The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-11-27
DOUMA TAKES
ANCIENT TITLE
FROM The CAR

ST. Petersburg, Nov. 27.-The car can
no longer wear tho title of awtocrat un-
| less he overrides the douma.
That body last night. amid scenes of in
tense excitement and enthusiasm, de-
! clared by a vote OF 2i5 TO 112 that the
centuries designation OF the czars
is no longer to exist within the empire.
! 1t was declared TO be unteuabe in the
| state and incompatible with the mani
! festo issued by Emperor Nicholas on
/ Oct. so. 1905.
The douma adopted a reply TO tho ad-
dress from the throne unanimously, pro-
| longed cheers and the singing of the
national anthem marking the action.
| The result of the session is regarded
as a great victory for the Constitutional
Democrats, under the leadership of Prof.
Paul ~ Milukoff. who succeeded in fore
/ ing the Octobrists' hand.
| The final vote was taken after the
demonstratlve withdrawal. OF the Ex-
treme Right Social Democrats. members
Of the Group of Toll and the Poles.
After a stirring debate which lasted
! until almost midnight. NJ. Plevko, the
deputy from Moscow, summed up the
arguments on either side and urged the
| leaders OF the Octoborist party 10 draft
as tudicious compromise as possible.
The house then proceeded TO vote on
the amendments to the reply. taking
UP first the word "autocratic," following
| the rejection of which there was a dra-
| matte scene.
The members OF the extreme right
| had a hurried conclave In a corner of
the chamber. and Count Okorrere de-
clared that the Monarchists could not
participate In a vote on an address In
which the emperor was shorn or his
rightful prerogatives. Thereupon 10 OF
the extremists left the chamber.
Prof. Milukoff. on behalf of the Con-
stitutional Democrats, expressed his will
! lingness to accede TO the omission OF tho
specific word Constitution" and the mod
crate members of the Right followed
suit adherlng 10 tho Octobrist pro-
gram.
The douma then took up a series of
minor amendments that had been pro-
I posed by NJ. ID. Mowsh OF Warsaw, which
related to the aspirations of the Poles and
other subordinate nationQlities OF the
empire. and rejected all of these by an
immense majority. Thereupon tho Poles
declared that they would refrain from
voting.
An amendment submitted by tho mem
bers OF the Group OF Toll, which passed
| ccnsure on the emperor's coup d'etat OF
June Is. also was rejected, and the rep
resentatives OF this party. numbering
| three withdrew. The Socialists as a
body were absent during tho debate.
The remaining parties In the douma
accepted the address unanimously
The debate of yesterday was remarkably
orderly. This was due largely TO the
absence OF the Socialists, who remained
away as mark OF dlsrcspect 10 the
emperor.
Prof. Milukoff declared that the Con.
sttutional Democrats were not In a po-
sition TO bring forward an address as
their political creed was expressed IN
the address adopted by the first douma.
The chief consideration, he said. now Is
the kind OF regime they wero Iving
under. and especially whether the pos
session OF a constitution would answer
the question az TO what tho country ex-
pectcd from the douma, the Constitir-
tlonal Democrats. and the Constitutions
MonaTchists, but he could not share the
/ views OF his opponents OF the Right OF
| the Left
NJ. Purishkevitch oontended that all at.
tempts TO establish a constitutional
regime had failed. and that uas snaosrcr
IN resr,p~sieSRies 10 dvusna, has shown
his autocracy. He urged that the word
"autocratic" should appear in the ad-
dress.
Bishop Mitrofan considered that every
assault on autocracy was criminal. for
sutocracy had brought to the people
many blessings and they were devoted
to It,