The San Francisco call., 1904-11-21
FearlessneSs of Zemstyo
Representatives Brings the
Muscovite Nation to the
Parting of the Ways
MARKS AN EPOCH
IN SLAV HISTORY
Sweeping Reforms Asked For
May Not Be Granted Now,
but the Liberal Movement
Is Given Great Impetus

ST. PETERSBURG, Nov. 20.-The
zemstvo representatives meeting to-
day adopted the remainder of the me-
mortal to the Government, and, be-
sides, considered several supplement
tary articles providing for practical
cooperation of the Zemstvos in the
Red Cross work and for extension of
school facilities. The vote on the
question of the adoption of the me-
mortal stood SS to 10. The meeting
probably will be continued several
days. The memorial and minutes of
the meeting will be sent to Prince
Sviatopolk Mirsky for transmission to
the Emperor. What the result will
be is a matter of speculation, but the
men who have participated in this
meeting are in most cases influential
and able in their respective provinces
and they are resolved to press the
movement everywhere with the great
est Vigor.
A Zemstvo banquet will be arranged
for December 4, the fortieth anniver-
sary of the emancipation proclama-
ton issued by Alexander II, and on
this occasion speeches along the line
of the memorial will be made Later
December IA, will be urged to adopt
resolutions embodying similar pro-
gramme of agitation.
The Governments attitude is await
ed with breathless interest. The mere
fact that a meeting with a programme
was permitted, although official aus
plces were denied it, is unprecedented; /;
but the vigorous character of the me-
mortal adopted and the resolution to
I nllSh the agitation or the
Government to act. A parting of the
ways Is again at hand and the au-
tocracy. it would seem, must once
more choose whether the people shall
be allowed a voice in the Government,
for 1t is inconceivable that il can al
low an agitation for a convocative
4 ele ective body to decide whether the
time has not come, in the language of
/ the memorial, for an especially elect
ed body to participate in legislation, =
without the intention of yielding.
EPOCH IN RUSSIAN HISTORY.
Reactionaries, of course, are horri-
fed at the mere suggestion of anything
! approaching a Parliament or a con-
stitution. All their power and infiu-
ence already are in the scale; but
| no matter which way the balance
! swings, the decision is believed to
mark an epoch in Russia's history.
! The actual participants in the meet
! ing here are far from hopeful. but they
/ sincerely believe the salvation of the
/ country depends on the solution they
! have to offer. and have the satisfaction
! of knowing that as representatives of
the most authoritative provincial insti-
| tutions of the empire, they have for
| once spoken out their views and taken
measures to have them spread before
! the world, as we'll as the Government
/ which is addressed. For one result. it is
= sure to give a tremendous impetus to
/ the liberal movement With the country
/ in the throes of great and hitherto
unsuccessful foreign war and disturbed
/ conditions at home, the measure which
| is aimed to rouse united action might
/ overrule other considerations.
Recently the Emperor has spoken
much of Whites famous memorandum,
written just before his fall, on the ad-
visibility of yielding the people voice
in the Government
self strongly to the Emperor is the fact
! that the memorial represents the view
! of able and moderate men, who have
no sympathy with revolution. They
have taken particular pains to dis
courage the student demonstrations
| which were planned for Saturday and
! Sunday in front of the Kazan Cathe-
GIST OF THE SPEECHES.
While the press is not at liberty to
give a detailed report Of the speeches,
ii is able to summarize the chief points
of the discussion preceding the adop-
! ton of the Zemstvo memorandum.
The chief characteristic of Russia's exist.
euce is complete estrangement of rulers anc
people due to the lack of mutual confidence
This condition has been intensified during re
I10u ~toII-
able since the outbreak of the war, which dis
closed the true internal condition of the coun.
! Under the existing condition the Govern
ment has no means of knowing the truth about
the country and what the people need, and is
| 50 reduced to act upon what it thinks is bes
| for the people. But such action only makes
matters worse and leads to blunders and con
tinued estrangement. The trouble Is the people
are excluded from any part in the Govern
| ment. Instead of encouraging self-reliance. we
foster tutelage by centralizing power in tn,
pecaly noticeable in cities where the state Of
! siege. renewed from year to year, permits ar
bitrary rule. suspension of law and interference,
J with elective assemblies yet now we are prom
ised great increase Of the already wide au
thority of provincial Governors. All this de
| stroys the feeling OF safety and exercises
disintegrating influence upon all branches O
| national activity Progress Is impossible. 81
| long as bureaucracy blocks the guarantee o.
! personal rights thereby paralyzing the very
essence of individual initiative, The absence o.
freedom of conscience, speech and press are
prime factors in the estrangement OF rulers anC
/ people.
| Restrictions bear grievously upon classes al
! well as the masses. intensity discomfort wal
| acts and opinions of the ruling spheres, foster
! ing irresponsbility and arbitrariness.
| Bureaucracy promotes religious intolerance
! muzzles the press and stiles freedom of speecI
| in order to give specious appearance of solid
ity to the structure of the state The bureau
| cracy's efforts to imprison the peoples minds
inevitably leads to brute force. We want
free and independent administration of justic,
| as an essential safeguard against this con
slant eneroachment upon the life and libert!
| of the individual.
No real reform is possible without equalitl
| of all individuals before the law. For thi
| reason peasants must be rescued from thei
| present condition of servitude and granite,
! equal rights with other classes of the comruu
! nifty. Peasants must be given the widest shar
/ in local government by the creation of a small
| Zemstvo unit and the Zemstvo system be thor
oughly revised so to bring it into close
contact with the people.