Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1305

 CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT 1183

sanction by the President of the Council of the Empire. The members of both institutions will have the privilege of personal immunity during the session. They will only be liable to arrest with the permission of the Duma or the Council of the Empire, as the case may be, except in cases of flagrant offences or offences committed in the exercise of their duties. The Ukases further provide that bills rejected by the Tsar cannot be brought forward again in the course of the same session, while Bills rejected by one of the legislative bodies cannot be brought forward again without the Imperial consent. The first Duma, after sitting from April 27 (May 10), 1906, was dissolved on July 9 (22), 1906. The second Duma, after sitting from February 20 (March 5), 1907, was dissolved on June 3 (16), 1907. The third Duma, after sitting from November 1 (14), 1907, arrived at the term of the legislation in 1912. The fourth Duma has been sitting since November, 1912.

Duma: Right, 63 ; Nationalists, 124 ; Octobrists, 95 ; Progressives, 15 ; Constitutional Democrats, 59 ; Travaillistes, 10 ; Social Democrats, 16 ; Poles, 16 ; Independents, 16.

The administration of the Empire is still entrusted to great boards, or councils, possessing separate Junctions.

One of the great colleges or boards of government is the Ruling Senate or ' Pravitelstvuyushchiy Senat,' established by Peter I, in the year 1711. The functions of the Senate are partly of a deliberative and partly of an executive character. To be valid a law must be promulgated by the Senate. It is also the high court of justice for the Empire. The Senate is divided into six departments or sections, which all sit at St. Petersburg, two of them being -Courts of Cassation. Each department is authorised to decide in the last resort upon certain descriptions of cases. The senators are mostly persons of high rank, or who fill high stations ; but a lawyer of eminence presides over each department, who represents the emperor, and without whose signature its decisions would have no force in the ple7iii,mt or general meeting of several sections, the Minister of justice takes the chair. A special department is entrusted with disciplinary judgments against officials of the crown.

Another is the college, established by Peter I. in the year 1721, the Holy Synod, and to it is committed the superintendence of the religious affairs of the Empire. It is composed of the three metropolitans (St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Kiev), the archbishop of Georgia (Caucasus), and several bishops sitting in turn. All its decisions run in the emperor's name, and have no force till approved by him. The President of the Holy Synod is the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, Yladimir. The General Procurator, Actual Privy Councillor Sailer.

A third board of government is the Committee of Ministers, reorganized by a decree of October 19 (November 1), 1905.

The fourth board of government, the most important since the decree for its reorganization issued October 19 (November 1), 1905, is the Council of Ministers. It consists of all the ministers, and of the general directors of the most important administrations.

The president of the committee and of the Council of Ministers, Actual Privy Councillor, Minister of Finance, Kokovtseff, appointed President, September 24, 1911.

The ministries and the most important administrations are : —

1. Ministry of the Imperial House and Imperial Domains. — Minister General IV. Freedcricksz, aide-de-camp of the Emperor ; appointed 1898.