The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-12-01
ZEMSTYOS GET HEARING
Gar Summons Four of the Leaders
and Listens to Them Explain
Their Position.

st. Petersburg, Nov. 29.-The uneX
pected may happen after all. The meet
ing of the Zemstvos, first Russian con-
gress,'' as it is now called, may indeed
work he Inauguration Of a new era
for Russia. Emperor Nicholas, the
initiator of the plan for universal dis
armament, may turn back upon the
reactionarles 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 Moe
COW NJ. Petrunkeivitch of Tever, M.
Rodzianko of Ekaterinoslav, and Count
Heiden, four prominent members of
the ZelnStVos congress Il listened at
length to their views. 1t develops that
when Minister Of the Interior Sviato-
polk NIirsky presented the ZenlStyos
memorial resolutions on November "a
the emperor was so deeply impressed
as we'll by the contents of the docu-
ments as by the character of the sign
ers that he Immediately expressed the
desire to personally receive a dcputa-
ton of four.
Went by Imperial Mandate.
) The zemstvoists therefore went to
. L sd SNJe-sSlS Ny tllilSllol III
AT their audience it is understood they
Explained fully their position and re-
fiterated the views expressed by the
memorial that the salvation of the en-
pire 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
and asked many questions. While it is
understood that he gave no Indication
of his purposes except the sympathy
he displayed, the d~eputation, when
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 n
amazement among the uncompromising
supporters of the old regime. Earlier
in the day the report was current that
an immediate effort of the zenlstvo
meeting would likely be the realization
of the plan for giving two elected zefn-
stVo representatives seats in the coun-
Gil of the empire.
Victories Sure, But Far Off.
One Of the prominent liberals who
participated in the congress declined
to share in the 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 enc He pointed
out that the declaration in the me-
mortal in favor of the abrogation of
special privileges and for the equality
of al 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 leyeling process which
would put the mujik on an equality
with them must be n~rejudicial to their
| personal interests. In no ether country
i'll the world except Russia would you
find men anxious tn make sacrifices for
aan ~aItruistic ideal. The same thing.
however happened WithSstae einancinAs
e z# H ~ hen ri ~ bles
the measure though TT meant prActac-
IaiiY ruin b i hem Igf#pnaIIyA