Ambassador Meyer to the Secretary of State .
St. Petersburg , March 14, 1906.
Sir: I beg leave to report that an imperial manifesto dated the 6th instant announces that in the future the Council of the Empire will consist of an equal number of elective members and members nominated by the Emperor. It will be convoked annually by an imperial ukase at the same time with the Douma. The two assemblies will have equal legislative powers and each can exercise the same initiative in introducing bills or interrogations. Every bill must be passed by both houses before being sent to the Tsar for his signature and approval. The elected members of the Council will be eligible for nine years, a third being reelected every three years.
This reorganized Council will be limited to 196 members, of which 98 will be elective (18 to be chosen from the nobles, 50 from the county council or the assembly of the zemstvo of each government, 6 members from the Orthodox Church, 6 from the representation of the universities. 12 from the representatives of the council of commerce [Page 1252] and industry, and 6 from the representatives of the landed proprietors in Poland), thus showing an evident attempt to give an apportionate representation in the upper house to the various classes of society.
If, during the adjournment of the Council and Douma, extraordinary matters should arise, the Council of Ministers may lay the questions before the Tsar for immediate action. If, however, when the Douma reassembles the aforesaid action is not embodied in a bill within two months, it ceases to be in force. All members of the Council must have reached the age of 40 and have received an academical degree. The president and vice-president will be appointed by the Tsar, and the elective members will be paid 25 roubles per day during the session. Bills rejected by either house can not be brought up again during the same session. The same regulation applies to bills vetoed by the Tsar.
I have, etc.,