The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-21
BETTER DAY FOR
COMMON PEOPLE
Downfall of Bureaucracy in
Russia Seems at Hand.
DEPENDS UPON EMPEROR
zEMsTvo BRINGS MATTERS TO A
FOCUS.


FOCUS.
St. Petersburg, Nov 2O.-The zem-
stvo representatives. meeting today
adopted the remainder OF the memorial
almost literally as cabled to the Asso-.
csated Press yesterday and besides
considered several supplementary
articles providing for practical Co
operation of the Zemstvos in the Red
cross work and for extension of school
facilities. TIE vote on the question of
the adoption of the memorial stood IS
to TO- The meeting probably will be
continued several days. The memorial
and minutes Of the meeting viii be sent
TO Prince Sviatopclk-Mirsky for trans
mission to the emperor. What the re-
suit win be is a matter Of speculation,
but the men who have participated in
this meeting are in most cases the
most influential and able men in their
respective provinces and are resolved
to press the movement everywhere with
the greatest vigor.
Banquet to be Given.
A Zemstvo banquet will be arranged
for Dec. 4, the fortieth anniversary OF
the emancipation proclamation issued
by Alexander III and on this occasion
speeches along the line of the memorial
will be made. Later the Zemstvos
which are to meet on Dec. IA will be
urged to adopt resolutions embOdying a
similar programme of agitations.
The governments attitude is awaited
with GREATNESS interest. The mere
fact that a meeting with a programme
was permitted, although official aus
pices were denied it, is Unprecedented;
but the vigorous character of the
memorial adopted and the resolution to
push the agitation must compel the
government TO act. A parting of the
ways is again at hand and the auto
cracy, it would seem, must once more
choose whether the people shall be al
lowed q voice in the government, for IT
is inconceivable that it can allow an
agitation for cOnvOcatiVe elective
body to decide whether the time has not
come. in the language of the memorial,
"for a specially elected body to par
ticipate in legislation" without the in
tention of yielding.
Bureaucrats Mortified.
Reactionaries. of course. are horri-
fed at the mere suggestion of anything
approaching a parliament or a consti-
tuition. All their power and influence
already are in the scale; but no matter
which way the balance swings the de-
cision is believed to mark an epoch IN
Russias history.
The actual participants in the meet
ing here are far from hopeful; but they
sincerely believe the salvation of the
country depends on the solution they
have to offer. and have the satisfaction
of knowing that as representatives OF
the most authoritative provincial insu-
buttons of the empire they have Tor
once spoken out their views and taken
measures to have them spread before
the world as well as the government
which is addressed. For one result, it
is sure to give d tremendous impetus to
the liberal movement. With the coun-
try in the throes of a great and
hitherto unsuccessful foreign war and
disturbed conditions at home, the
measure which is aimed to rouse united
action might overrule other cOnsidera-
items.
Emperor Wavering.
The Associated Press has heard that
recently the emperor has spoken much
Of NJ Whites famous memorandum,
written just before his fan, on the
ACCESSIBILITY of yielding the people a
voice in the government.
One thing which must commend itself
strongly to the emperor is the fact that
the memorial represents the view of
able and moderate men who have no
sympathy with revolution. They have
taken particular pains to discourage
the student demonstrations which were
planned for Saturday and Sunday in
trent of the Kazan cathedral. and none
occurred
Not a single word about the meeting
has been printed in the newspapers
here and yet the news has spread
everywhere and created a tremendous
stir and today was almost the sole
topic of discussion in st. Petersburg
While the Associated Press is not at
liberty to give a detailed report of the
speeches. it is able to summarize the
chief points Of the discussion preceding
the adoption of the Zemstvos memo
randum.
1.-The chief characteristic Of Russia 5
existence is complete enlargement of
rulers and people due to the lack of
mutual confidence. This condition has
been intensified during recent years
and has been especially noticeable dur
ing the outbreak of the war. which dis
closes the true internal condition Of the
country.
Truth is Not Known.
Under the existing condition Of af-
fairs the government has no means OF
knowing the truth about the country.
and is 50 reduced to act upon what it