Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-11-03

Peasants, Progressives. Cadets, Labor
Members, Social Democrats, Social
Democratic Minority party
while thus disunited, the duma
was weak But things began to as
sumo a very different aspect when
Miliukov, leader of the Cadets. and
Guchkov, leader Of the Octobrists
working together succeeded in form
ing what was called the Progressive
bloc They combined all the parties
in the preceding list except the first
three and the last two. Then for the
first time. the government was faced
by a duma with the power OF making
itself felt The majority enjoyed by
the Progressive bloc was absolutely
Overwhelming
Serious Program Planned.
The next stage in the story was
the result Of the peculiar character
of the Russian politician No soon
er do any two Russians agree ON any
thing than they sit down to draw up
a platform or program, dealing not
only with the matterin hand but eX-
tending far afield to all the subjects
upon which they are able to agree.
SO with this Progressive bloc. No
sooner had the constituent parties
agreed to unite for their work in the
duma than, in spite of the fact that
every man was solely concentrated on
doing what should be done for the
Winning of the war, they met to
elaborate a serious program which
should show all the subjects on which
they were agreed They produced a
program embodying about dozen
points, including such untimek mat
tiers as the reform Of the Hemstvos
or municipal councils, broadening
of the electoral franchise. recognition
of trade unions, and the establish
ment of ministry not recruited from
the ranks of officialdom
1T is obvious that the few points
noted are enough TO constitute the
widest possible reformation in the
Russian system of government. Lead
ers of the bloc have since declared
that they did not mean this program
as anything but a statement OF 'ulti-
mate hopes. and that for the moment
they were content to concentrate
their attention on matters Of war
legislation. But the publication Of
the program gave the conservative
governing classes a tremendous shock
and officialdom took the opportunity
to say look what these people are de-
termined to do under cover of the
national emergency.
premier GoremyNn, who was one
Of those greatly aroused by the pro-
gram. rushed off to the ear and OBJ
tanned a decree Of prorogation, as
reply to what he believed to be a
threat against his official existence
1t is said that when he laid the de-
cree before his colleagues of the caoi-
net, they all, with the exception OF
one man, sided against him, but there
lay the cars order on the table, and
the thing was done, the enraged du-
ma being politely told that it had
successfully accomplished its destiny
But for the patriotism Of the
members the result might have been
chaos For time Miliukov threat
ened that all members of his party
would resign from their positions on
the committees formed for dealing
with questions Of munitions and other
war matters. This would have been
an Indictment from above to a gen
eral and disastrous strike MillukoV
was fortunately made to see the dan
ger of ii, and the leaders Of every par
tv set themselves to preventing any
disturbance.
The story is not yet finished, The
duma has learned its power II has
also perhaps learned the virtue oil
tact"