Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-16
PRoGREsslvEs WIN RUSSIA.

PRoGREsslVEs WIN RUSSIA.
After all that has bee1 said by
Russian correspondents to the effect
that people generally were abstaining
from voting and allowing the reac-
tionaries to have things their own
way at the elections it now appears
that at the final elections the pro
gressiyes" have been winning almost
everywhere and will have a large ma
jority in the popular assembly.
! How the correspondents could have
been so mistaken is mystery, as
the political affiliations of those chos-
en- TO the electoral colleges must
have been well known. They may
have been deceived By government
officials who no doubt were disposed
TO suppress returns unfavorable to
the reactionaries and to make the
most of returns favorable to them.
However that may have been, the
fact as it now appears is that the
! progressives were generally winners
at what may be called the primaries
the elections of electors to choose
members OF the douma. &c does not
necessarily follow that the statements
which have been made as to the pro-
found popular distrust of the govern
| ment promises we're untrue.
The people may not have much
| faith in the creation of the douma by
the government as a bona fide repre-
| sentative assembly with real legis-
| latiye power, but the result of the
! final elections justifies the conclusion
! that they were willing to do their
part in good faith and take the
chance of securing some political pow
er through the douma.
If they find that the whole scheme
is a mockery they will probably be in
better position than they have ever
yet been in to demand real participa-
ton in the making Of laws. The use
of the electoral machinery provided
| by the government will have given
them political experience and some
measure Of organization as parties
and groups which will be of great
| service in carrying on the struggle
1t will be to their advantage not to
be too sanguine as to the genuineness
of the douma as a representative
body with real legislative power II
they expect little they will be less
likely to be paralyzed by disappoint-
ment and they will be more likely to
maintain and perfect their organiza-
tions for service in future contin-
gencies.
To what extent the douma will in
auence legislation will depend great
ly on the pleasure of the car. He
has laid much stress from the begin
ming upon the reservation to himself
of the power of final veto. At first
the popular assembly, according TO
his plan was to have no legislative
power at all. 1t was to be a repre-
sentative body merely for the aca-
| demic discussion of such measures as
might be brought before it, and no
others 1t was accorded, therefore,
only limited right of petition, but
no right of legislation.
Then the car yielded the privilege
of originating measures of certain
kinds and finally he conceded so21e-
thing like true parliamentary privi-
leges, but reserved to himself an abb
solute negative.
Besides, the scheme provides for an
aristocratic chamber which can vote
down or smother any measure passed
by the popular assembly. Half of
the members Of this chamber the
car himself will appoint. Twelve
will represent the principal cham
bers Of commerce and industry, six
will represent the Academy Of Sci
ences and the universities and six
will be elected by the synod of the
state church. Of which the emperor
himself is the head
Thus the emperor will be sure OF
| a clear majority of this body, as he
viii practically name the eccleslas-
tics as well as the one-half whom he
win appoint directly This chamber
the sovfet-will serve as a sort Of
buffer to prevent the car from com
ing into direct contact with the pop
ular assembly. 1t will do most Of
! the yetoing in accordance with the
wishes of the ear and take all the
kicks which " rights should be ad
ministered to him
Thus we see that the car has
abundantly fortified himself against
any radical legislation even if the
popular assembly should be made UP
wholly Of extreme radicals.
Rnflectinns Of \ Rachelnr