The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-03-31
'CzAR'S LAW COULD
NOT Be ENFORCED
a---sza-a-s
Russian Ministers OF State Over.
rule Their Ruler.
STEP TOWARD DEMOCRACY
Rejected Law Was Cause Of Student Uprising
TOlsiOl Seuds Gar Appeal Against
Horrors Perpeirsisd 10 His
Name.
STEP TOWARD DEMOCRACY

NEW YORK. March 3O.-Prlnce Peter
A. kropikln. tho famous Russian an
afchlst. was in this city at the Gerard
Hotel last night.
The lirst effective blow has been dealt
to auiocracy In Russia" said Prince
kroplhn. In discussing the affairs OF
his country. II has been struck With
IN the past fortnight, The ministers OF
ksIaie have notified the czar that law
he promulgated could not be enforced.
This is the FIRST tine Il has eyer been
Gone II marks the first step In the
ntogress that viii eventually make Of
Russia a fe eleril government, such as
" that Of the United states.
This law u the emperor's was the
cause Of the recent student uprising in
~ Pe.crsburg The trouble an arose
GU Of IN incident a; tho University of
/ KEN 4 student had become unpleas-
antly Involved in some scandal there and
The other students held meetings 10 de-
eide what should be done TO protect
their frllow-siudent from notorlvty. The
lean u the university arrested a num-
Der Of students and the matter was re.
ported 10 the minister OF public in
sIructlon. who took {, all to the czar,
The czar Is an irresponsible, not
very clever, Young man. and he prompt
ly Issued an order according Ia which
All students who participated In meet
lngs of any kind will be at once sent
to the army for service OF two or three
years as the case may be. At the pres
eni time the 1900 university students
u the empire are exempted from army
duty.
Under this new law. lS3 students
from the University Of Kleff have been
sent to The army. The new law Is un-
constitutional. FOR. while the czar may
caiSe a law to be made In one OF two
ways. the old law must b. repealed be-
fore a new law Is made. The old law
excmpts students from army service.
II has not been repealed and the min
listers u state were not consulted in the
formation OF the present obnoxious
decree.
Il have letter from a woman OF high
rank In Russia in which che Gays tha;
the public prosecutor at Kien. the gem
eral Of the gendarmesanda milltarygen-
eral who belongs TO the commission ap-
n In a memorial 10 the car in which
they say that II is impossible to con-
dern young men in this ruthless fash
ion. The ministers OF state have also
taken up the subject They have in
formed the czir that his law cannot
De enforced. His decree will not be
repealed but the execution Of It will not
be attempted, and the Kleff students
VIII be quietly released, It Is the first
slime In the history Of Russia that the
czar has ever been overrIdden,"
Prince Kroptkin said that he does not
think the ear should be killed.
"I believe the greatest foe to auto
cracy in Russia today is Nicholas H.,
he said. He is so stupid that he will
make many mistakes, Every one OF
those mistakes will weaken his power
and the power of the throne. If |
thought that he should be killed be-
lieve | should do my best to kill him.
do not believe in asking some one
else to TO what you would not do your
self"
Prince Kroptkin said he did not be-
lieve the czar was responsible for the
calling Of The Hague peace conference.
He sail he thought the pope was at
the back Of the whole movement.
"The pope had a great friend at the
Russian court" said the prince, 'in the
person Of Tobiedonostzw, one OF the
c2ars ministers. The pope did not |
think Emperor William a suitable per-
son to call the conference, so, through
his friend, he prevailed upon the czar
to call IT.
Prince Kroptkin says letters that have !
come To him from Russia are to the