The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-11-22
RUSSlA'S FREEDOM.
Meeting Of zesns5vo Delegates
,4sx.A Stirs the Empire.
DECLARE FOR GENERAL AMNESTY.
sympathetic Demonstrations In Vnri-
Gus Parts of the CONVERSATIONAL
Parliament Necessary For
the People.

ST. PETERSBURG. Nov. 22.-Inter-
est in the meetings of the zemstvo rep
resentatives is intense. The war and
all other questions are temporarily for
gotten. Nothing else is talked of. Lib
erals from all parts of the empire are
fiocking hither, including many from
Poland and Finland.
The situation altogether is unparal-
leled. Nothing approaching such
gathering has ever before been per-
mtted in Russia. AS evidence of the
remarkable state of affairs it is sufii
ci9nt to mention that one of the most
prominent speakers on Sunday was NJ.
Petrunkeivitch of Tver, who spent
twenty-four years in exile and who
had only been allowed since Prince
SviatOpolk- Mirskys advent to come to
the capital.
The Zemstvo representatives adopted
declaration in favor of general am
nesty for political prisoners and eX-
lies.
Sympathetic demonstrations are re-
ported In various parts of Russia.
I'm order to secure the proper devel-
opment of the life of the state and the
people ii is imperatively necessary that
there be regular participation of ma
tional representatives. sitting as an eS-
pecially elected body. to make laws,
regulate the revenue and expenditure
and control the legality of the actions
of the administration"
The above is the final form of the
declaration of the Zemstvo representa-
tives in favor Of the election of IL body
not merely To participate in legislation,
as mt first reported, but 10 be intrusted
with the framing of the laws of the
empire.
The memorial setting forth the ne
cessity-of reform is all the more strik-
ing and impressive because the zemst-
vo presidents who signed il. while
elected by zemstvo organizations. are
confirmed by the government. The
signatories also included five marshals
of the nobility, the elections to which
offices are also confirmed by the gov
eminent
L
In a couple of days to the minister Of
the interior, Prince Sviatopolk- Mirsky.
by delegation composed Of Presidents
Shipoff, Petr,inkeivitch. Prince Lvoff,
Count Heider and Rodziansky, the
most prominent participants in the
meeting
The zemstvo meeting will now pro-
coed with the discussion of the re-
mainder of the programme, which d.
rectly concerns Zemstyo work. 1t con-
sists, first. of primary education; sec
ond. of the disorganization attendant
on mobilization; third, relief measures
for the families of those sent to war,
and, fourth, Red Cross work.
The following message, signed by
twenty-six prominent Finlanders, was
also received:
The undersigned. citizens of Fin
land, interested in the evolution of So
cial and intellectual life of Russia,
send their sincere and cordial saluta-
tons TO the ZemStvo representatives
assembled in 81. Petersburg to study
the general circumstances which pre-
vent regular development of Russian
life. Now that the government has
Just proclaimed confidence in the peo-
pie the development of their moral
intellectual and social forces is hence !
forth opened to the powerful, generous !
Russian genius