Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-17
BLOW TO PEACE CONGRESS
Duma Dissolution 0ffends the
Liberal PoWers-Ex-Mem-
bers May Go to The
Hague. xi4

Hague. lie
ST. PETERSBURG, June 1.-THE coun
Gil of ministers sat until past O'Clock yes
terday morning at Elaguine Palace, Prime
Minister Stolypin's residence. comforting as
to whether they should wait until Monday
for the dumas answer to the government
demand in regard to the socialist members
or take the final step of dissolving the
chamber Immediately
The minority, comprising M. Stolypn
Kaufman and Filosofor, opposed immedi
ate dissolution. NJ. Stolypin telephoned tt
the car, who answered that the majority
were right and Immediately the decision
was taken to dissolve the duma.
Orders were thereupon sent to the gov
ernors throughout Russia to take measures
to crush the least attempt at disorder Al
6 O'Clock yesterday morning infantry arriv'
ed at the Tauride Palace, where the dune
meets and took possession, while seals
were placed on the deputies desks and the
ukase of dissolution was posted on the
doors.
Resolved Upon by Gear.
The dissolution, which was now formally
effected, was actually resolved upon by
the car Immediately after the dumas re-
fusal to condemn political murders Thence
forth only a convenient pretext was
awaited.
pared a fortnight ago, as is proven by the
fact that the first copies issued were origi-
nally dated Tsarskoe-Selo, the word Peter
hof, whittier the court removed after Its
compilation, being substituted in red pencil.
Moreover, the new electoral law, pub
lished- yesterday afternoon. fills twenty-four
columns in the Government Gazette. 1t OBJ
viously needed considerable time for its
preparation 1t greatly limits non-Russian
representation in the duma. Thus the
Caucasus Is allowed ten instead OF Its
former twenty-five members, and Poland
twelve instead of thirty-seven.
BY raising the property qualification the
representation Of the German landowners In
the Baltic provinces is greatly increased
over that OF the leftists, who are revolu-
tiOnists.
to the Prussian system. In cities the voters
are divided into two classes, according to
their property, and the deputies are divided
equally between them, the wealthy minority
thereby receiving the same representation
as the poor majority.
The number Of cities with separate repre-
sentation is reduced from twenty-four to
six. The peasants lose their separate repre-
sentative in each of the provinces, and the
number of their electors in the provincial
colleges is greatly diminished, by which
means preponderance Is given to the land
lords.
The Election System.
In Kovno and Wilma provinces three of
the thirteen seats are given to the Russian
minority, and the Russian population in
Warsaw, numbering a few thousands. re-
ceives one deputy, leaving only one to the
Poles, numbering millions.
Furthermore the minister Of the interior
is authorized at his discretion to divide
the voters in any district according to their
property or nationality. whereby the gov
ernments power Of interference will be
unlimited.
Such is the election system which the gov
eminent with Muscovite cunning declares
robs no man and class of the franchise,
without mentioning the total u1sfranchise-
ment Of the greater part OF Russian Asia.
private houses and each decided to send
their constituents an account of the work
done by the duma but not to issue col
lective manifesto
and politely requested that they dispense.
Those attending did SO quietly and smil-
ingly The police also searched the dwell
ings of the labor members.
The government has not made any ener-
getic attempt to arrest the sixteen accused
Socialists, allowing them the fullest OPP
portunties to escape Six of Them how
ever, have been imprisoned.
Prince Tseretelli and NJ. Soltykoff DELHI
erately put themselves in the way of ar
rest, desiring to be tried.
Press Does Not Approve.
The governments step is not approved by
the conservative press, which points out
that the social democratic speeches and
outside propaganda were Ineffective, but
that now the government has given them
unexpected help and valuable advertise
ment. The deputies themselves take the
dissolution coolly, feeling that the govern
ment has put itself in the wrong by its
action in dissolving the house without ex-
amining the committees report.
The constitutional democrats would
hardly regret the dissolution IL the cleo
toral law had not been changed, as they
long ago realized the impossibility of CO.
operating with the government.
Inc COnInltte0 report "Oulu nave Ueou
ready to submit to the duma today. NJ.
Militikoff says it would have contained a
recommendation that the house should not
consent to the exclusion of the whole So
cialist party, but to allow the arrest Of any
against whom reasonable evidence of guilt
could be adduced.
The city was entirely unexcited yesterday
The people spent the day normally. May
regiments Of infantry and cavalry have
arrived to patrol the streets and occupy the
railway stations. There is no reason to
expect any disorders in the capital.
On the other hand. the discrimination
lowed by serious consequences. as 1t is
hardly probable that the Poles, Let's and
Armenians will confine themselves to those
legal measures which the Finlanders adopt
ed in similar circumstances.
Blow to Peace Plans.
The simultaneous appearance of The
Hague conference and disappearance of the