Note 9 — Chapter IX · WATCHING THE DUMA AT WORK

The Council of Empire was the upper house, composed of an equal number of elected and appointed members. The elected members were to represent the Zemstvos, the Holy Synod, the Universities, the Bourse, the nobility, and the landowners of Poland. Nominally, this Council of Empire, like the Duma, would be convoked and prorogued annually, and have equal powers. Every measure must have the sanction of both houses before it went to the Czar. As a matter of fact, the composition of the Council of Empire was so carefully made up that every liberal measure passed by the Duma was certain of veto in the upper chamber, and throughout the term of the first Duma the Council of Empire had practically nothing to do. Indeed it did not meet above four or five times.