The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-18
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oli lhoueh stiH haUfshlns regime s'tNda
prupt~i w the bnFo bavouet iofcr ehiph
Only tpU materially cuunte IN moa, phvsi.
cal struggles fof rmsNriratlon The tFo
fofrel arr rapldiy cpmins IN within sitik.
inc distance
Tho w has stated In plain language tho
eim ~ The 'crhrcasloha' Nv Popular clnmur
which " IL prepared ~ grant ~ Ne mssl.
mum Tho othef. In language quite ~ IN.
mia,akahle, has formulated what N devlatra
10 30 Russia'a awakened peoples inlNlmum
demands, and hrtweon the two iherv yawna
an abyss ~ incompatihiuty apparently
lmpaaaable,
The address ~ tho numn ~ The Car In
reply "a hia throne apceoh Indicated what
the Dima genuinely felt to 10 Russia p
pressing requirements In tho shape ~ roe
forms. II waa coldly received Nv tho Empe-
ror nj the outset For the CSar's indica.
tions u his opinion of IL address the Dima
waited for many anNious days. The
answer ~ the autocrat and his hurcau-
cratA was read from tho tribune ~ the
lower house a week ago In person by NJ.
Goremykin, the successor Of Count Serge
witte IA president ~ the Russian Minis
terial Council The Duma building itself
was packed. The old r6gime's answer TO
the Duma was broadly mo surrender on
the bulk Of the questions involving radical
divergence with the Russian representa-
tive" lower house, The issues were now
no longer veiled. In plain language Rus
sia's elected Of her people were given to
understand that the fundamental laws"
recently promulgated by the Emperor
Nicholas ii. had been promulgated TO stay.
The fundamental laws defined what the
Duma or the Russian upper house might
do and what II might not do, while the
same ordinances distinctly laid down that
should the Duna prove o~h-treperous or
obstructive the worse would II be for the
Duma itself. The autocrat's limitations on
the legislative initiative and powers of Rue
sia's elected lower house were there for all
to read, mark and digest. Consideration of
them here at some length nay be excused
alike because of their %relevance at the
- --,,, - H. -v,~
ion OF Russia's leading and responsible re-
formers they embody popular restrictions
and imperial demands "infalihly bound to
precipitate war a outrdnce between autocrat
and people if maintained
In the fundamental laws the Car ordains
that no new" law may be contaminated
without the approval of the State Council
and of the national Duma. At first glance
this may be taken a. a concession of prime
significance. In the very next lines of the
new ordinances, however, the autocrat de-
clares that no new law may acquire force
without the assent Of the Gar" The veto
the legislative function of the new
Russian houses is thus unambiguously
affirmed.
With a view to providing for State con
tingencies during a period Of recess of the
lower house the Gar ordains that
the State Council may approach him directly
with a view to the adoption Of such tenn
poralN measures as to him may seem good,
provided that such measures are in
no way advocated with a view to radical
interference either with the recently pro-
.ulgated fundamental laws or the status
Of the upper or lower Russian house. The
Car further lays it down that special
laws or special forms of administration in
operation in particular areas in the empire
must remain in force until duly abro-
apparent seQuiur.
Among these special laws, Of course,
figure prominently precisely those repres-
sionary laws of increased protection"
whose maintenance for a single day
than can be helped Russia's lower
and the country at large behind it
are unanimously antagonistic. The full
rony Of the paragraph just alluded to only
apparent when the fact is recol-
Iected that to the Gar and to the Gar alone
autocrat supreme belongs the right to
initiate" any legislation in matters Of
ration in an empire in which he
,ategorically declares his power to be I'M
IllItdCIlllAts LNth aNHllllllllE wi Il INV
nent that the Duma unanimously passed
4 bill for the abolition Of a special repressive
in force in a particular area, such as
Poland or the Caucasus; assuming further
hat the upper house accorded the bill it's
cordial support, the imperial veto, practi-
ally limitless alike in its range and appli-
,ation, awaits the bill with the biceps of
he garroter.
In the preliminary paragraph of the
compendium Of fundamental laws, dealing
more particularly with the houses of as
,embly, the Emperor declares that the
state Council and lower house are to he
annually on the personal author
ty of the Emperor. promulgated in a ukase
igned by his own hand. He further lays
t down that the questions of the duration
# the annual sittipgs of both houses, as
lso the limits Of the recess, are equally
matters to be determined by himself. Then
ollow twenty paragraphs which the ma !
ional Duma with unanimity declares con-
titute more Immediately the autocrat's
aggressive challenge to his people. The
house, says the Gear, shall consist
m the one hand of members "imperially
ppointed" and on the other Of members
elected" by existing national institutions, |
operations and classes. The number of
MEMBERS imperially nominated or APP
,roved, it is naively added, may not ex-
eed the number of elected members" In
Their words, the Car assume to himself