Russia's Second Douma by The Public

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Dec 12, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 48.

Russia's Second Douma.

By The Public

When the emperor dissolved the first Douma in July, he announced March 5, 1907 as the date for the second Douma. It is now reported that the government has fixed on December 30 for the elections of the new Douma. A circular has been sent to the various provincial governors, advising them of this decision, and instructing them to bend all their efforts to secure the election of government candidates. "Government candidates" are understood to mean at least "Regenerationists," and Constitutional Democrats are to be defeated. In view of the elections, doubtful points in the election laws are receiving governmental interpretation. Only actual resident houseowners will be counted as peasant electors. Persons of peasant origin, who are no longer residents of the villages will not be permitted to vote. This will exclude educated leaders of the peasant group, like Alladin and Annikin, who have been considered to be peasants, no matter how long they have been absent from the paternal village. Such educated peasants are usually extremely radical. The new rulings will also disfranchise sons who are not heads of households, even if they have passed the qualifying age of twenty-five. Thus in several ways the peasant suffrage will be restricted. Exiles will be held ineligible to stand as candidates. A similar ruling before the last Douma would have barred several prominent members. As a further limitation of the activity of leaders of the Alladin type, who travel from village to village educating the peasantry, Premier Stolypin has ordered the local authorities to prohibit non-residents from speaking at, or participating in, ante-election meetings in the cities or villages.—The Public.