Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1907-06-22
GEAR NICHOLAS ISSUES UKASE
AB0LISHING 1T.
The Dissolution of the Russian Duma
Followed the Refusal of That Body
to Permit Arrest Of Its Members
on Charges of Conspiracy Against
the State.

elections of members to its successor, !
which is to meet November IA, to be
held under the new election law,
which provides against the "submer-
gence of the educated classes by the
uneducated masses"
This act constitutes a virtual coup |
d'etat, and overrides the fundamental
laws solemnly proclaimed by his maj |
esty on the eve of the convocation of
the first duma, which declare that the !
electoral law can never be changed !
without the consent of parliament it |
self. This breach of the constitution
is justified by the great law of neces-
sity, the advisers of the emperor hold |
ing it impossible, under present condi-
lions, to secure parliament capable
of cooperating tremendously with the
crown and rescuing Russia from an
archy and revolution.
The ukase is accompanied by a mani
festo setting forth the motives which
led the emperor to act. He adverts to
the dumas rejection of temporary
laws, its refusal to condemn terrorism,
the delay in ratifying the budget, the
revolutionary spirit Of a large portion
of its members, the abuse of the right
Of Interpolation, and the failure of the
duma to comply Immediately with the
demand for the exclusion of the 55 so
cial democratic members charged with
conspiracy.
These various evils are ascribed to
defects in the electoral law; conse-
quently the emperor decided to change
the basis of suffrage so that every
part of the Russian population should
be represented in the lower house. The
representation of the non-Russian ma
tionalities, the manifesto continues,
should be decreased in order to pre-
vent these delegates from becoming a
decisive factor in purely Russian ques-
lions and elections in the frontier re-
gions, where the standard of civic de-
velopment is low, should be temper
arily suspended.
These necessary changes in the
mode of elections cannot be submitted
to the duma, the composition of which
is unsatisfactory on account of the de-
fects in the election law itself, but to
the authority which granted the first
election law belongs the right to sub
stitute new basis of suffrage.
God entrusted us with imperial au-
thority over our people," his majesty
declares, "and before his throne we
must answer for the fate of the Rus
sian state. Conscious of this, we have
taken a firm resolution to bring to an
end the great task of the transforma-
ton of Russia begun by us and to
grant Russia a new electoral law, the
publication of which we entrust to the
ruling senate.
From our loyal subjects we expect
a hearty and unanimous service to the
fatherland whose sons ever have been
the fortress of her power, glory and
prestige. NICHOLAS"
Duma Resisted Arrests.
The dissolution of the Russian duma
followed the refusal of that body tc
permit the arrest of a number of its
members on the charge of conspiracy
against the state. 1t has been freely
predicted ever since the lower house
first met, March 5, that its dissolution
was only a question of time and the
many official denials never carried con
viction.
The history Of this duma, like its
predecessor, has been one of almost
constant clashes with the government
This, in spite of the fact that a con
sistent effort was made in some quar-
tiers to make the duma an effective
legislative body and that the govern
ment's program for legislation contain
ed number of reforms. The cabine
decided it would give parliament ever!
chance to justify its existence. Th'
deputies, however, are insistent on rad
ical changes, and their persistence re
suited in what amounts to a charge b,
the government that the duma was ;
shelter for conspiracy and treason.
The situation entered upon it's fina
phase when revolutionary member
went to London and took part in f;
congress which had for its avowet
purpose the upsetting of the throne o
the czar.