Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1904-08-25
Gar Issues Manifesto.

OC' petersburg, august I4.-In6
czar today issued lengthy manifesto
on the occasion of the christening OF
the heir to the throne. It is intro
duced by the following message to the
people:
"By the will of God, we, the czar
and autocrat Of all the Russias, czar
of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland, etc.
announce to our faithful subjects that
on this, the day of the christening of
our son and heir, the Grand Duke
Alexis Nicholasevitch, following the
prOmptings Of our heart, we turn to
our great family of the empire and
with the deepest and most heartfelt
pleasure, even amidst these times of
national struggle and difficulties, be-
stow upon them some gifts of our roy
al favor for their greater enjoyment
in their daily lives"
The various benefits bestowed on
many classes are then enumerated at
length One of the most important
provisions relates to the entire abo.
lition Of corporal punishment among
the rural classes and its curtailment in
the army and the navy
The manifesto RENTS land purchase
areas, which affects one of the largest
classes of the population throughout
the empire and its benefits are also
extended to estates in Poland
The general provisions of the mani
festO include an allround reduction in
sentences for common-law Offenses. d
general amnesty for political offenses.
except in cases of murder, and the
education of the children of officers
and soldiers who have been victims
of the war, as well as assistance for
such families as need it whose bread.
winners have fallen in the service of
their country
The sum of $1,500,O00 is set apart
from the state fund for the benefit of
landless people Of Finland The fines
imposed on villages, towns or villas OF
Finland for failure to elect represen,
tatives or serve on the military re.
cruiting boards during the years 1902
and 1903 are remitted Permission is
granted to Firms who have left their
country without the sanction of the
authorities to return within a year
Those returning who are liable to mil
itary service must Immediately pre-.
sent themselves for service, but FINES
who have evaded military service will
not be punished, provided they pre-.
sent themselves within three months
Of the birth of the heir to the throne
Certain classes Of offenses, ex
Guiding theft, violent robbery and EN-.
beZzlement, are pardoned and the gov.
ernor general of Finland is directed
to consider what steps can be taken
to alleviate the lot of those forbidden
to reside in Finland.
Fines imposed on the Jewish com
munes in the cases of Jews avoiding
military service, are remitted.
Persons arrested for offenses pun.
ishable by fines, Imprisonment or con.
finement in fortress without loss OF
civil rights and who were still await
ing sentence at the time of the birth
of the heir to the throne are par.
doned.
Political prisoners who have dis.
tinguished themselves by good conduct
may, on the interposition of the min.
lister of justice, obtain the restitution
of their civil rights at the expiration
OF their sentences.
Persons guilty of political offenses
committed within the last Is years
who have remained unidentified will
no longer be subject to prosecution,
| while political offenders who are now
| fugitives abroad may apply to the min.
lister of the interior for permission to
return to Russia. The manifesto
concludes:
Given at Peterhoff on this, the 18th
day of August, 1904. Nicholas"
Voluntary Disarmament.
Paris, August 24.-There is reason
to believe that decision is about
to be taken providing for the volun.
tary disarmament of the Russian
cruiser Askold and the torpedo boat
destroyer Grozovoi, now at Shanghai,
and the Russian cruiser DIANA at Sal.
| gon This will be done primarily tc
avoid international complications, anG
will have the effect of reducing the
Russian strength by three strong units
but the Russian authorities consider
that this will be- Offset by the avoid
{ anca of tho ra1ssihla canf11ra OF the ves