Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-11-23

! questions are temporarily Aol Sot'~i'
Nothing else is talked of. Liberals from
all parts Of the empire are tiocklng hlther
including many from Poland and FIN
land. The hotel Hobbies are crowded,
almost resembling convention times IN
American cities. The permission granted
! by Interior Minister Syiatopolk- Mlrksy
was for an assembly Of 300.
The participants friends display COM
plete confidence in the protection afford
/ ed by the minister and his most out
/ spoken sentiments. The situation alto
gether is unparalleled. Nothing APP
! preaching such a gathering has ever be-
fore been permitted III Russia. AS EVIL
dence Of the remarkable state of affairs,
! it is sufficient to mention that one OF the
most prominent speakers yesterday was
| NJ. Petrunkehitch of Ever, who spent
! twenty-four years in exile and who had
only been allowed since Prince Syiato-
! polk Mrksys advent to come to the cap
ita..
Caution Is Urged.
Nevertheless the most able men in the
! assembly are counselling moderation and
are doing everything possible to prevent
! demonstrations which might compel inter-
| ference One of the strongest members
! of the conference said TO the Associated
| Press:
I'VE want to make our position plain
/ to the government, but we desire to avoid
/ every appearance of lawlesSness. L SIN
| cerely hope the meeting will be produc-
! tive OF great good. We hope and expect
! that all provincial and district zemstyos
will follow our lead and demonstrate to
the government that the voice of the ma
! ton is unanimous in asking for a direct
/ share in the government by the people,
! AT the meeting of the delegates today
section 8 of the memorial, by vote Of
| 100 to 3, was strengthened into Il prac-
! teal recommendation for parliament,
the language being changed to a specific
! declaration in favor of an elective body,
not to participate in legislation, but to
| make the cOuntry's laws. Sympathetic
! demonstrations are reported i'll various
parts of Russia.
| Car Must Decide.
| As result of the meeting of the
| the ZemStvos Emperor Nicholas must de-
| eide whether Russia shall have Il consti-
tuition and parliament in which the
! people will help enact the country's laws.
/ The supreme moment for the democracy
! TO shear the autOcracy Of much power
/ came when the government allowed the
! ZemStvo leaders to meet. Now that these
| men, the most able and influential in their
! provinces, have adopted memorial by a
! vote of IS to 10 to the effect that the
| nations safety hinges OF the abolition of
]
! believed, the Emperor may decide to give
! the people voice in the government.
If, however, the Emperor continues the
! present regime Of tyrannical rule it is
reared the time will soon come when Il
revolution will shake the empire.
People Breathless for Decision.
With breathless interest the Emperor's
] decision is awaited. The bold but calm
i memorial Of the Zemstvo representatives
is the talk of everybody, and this, too,
although not word about their meeting
! has been printed in a single newspaper
The speeches of the attendants at the
meeting are known widely also and these
plainly point out to the government that
progress is impossible while individual
liberty IS paralyzed, the freedom of con-
science and the press throttled and the
| people and rulers are estranged.
The meeting will be continued for sew
eral days, but meantime the memorial
and minutes adopted will be sent to
Prince Sviatopolk- Mirsky. for transmits
sion to the Emperor. What the result
Will be is a matter of speculation. But
IN case the Emperor does not heed the
! warnings the zemstvo presidents will re-
turn home and press their movement ev-
| eryWhere with vlgor, confident of winning
in time.
Recall Emancipation of Serfs.
A zemstvo banquet will be arranged
lOr december 4, the fortieth anniversary
! OIL the emancipation proclamation issued
by Alexander H., and on this occasion
speeches along the line of the memorial
Will be made. Later the zemstyos. which
are to meet December A. will be urged
TO adopt resolutions embodying a similar
programme of agitation
Ihe mere fact that meeting with
Such q programme was permitted in ST.
petersburg, although official auspices
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.
Think Autocracy May Yield.
4 parting of the ways is at hand ond
the autocracy, it would seem, must once
more choose whether the people shall be
| allowed a voice in the government. for
II is lnconceivable that it can allow acita,
| ton for conyocative elective body to
! decide whether the time has not come.
! in the language Of the memorial. "for q
specially elected body to participate in
legislation without the intention of
yielding.
Reactionaries of course, are Mortified
at the mere suggestion of anything an
preaching parliament or a constitution.
| All their power and influence already are
IN the scale, but no matter which way the
balance swings the decision is bound to
mark an epoch in Russias history.
Let World Hear Authoritative Voice
The actual participants in the meeting
are. far from hopeful, but they sincerely
believe the salvation of the country de-
Ponds upon the solution they have to offer
and have the satisfaction of knowing
that as representatives Of the most an.
thorltatve provincial institutions of the
empire they have for once spoken out
| their views and have taken measures ia
have them spread before the world as
we'll as the government which is ad.
| dressed. Fore one result it is sure to
give z tremendous impetus to the liberal
movement. With the country in the
throes of d great and hitherto unsuccess.
full foreign war and disturbed conditions
at home, the measure, which is aimed to
rouse united action, might override 9th
CT considerations.