The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-07
The Change Of Ministry in Russia.

The Chonge OF MINISTRY IN hussia'
Il IL evidently a stop-gap Cabinet
which Mr. GoREMYKIN has formed. 1t
may serve as well as another to bridge
the interval likely TO occur before h
views and wishes Of the majority of
the Imperial Duma, expected 20 meet
on Thursday, are definitely known.
The new Premier is a man Cf amiable
but unstable character, who was driven
out OF Office in 1909 by Count WITTE
for doing what Russian Ministers have
often done, that is to say, making a
pleasing but an untruthful report to
his Imperial master. His colleagues
are also colorless persons, with the ex-
ception of Mr.. KoKovsoFF, the new
Minister of Finance, who Is a man OF
progressive ideas and who IS known
to possess the confidence Of Russia's
creditors. He is the only member of
the Cabinet who reasonably can look
forward to holding his post a month.
Meanwhile the true significance Of
the Cars final acceptance of Count
WHITES resignation has been disclosed.
We learn hat in two important particu-
lars, namely, as regards his proposed
solutions Of the constitutional and agra
rian problems, the late Premier had
shown himself more autocratic than the
%autocrat. 1t seems that his draft Of a
so-called Fundamental Law or Consti-
tuition which he desired to have pro-
claimed and which through some mys-
terious channel found its way into
print on both sides Of the Atlantic
not only failed to receive the sigma
ture OF the sovereign, but met with the
latter's decided disapproval, The Car
recognized that if his Prime Minister'S
attempt to take back piecemeal what had
been given in block on October 80 by
ciroumscribing vigorously the powers OF
the peoples representatives succeeded,
the coming Parliament would be a farce
and would provoke a storm of popu-
lar indignation whereof the dynasty
might be a victim. He has therefore
determined, it appears, to postpone
the PRONUNCIATION of a national organic
law, or q law providing for a distribu-
ton of land, until the opinions Of a ma
jority of the Duma, and especially those
Of the spokesman of the peasants. who
constitute from eight to nine tenths
of Russia's population, shall have found
distinct expression. That is to say, he
means that the Duma shall be, in a genu-
inc sense of the word, a constituent
assembly, though Of course its desires
will be subjected to a more or less effect
i've check at the hands of the Council
Of the Empire, or upper house Of the
new Parliament.
There appears to be nc doubt that
although the delegates Of the peasants
will preponderate numerically in the
popular branch Of the national legisla-
ture, so many Of these are Liberals and
have indicated assent to the political
programme of the Constitutional Demo-
Gratis that the latter are assured of a
majority. Touching this point, we have
no reason to modify our former forecast.
We may probably take for granted also,
that in return for the support given
to the Constitutional Democrats by the
Spokesman Of the peasants, the former
will cooperate with the latter, and like
wise with the representatives Of the
private landowners, in advocating a solu-
ton Of the agrarian problem very diff !
ferent from Count WRITES. All intell-
rent Russians have long agreed that
something must be done to relieve the
pressure on subsistence due to the fact
that the allotments of land made to the
emancipated serfs more than forty years
ago, which at the time were exiguous,
have grown grossly inadequate with the
increase Of population. The prelimi-
nary step obviously indicated was tho
distribution among the village COM
munities of the Crown Lands, payment
thereof to be made in annual install
ments: and II these, a Count WITTR !
alleged, should prove insufficient, the
next step would as naturally be the
assignment to the same purpose of the
lands belonging to the Church, COM
pensation for which might take the form
of an annual budget for public worship.
Count WITTE, however, for reasons
best known to himself, for he gave non
worthy of consideration, contemplated
neither Of these remedies or palliatives
for the ~agrarian difficulty, but proposed
instead to conisoate a large part of
the lands belonging to private owners,
the price payable therefor to be fixed
er parte by the Government, and the
instalments Of payment to be stretched
over a long period. A most Of tho