The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-12-02
zEmsTvos GET HEARING
Gar Summons Four of the Leaders
and Listens to Them Explain
Their Position.

st. Petersburg, Nov. 29.-The mex
pected may happen after all. h meet
ing Of the zemstvos, FIRST Russian con-
gress," as it is now called. may indeed
work the Inauguration of a new era
for Russia. Emperor Nicholas, the
initiator Of the plan for universal dis
Armament, may turn back upon the
reactionaries and crown his reign by
granting to his subjects the constitu-
ton which his grandfather had already
prepared when he fell by the hand OF
an assassin.
The basis of such a possibility is
the significant fact that late this after
noon the emperor received in the palace
at Tsarskoe-Selo, M. Shipoff of Mos
COW, NJ. Petrunkeivitch of Tever, NJ.
Rodzianko of Ekaterinoslav, and Count
Heiden. four prominent members of
the Zemstvos congress and listened at
length to their views. 1t develops that
when Minister of the Interior Sviato-
polk Mirsky presented the zemstvos
memorial resolutions on November "a
the emperor was so deeply impressed
as well by the contents of the docu-
ments as by the character of the sign
ers that he Immediately expressed the
tlon of four.
Went by Imperial Mandate.
ifTsarskoe-Selo by Imperial Command.
At their audience it is understood they
eXp1arned fully their position and re-
.iterated the views expressed by the
memorial that the Salvation Of the em,,
tpire from ruin by revolution lay in the
adoption of the general Ideas expressed
in the memorial. The emperor was
greatly impressed by what he heard
n asked many questions. While it is
understood that he gave no indication
OF his purposes except the sympathy
1Na on ~ t1D 90
they returned to ST. Petersburg, were
In high spirits. Naturally they declined
TO say anything for publication regard
ing the visit.
The news that the delegation had
been given an audience by the en-
peror spread like wildfre through the
city and created a tremendous sensa-
ton, rejoicing among liberals and
ama2ement among the uncompromising
supporters Of the old regime. Earlier
IN the day the report was current thai
an immediate effort of the Zemstvo
meeting would likely be the realization
of the plan for giving two elected zem-
stvo representatives seats in the coun-
eli of the empire.
Victories Sure, But Far Off.
One of the prominent liberals who
participated in the ngr declined
to share in he jubilation of some Of
his colleagues, and expressed the opin-
ion that victory was yet a long way
off, although he said he believed it was
sure to come in the end. He pointed
out that the declaration in the me-
mortal in favor of the ]aprogation of
special privileges and for the equality
of all classes before the law when it
became known throughout Russia was
bound to appeal strongly to the peas
antry. All the members of the con-
gress.' said he. ARE large landed pro-
prietors. A leveling process which
would put the mujik on an equality
with them must be %prejudicial to their
personal interests. In no other country
in the world except Russia would you
find men anxious to max sacrifices for
an altruistic ideal. The same thing.
however. happened with the emancipa-
ton of the serfs in the time of Alex
ande II, when many mobiles advocated
the measure, though it meant practice
ally ruin for them personality"