Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-27
Gar NICHOLAS And THE DOUMA.

May 10 has been hailed in Russia by The
revolutionary element as the birthday or
the nation The palace of
National chs Tauride. vast solitary ed
nirfhdav ifce built by Catherine ii
for Field Marshal Potemkin.
has been the scene OF the inaugural cere-
monies Of the first Russian parliament. Ths
palace representing old Russia. and the
deuma. composed OF its heterogeneous par
ties representing new Russia. made the
change from the old to the new strangely
apparent.
The Novoe vremya, the most moderate
and respectable journal OF st. Petersburg.
published recently an article entitled "Rus-
STA on the Eve of Remarkable Events IN,
Her Destiny" saying: THE 9Th OF May,
1859. the French states general were sol
EMMY cOnvoked.- In May, 1921, Napoleon
aied at St. Helena. During that period of
tEirty-two years the grandiose epopee OF
the French people was accomplished. with
all that II invokes OF men and memorable
things from Mirabeau to Napoleon The
10th Of May. 1906 there will be solemnIy
opened the Russian dourna and the trans
formed council of the empire. There will
be laid the foundation of new govern
mental edifice in Russia. We see the first
INK IN the chain: we neither see the scr-
ond nor the third. Is 1t the grand epopee
which commenced the 10th of May, or the
tragedy of the Russian people? No one
may answer"
The disposition of events to repeat them
selves is manifested in the similarity OF
expression between the royal manifesto of
December II, 11ss, and the imperial publ
cation of October H. 1908. sincere in their
promises of liberty, but in yielding some
Things maintaining with obstnacy the en-
chanting words which conseerate their "di-
vine right Read the honest and virtuous
discourse of Louis XVI at the opening of
the states general: he recommends to the
nation; he will maintain the principles
OF the monarchy" There is not a word
about the constitution in the manifesto of
Louis XVI. No more is there In that Of
Nicholas II. and yet it was that word
which might have saved the head Of Louis
may yet save the throne of Nicholas
Let -uS hope that the apparent evolution in
Russia may not finish by a revolution. that
the peasant element, under some expert
enced and patriotic chief may be led to the
development of its latent forces, to the re-
form of radical abuses; that they NAV be
taught to avoid the errors and crimes com
mitted by the people In the bloody revolu-
ton in France in 17s9 which was the pain
lui and shameful price of their transfer
nation.
a question of the protocol arose in the
arrangements of the ceremonies of the dis
course from the throne:
Inc Czars The emperor. would he re-
Speech. main seated while reading his
speech according to the an
cient custom of Russian sovereigns in the
zemski-sobor, or would he stand up to mark
the transition from the old to the new?
After service the re Deum and the invoca-
ton of Gods blessing the emperor arose
and read his speech in a clear resonant
voice.
For the first time since his coronation
Nicholas II stood side by side with the
representatives of the people. At his coro-
nation M. Roditcheff, as spokesman of the
zemstvos, gave utterance to the hope of
better things. but the emperor. who was
much younger them said: Gentlemen,
dismiss these idle Dreams and NJ.
Roditchen paid for his temerity by long
exile. Returned he again in the pres
ence of the emperor deputy from liver
What would the emperor say to him now?
The emperor's speech was loudly acclaim
ed from the official benches. but the douma,
significant to remark. was stoically silent.
The douma subsequently, assembled in
the Tauride palace. The vice president of
the council of the empire, NJ. Frisch, spe-
ciaHy commanded by the emperor, opened
the douma. In declaring the first session
opened he offered his congratulations and
expressed the hope that the douma would
work conformity with the upper house for
the regeneration of the laws and institu-
tons of the empire. They could work in
the full light of freedom assured that the
country. through the press, would be able
to keep in closest touch with them and
that the emperor would ever give them his
most heartfelt cooperation"
He then invited the members to sign
a declaration of loyalty. which was done,
the three illiterate members signing by
proxy.
NJ Mouromtzeff received 1875 votes for
president and having taken his seat the
business of the douma began by a speech
from Nj. Petrunkevitch. one of the oldest
of the combatants for the rights of the peo
pie. He said
I'VE owe debt of honor and duty to our
consciences that the first thought at the
first assembly of the representatives of
the Russian nation should be for those
who have sacrificed their freedom for their
country. All the prisons are filled; free
dom must have no more victims. Free Rus
sia demands their release" (Thunders of
cheers.)
The cars response to the demand for
political amnesty to all was prompt
The government" he said, cannot re-
frain from bringing to justice terrorists
and bomb throwers. 1t cannot deliver
from punishment by judicial sentence per-
sons who have committed and still are
committing such crimes"
The entire douma. formed at present.
consists of SOB members. Of these 100 be-
long TO the noble class. 80 to the sosie or
bourgeois, to the clergy, 1870 to the peas
ant and the rest miscellaneous; 322 are
Orthodox. 80 Roman Catholics, 6 Luther
ans, 10 Jews. IL Mohamedans. Their pro-
fessions, respectively, are employees law
yers. doctors engineers, merchants. pro-
fessors. schoolmasters. workmen and
peasants.
In a review of the recent Russian elections
which have resulted in a decisive victory
for the constitutional
Parliamentary democratic party 1t is in
teresting to note the ex-
traordinary popular in
terest they have invoked. especially among
the peasants.
The Polish contingent will vote with the
national democrats. party pledged 10 COM
plete autonomy and distinctly opposed to
government. The national democrats are
not in sympathy with the constitutional
democratic program. notably the Jewish
question: they will probably form separate
group in the douma. Parties and their divt-
sions are as yet but vaguely defined. The
only one which has adopted a definite pro-
gram is the constitutional democratic party,
which will, no doubt prove to be the dom
inant spirit of the douma. The constitution