Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-24
EBB OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

| in the Tauride Palace on the 9th in
slant. as appointed. There
second Ouma was less pomp and cere-
Opened. mony than at the first,
and neither emperor nor
| minister was present to afford the least
opportunity for any hostile manifesto
ton on the part of the revolutionists.
The falling of ceiling. happily without
loss Of life, may have impressed the
superstitious as an augury of evil things,
but II so 1t was only a brief impression.
The second duma, indeed, is the antithe-
sis of the first. The deputies are young
er men, and there are but few peasants.
The left, besides, is in apparent accord
to keep the peace and avoid violent demon
STATIONS. Thus, manifestiy@ there is
something changed in Russia. Was 1t
that in the interval between the first
duma and the second Stolypin had made
himself the master of the situation? A ca
BILE from st. Petersburg on the 21st in
slant says: Yesterdays debate in the
duma is already regarded as a notable
event in the history of Russia. 1t Is an
undoubted triumph for NJ. Stolypin, who.
after crushing the revolution. has mas
tered the parliament"
NJ. Gololpbef who bears the title of
actual secret councillor" acting as the
delegate of the czar to the duma. said:
Charged with the honor of opening
his majesty the emperor has COM
manded me to transmit his good wishes
to the members of the duma and that
with the aid of God, your work may be
fecund for the good Of our beloved
Russia
At the words his majesty the en-
peror" the entire right arose and re-
manned standing. Kroupenski: the dep
pereur!' The right cheered loudly, but
the center and the left remained seated.
impassive and silent The situation was
embarrassing IL not ominous.
of officers. with the result that NJ. Colo
vine was declared chosen president by
356 white balls against 102 black balls
for the opposing candidates.
-
NJ. Golovine in assuming the chair said
that the will Of the duma of the empire
was the law for every
Fresaoent's member. Filled with that
Address. truth. he did not hesitate
to accept the duties of
president The honor was great and so
also his gratitude; he would do all to
justify their confidence.
Notwithstanding the divergence of
opinions, common object united them
effected by constitutional means. Obliged
to conduct the debates without passion
and to protect the liberty of the tribune.
he would maintain. without fail. the
dignity Of the duma.
The country awaited with impatience
relief by the duma from burdens
dured. and the straight road that led to
that object had been marked by the
nrst duma, and that IT, road was still the
principles proclaimed by the manifesto
of the 3Uth Of October: to elaborate So
ciai iegislafton-such are the great tasks
which the first duma proposed. They
would be accomplished. if possible. by the
second. Popular representation was an
immense force. Once called to life it
would never die In union with the
monarch. 1T would realize. without weak
ness, the will and the mind of the peo-
pie.
The election of N. Golovine assures
the duma against the revolutionary acts
committed by its predecessor: The presi-
dent of the duma was born in 1867, and
studied at the Lyceum Nicholas He
was formerly president of the Ouprava of
the Zemtsvo of Moscow. Deputy of the
government of Moscow. he is personally
very sympathetic to the entire duma,
which fact alone constitutes him a ma
terial force in pacific solution of a
revolution which may be said now to
have entered pacific phase.
M. Stolypin, 1t appears. has taken time
by the forelock by anticipating the re-
forms which may be pro-
stolypin's posed by the duma, and
Reforms. with the manifest intention
of taking the credit for the
car and for himself.
In his address to the duma on the 10th
instant NJ. Stolypin is reported to have
said: Russia should be transformed into
a constitutional state. Measures should
be taken to determine definitely the rights
of the state and those of private citizens;
abolition of the contradictions that exist
between ancient and modern laws, and the
arbitrary Interpretation given them by
private parties and functonaries." The
minister declared that laws had been pro-
mulgated to rectify these cases before the
meeting of the duma. He also mentioned
that agrarian laws should be supplemented
for the relief of the Russian peasants, also
laws relative to the cession of lands to
peasants. Besides, he had adopted other
measures for the relief of peasants and
the emancipation of those attached to the
communes. He had also put into practice
the principles indicated by the car in his
manifesto of October. 1905, and which had
not yet been enforced. Among these were
liberty of conscience and the tnviolability
of person, also law as to religious tolera-
ton, to which allusion had been made in
the manifesto of October. 1903. He had
likewise established the principle that the
orthodox religion should be the basis of all
legislative reforms.
The minister declared that he felt it
obligatory to protect the orthodox religion.
The Russian nation had always been in
spired by that religion, to which it owes
it's glory and its powers The government.
said the minister. intends to abolish exile
for administrative reasons, and will in
vite the attention of parliament to laws
relative to the zemstvos, municipalities and
local administrations, all of which require
reorganization. The government intends
to introduce worEmen'S insurance. old age
and medical assistance, to prohibit night
and underground labor for women and
children and provide homes for the work.
ing classes; labor movements would be pro-
tected and strikes recognized. A system
of free education would be established and
later the system would be more compul-
sorry.
In concluding NJ. Stolypin said: The
pacification and regeneration of our great
Russia are only possible through the
realization of new principles of government.
| am ready to make the greatest efforts.
Ny word. good will and experience at
the disposal of the duma. which will find
in the government collaborators who regard
it as their duty to safeguard the historic
aspirations of Russia and restore order and
calm to the country-that is to say, firm.
real Russian government 1t should and
will be-the government of his majesty the
emperor.
After the conclusion of the session NJ.
Stolypin was summoned to Tsarskoe-
Sol. no era frIla ed