The establishment of municipalities in Railway settlements by the Russians was not accomplished without difficulties. The Chinese wished to have special voice in the elections and to make conditions for the right to vote very easy. Had the Russians complied with Chin wishes, the Chinese—owing to their numerical strength—would have had a decided majority in the elections. Through the instrumentality of the former Russian Minister in Peking, M. Korostovetz, the rights of the Russians were duly protected and a compromise arrival at, All inhabit ants living in Railway settlements who pay taxes to an assessed value have the right to vote at Municipal elections, which take place every three years, There is no limit as to the number of candidates who present themselves for election in as ten groups, each of which pushes forward its own selected candidates, so that on Election Day from three to four hundred persons offer themselves, from which not less than forty, and not more than sixty, can be elected as members of the Assembly of Delegates of the Harbin Municipality.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.