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RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
4i
was a necessary condition for uniting them in one State
organism.
It appears, therefore, that the first Imperial Duma had
already in view decentralisation—namely, the granting of
Home Rule and of the inner administrations of the different
races inhabiting the Empire, upholding at the same time
the principle of political unity and the integrity of the
Empire. According to such constitution, the central
organisation of the Empire would have had to engage in interests
of an Imperial nature—for instance, military and naval
armament, national safety of the Empire from attack, the
relations between the different parts of the Empire,
international commerce, and imperial finance ; while the different
Home Rule administrations would comprise the laws and
administration referring to local interests only. The
observance of these principles makes it possible to administer the
different parts of the Empire in a more efficient way, giving
due consideration to the particular conditions prevailing
on the spot, and at the same time assuring to the central
organisation the possibility of devoting itself more
completely to the interests of the State as a whole. On broad
lines, such decentralisation is a primary condition for further
progress in Russia. Her safety and strength are not
impaired by a difference in the races belonging to her, if only
these latter are satisfied with the way they are treated by
the Central Power. As far back as thirty years ago, an
eminent Russian teacher of State Law, Professor Kapustin,
explained in a pamphlet which he wrote on the significance
of nationality that : " Nationalities live in peace with each
other if they enjoy freedom and self-government. They
become hostile to each other if they are subjected to tyranny,
persecution, and humiliation. Experience has taught that
the free institutions of a country produce nowadays a closer
touch between the different nationalities. Every
unnecessary administrative centralisation and interference paralyses
the power of social organisations. Any action by a State
which endeavours by sheer force to unify the different
elements of the population which cannot assimilate ethno-
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