Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-15

Of the large corporations In tnat city, VINO
great ability, but wished to show their dis
approval of his treatment by the govern
ment. He was elected to the city council
Of Moscow, and to the zemstvo OF tnat
province; and then, when a parliament was
granted, received an overwhelming major
ity as one Of the delegates from Moscow.
He has been very active in the campaign
great learning he has the reputation OF
being thoroughly practical and everybody
expects that sooner or later he will be
prime minister Of Russia.
Although so different from them in every
respect Professor Muromtseff is great ia
vorite with the peasant members. They re-
gard him with respect that resembles
awe. They usually ask his advice as to
come before the chamber. and invariably
go down to the chair and shake hands with
him at the adjournment Of each days ses-
sion.
The Peasants Costume.
The peasants nearly all wear their
conventional costumes a dark coat but
toned square up to the chin, with a low
standing collar and loose skirts gathered at
the waist. Some of them have sashes Of
red silk or plain leather straps around their
waists. Their feet are shod in high boots
reaching to the knees with short. loose,
black trousers, tucked In at the top. They
are very regular in their attendance, being
almost the first persons to enter the cham
Der and the last to leave, and pay very
close attention to the proceedings Occa-
sionally one Of them Is guilty of an unin-
territorial and often unconscious violation of
the rules. For example. during a discus
sion on the famine one Of the speakers in
the tribune mentioned the governor of Sa-
mara, the same who ordered Sharkon
fogged. Thereupon one of the other peas
ant delegates from that province shouted
out his opinion Of the governor in emphatic
terms. When he was called to order by the
president he looked as sheepish as a boy
who has spoken out in meeting
Sharkoff tells me that his colleagues keep
the same hours in st. Petersburg that they
do at home, except when they are sum-
moned to caucuses or other official meet
1ngs They get up at o'clock in the morn
ing and retire at 9 at night. He tells me
that he writes every day to the people Of
his village, giving them an account Of the
proceedings Of the duma and his own be-
havior.
Professor Muromtseffs popularity may be
judged by the fact that he received .v6 out
Of a possible AGO votes for the presidency
or the duma. There was no other candf-
date. His fitness was universally acknowl-
edged by all of the parties and groups.
Professors in the Duma.
There are twenty-seven university pro-
fessors in the duma, and among the other
members are many of their former stu
dents. Most of them are idealists, men of
fine theories and lots of learning, but en-
t1rely without practical experience. Their
expectations, as we'll as their programs are
based upon what they believe ought to be-
which. as everybody knows, seldom hap
pens. If they had as much practical COM
mon sense as they have book learning they
would probably accomplish more There
are. however, several practical men among
them.
The University of Moscow has furnished
more than any other Institution. Nine for
mer members of its faculties are in the
duma. And among them Is Prof. Herzen-
stein. Although he is recognized as the
ablest political economist ana the highest
financial authority in Russia, he was re-
moved from his chair by order of the Grand
Duke Sergtus because he was born an Is
raelite. He Is now in the faculty of the
Institute Agronomique of Moscow. When
the constitutional democrats get control of
the government Mr.. Herzenstein will I'M
doubtedly be minister of finance. He is
consulted more frequently, probably, than
any other member Of the duma Usually
all the drafts Of bills are submitted for hts
revision before they are introduced because
OF the high opinion of his legal judgment.
believe / wrote you the other day that he
has been appointed chairman Of the SUBJ
committee which is to prepare the land law
for the distribution of the crown state and
monastery lands among the peasants 1t
Is the most important measure before the
chamber.
Prof. Herzenstein has the Jewish features
strongly marked. He is short stout and de-
liberate in his movements. AS a speaker
he does not excel. He is. in fact, rather
they sound. They are very concise and
simple In literary style and are more like
what one would expect from q business
man than from college professor.