The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-08
The Details OF Russia,s Constitution


The Details OF Russia's Constitution.
We have before us a cabled summary
of the imperial manifesto and ukases
which were published in st. Petersburg
on March 6, and which define the powers
and limitations Of the Parliament that
is to meet on May 10. AS was to be
expected, studious attempts are made
to keep the control Of national affairs
in the Cars hands, but, as experience
has shown, such precautions seldom
avail. II a sovereign comedies so much
TO a people not yet articulate, how much
more may be wrung from him by a
people speaking through a national
assembly?
We have formerly discussed tn, sig
ni6cance of the broad fact hat Russia's
Parliament was to consist of two cham
bers, the State Duma, or national assem-
bly,, and the upper house, or Council OF
the Empire, one-half of the latter's
members being appointed by the En-
peror and the other half being elective.
The details now made known to us
! throw additional light upon the subject.
At the outset one-third Of the elective
members of the Council of the Empire
are to be chosen for three years; a
second third for six years, and the
remaining third for nine years; but
eventually each Councillor will hold his
seat for nine years. Apparently this
provision is modelled on the section OF
the Constitution OF the United States
which divides the United States Senators
into three classes and directs that the
seats of the first class should be vacated
at the expiration of the second year from
the first organization of the Senate Q7s9),
those Of the second class at the expira-
tion of the fourth year, and those OF the
third class at the expiration OF the sixth
year, so that thereafter one-third might
be chosen every second year.
We note next a difference with regard
to qualifications. Our Constitution pre-
scribes that a Senator must have at
tanned the age Of thirty years, but says
nothing about his education. Accord
ing to Russia's new organic law all the
elective members of the Council of the
Empire must be forty years old and
~baccalaureates. Our Senate is presided
over by an officer, the Vice-President,
who is not a member Of the body. AS
the President and Yice-President Of the
Council of the Empire are to be appointed
by the Emperor, they may or may not
be Councillors. We observe that the
elective members Of the Council are to
receive $l2, 80 daily during the session,
which means hat their pay will be very
much less than that Of our Senators,
inasmuch az no session Of the Parliament
is likely to lastNmore than a few months.
The two houses of the Russian Parlia-
ment are to be strictly coordinate, both
having equal powers Of initiating legis-
lation, including even money bills.
Herein the Council Of the Empire seems
to have the advantage of our Senate,
but it will doubtless be found in practice
that the Russian national assembly will
claim and acquire the power Of the
purse. That both chambers will be
amenable to popular opinion is evident
from the provision that the sittings of
the Council of the Empire, as we'll as
those of the national assembly, shall be
public. We should not omit to point
out, also, that the Council will be a body
considerably larger than our Senate, for
each of the thirty-four provincial zem-
stvos is to elect a member, besides which
eighteen members will be returned by
the nobility of Russia proper, six by the
landed proprietors of Poland, six by
the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church,
six by the Academy Of Sciences and the
universities, and twelve by the chambers
of commerce and industry.
1t is patent that conservatism will
preponderate in even the elective half
of the upper house of the Russian Parlia-
ment. This is not by any near the
only precaution taken to limit the power
Of the peoples representatives. Bills
passed by both houses but rejected by
the Emperor cannot be brought forward
again in the course of the same session.
Moreover, bills rejected by one Of the
legislative bodies will require imperial
consent before being re%introduced. Much
more important is the provision desig-
mating certain subjects as beyond the
jurisdiction Of the Parliament, and per-
hitting these to be dealt with only by
such members Of the Council OF the
Empire a. have been appointed by
the Crown. These reserved subjects are
reports of the Minister of Finance upon
the state Of the Treasury; charges of
~malfeasance against members of the
Council of the Empire, Ministers, Cover
nOr-Generals and commanders-in-chief
of armies, the establishment of stock
companies with special privileges; and
finally, questions relating TO entailed
estates and titles of nobility. 1t will
probably turn out, however, to be quite
impracticable to prevent the national
assembly from requiring and consider
ing reports from the Minister Of Finance
on the state OF the Treasury or from
discussing the conduct of Ministers
Snd other executive officials. 1t should
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