The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-26
Sensation Caused in Russia
 by His Action
VICTORY SEEMS TO BE NEAR
Emperor Is Greatly Interested In the Plans for Equality of Glasses Before the Law and
 Other Reforms.

St. Petersburg, November 26.-(2:50 a. m.)-The unexpected may happen after all. The meeting of the zemstyoists first Russian congress" as it is now called, may indeed work the Inauguration of new era for Russia. Emperor Nicholas the initiator of the plan for universal disarmament, may turn back upon the re- actionares and crown his reign by grant ing to his subjects tht constitution which his grandfather had already prepared when he fell by the hand of an assassin. The basis of such a possibility Is the insignificant fact that late this evening the emperor received in the palace at Tsarskoe-Selo. M. Shipoff of Moscow, M. Petrunkevtch of Lever, M. Rodzianko Of Ekaterlncstav and Count Il, Heiden, four prominent members of the zemstvo con gress, and listened at length to their views 1t developed that when Minister of the Interior Sviatopolk-MirslSy pre- sented the zemstvo memorial and reso- lutions the emperor was deeply impress ed as well by the contents of the docu- ments as by the character of the sign CTS, and that he immediately expressed a desire to personally receive a deputa- ,lon.
 Went By Imperial Command.
 The zemstvoists therefore went to Tsarkoe-Selo by imperial command. Al this audience it is understood they ex- plained fully their position and reiterated the views expressed by the memoria that the salvation of the empire iron ruin by revolution lay in the adoption ol the general ideas expressed in the memo rial. The emperor was greatly Impressed by what he heard, and asked many ques tions. While it is understood that h gave no indication of his purposes excep | the sympathy he displayed to the depu tatlon when they returned to St. Peters 1 burg they were in high spirits. Naturall | they declined to say anything for publ cation regarding the visit.
 The news that the delegation had bee given an audience by the emperor sprea | like wild fire through the city tonight an created a tremendous sensation, causin | rejoicing among liberals and amazemen among the uncompromsing supporters o the old regime. Earlier .n the day tn report was current that an immediat effect of the zemstvo meeting likely woul be the realization of the plan for givin two elected zemstvo representatives seat in the council of the empire,
 
 Victory Is Long Way of.
 One of the prominent liberals who par ticipated in the congress declined tonlgh to share in the equalization of some of hi colleagues and expressed the opinion tha victory was yet a long way off, althougl he said he believed it was sure to com in the end. He pointed out that tn declaration in the memorial in favor the abrogation of special privileges am for the equality of classes being the laV when 1t became known throughout Rus sia, was bound to appeal strongly to tn peasantry.
 "All the members of the congress, sal he "are large land proprietors. A leVel ling process which would put the Mu1l on an equality with them must be preju dicial to their personal interests. In n other country in the world except Rus sia would you find men anxious to max sacrifices for an altruistic ideal. The sam thing however. happened with the emar cipation of the seFfs in the time or Alex | ander IL, when many advocated tn measure though it meant practically rul for them personally.