The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-22
MUST ASSIST IN GOVERNING zemStVOS Propose National
 Parliament.
 S- AMNESTY ALSO URGED  The Freeing of Political Pris-
 OnerS is Urged. Other Matters Yet to be Considered By the Conference Which is Now Being. Held in st.
 Petersburs.

St. Petersburg, Nov. 21.--In order to
 secure the proper development of the life of the State and the people, 1t is
 imperatively necessary that there be regular participation of national rep-
 resentatives, sitting as an especially
 elected body to make laws, regulate the
 revenue and expenditure and control
 the legality of the action of the admin
 istration, was the declaration of the
 Zemstvo representatives in favor of the
 election of body not merely to par.
 ticipate In legislation as at first report
 ed. but to be entrusted with the fram-
 ing of the laws of the Empire. The meeting today also adopted a
 declaration in fsvor of granting gener- al amnesty 10 politieal offenders im- prisoned Or exiled by administrative or der.
 This completed program declaring the necessity of the participation by the people in the Government was signed by 102 Zemstvo presidents, including thirty presidents of provincial zemstvo committees out of thirty-two who had attended the meeting. Two other pro- vincial zemstvo committee presidents | from Olonetz and Perem were unable to be present because of the remoteness of the provinces. olonetz having no railroad communication with St. Pe- tersburg, and Perem being on the
 southern confines of the Urai noun tains
 Two Not Present. The two who did not sign the me- mcrial were not present when the sig natures were called for. They repre-
 sent the provinces of St. Petersburg and Kherson.
 This document, setting forth the ne- cessity of reform, is all the more strik- ing and impressive because the zemstvo presidents who signed 1t. while elect ed by Zemstvo organizations, are cons firmed by the Government The sigma tories also included i've marshals of
 the nobility, the elections to which of fees are also confirmed by the Gov ernment.
 The memorial will be presented with in a couple of days to the Minister of the Interior, Prince Sviatapolk- -Afirsky, by a delegation composed of Presidents Shipoff, Petrunkeivitch, Prince lvon, Count Heider and Rodziansky, the most prominent participants in the meeting. The Zemstvo meeting will now pro- ceed with the discussion of the re- mainder, of the program which, al-
 though 1t directly concerns zemstvo work. Is of minor importance. It con- sists, first. of primary education; se- cond. of the Reorganization attendant on mobilization. a paper on which sub feet will be read by M. Stakhovile, Marshal of the Nobility of Orel; third, relief measures for the families of those sent to war and fourth. red cross
 work.
 Many Messages Received. The meeting has been flooded with proclamations from radical organiza- tions one of which. coming from social revoIutionaries, offered support If the Zemstvos upheld the principles of the memorial thad adopted. The follow | ing message. signed by twenty-six
 prominent Finlanders, was also rees- iYed:
 'arhe undersigned citizens of Fin | land. Interested in the evolution of soc- ial and intellectual life of Russia, send tffeir sincere and cordial saluta- l tions to the Zemstvo representatives assembled in St. Petersburg to study the general circumstances which pre- vent the regular development of Rus 1 sian life. Now that the government has proclaimed confidence in the peo-
 pIe. the development of their moral, in- | tellectuaI and social forces is. hence l forth opened to the powerful, general Russian genius. We wish you com n1ete success in your work of peace | ana concord, and hope it win rebound
 to the glory and happiness of your
 country