Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-11-17
RUSSIA FACES
AN AWAKENING
Land of the Gar Faces Great
International
Crisis.
IT IS NOT REVOLUTIONARY
- Regarded as New. Broad and lib
eral Movement Bitter Struggle is
Being Waked for Imperial Support
by Opposing Factions. 90"

st. Petersburg, Nov. 14.-Russia Is
facing great international crisis,
which. In the minds of intelligent Rus
SLAMS, overshadows in Importance all
questions relating to foreign politics.
A new, broad and liberal movement
seems not only under way, but gain.
Ing momentum daily, and the best
feature of 1t is that it is entirely d.
vorced from any radical revolution.
airy propaganda. 'f
Prince Sviatopolk-Mirksy, minister
OF the interior, has given the move
ment impetus, but has done SO against
the most powerful influences, aud be-
hind the scenes a bitter struggle is
waging for imperial support. During
the coming week the first test OF
strength Is likely to occur, the result
or which may mean much for the his
tory Of Russia.
The policy Of reaction. which had
grown steadily since the accession of
Alexander III seemed suddenly to lose
Its main bulwark when Minister
Plehve fell. With the advent Of Prince
Sviatopolk-Mirksy and his frank ap-
peal for policy Of mutual confidence
between government and people, a
tremendous liberal rebound occurred,
raising, perhaps unjustly, high hopes
and aspirations. An American, en-.
joying absolute political freedom, can
hardly appreciate the full significance
OF what the changes that have occur.
red since Prince Sviatopolk- Mirsky's
inauguration means in the land of alb.
cntnfjSrN Tha pnS
CARDS Finland, il not reversed, has
been greatly amelforated, and the Fin.
nish national diet will meet next
month. Only Saturday prominent
FinlanGers who were exiled under the
Won Plehve regime received permits.
sion to return to their own country
or to go abroad If they desired to dc
So The oppressive activity Of the po
lice throughout the empire has been
largely relaxed. Punishment by al
ministrative order has been abolished.
hundreds OF political prisoners extled
to Siberia have been recalled, the
Jews have received assurances OF the
dawning of brighter day, the doors
have been thrown open at two of the
biggest trials proceeding in Russia
the Schaumann treason trial and the
Jewish trial at Gomel-and the meth
cd Of treating student demonstrations
has been radically change.
Persuasion is substituted for Cos
sack charges. But nowhere are the
changes SO marked as Ia the matter OF
the press. After years of strictest sen
sonship, Russian papers suddenly
found their voices within the last
fortnight and were remarkably
plain spoken in the discussion
off International affairs. especial
y in connection with the forth.
fantry an three hundren cavalry ap
representatives. Long accounts OF
the Schaumann and Gomel trials have
been printed. and even particulars OF
student demonstrations with resoull
tons offered at the Polytechnic insti
tute declaring that what was wanted
was not confidence burt an end of the
war and the immediate convocation Of
nation assembly
Such an unprecedented publication
made the Russian publicc rub its eyes
In amazement. Prince. Ouktomsky,
editor OF the Viedomosti, said to, the
Associated Press yesterday that never
within his memory had Russian news.
papers been allowed such liberties;
yet these things had been done quietly
and without public proclamation. AS
rule, he said, they had always been
modified. For instance, the old press
law Is stili hanging above the heads of
editors like the sword OF Damocdes.
The machinery of repression exists,
but is not In operation.
The enemies of the minister of the
Interior are now moving heaven and
earth to postpone the meeting of the
presidents of the thirty.eight provin-
cial zemstyos, which is scheduled for
next Saturday, and in the present cir.
eumstances some of the minister's
own friends are counseling him to al
low a postponement until January,
fearing that too radical expression
Of views in the agitation raised might
furnish too much ammunition for the
opposition.
NJ. Shipofr, president of the Moscow
zemstvo, who will preside at the meet.
ing. favors this temporizing policy. 1t
Is even reported that Prince Sviato-
polk-Mirsky Is wavering, though his
friends declare that this is untrue
The whole question will be ecided
by the emperor early in the week
Some Of the presidents already here
are excited over the possibility Of post
ponement, declaring that II the meet
Ing is formally postponed. 1t will be
held surreputiopsly. Undoubtedly
postponement would be a crushing
blow and create On exceedingly bad
impression. This is due to the fact
that the meeting has been clothed
with sentimental Importance hardly
justified by its actual powers. It is
purely unofficial without direct au-
thority to act. but 1t is the first time
Of an authorized assembling Of repre-
sentatives of the zemstvos from all
over Russia.
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