office. The only surprise was the read
Ing of an announcement that Count Witte
was a working member OF the council.
the omission of his name from the prev
ious list having been interpreted as a
deliberate slight which the Emperor evil
IDENTIFY took pains to correct. The unex-
pected appearance OF the tall form OF the
former premier a. the door was the first
intimation of the Emperors action. and
II created a buzz OF excitement. The ex-
planation of his appearance only came
later when an ukase was read appoint
ing Count Wife and NJ Manukhin, for
ner minister of Justice to be members
of the council OF the empire.
The organization of the upper house
which followed the programme Of the
lower house yesterday. was preceded by
religious service. After the members
had signed the OATH the house adjourned.