The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1905-06-06
Promotion of Tre-
pof Stirs Up
Tempest.
Ministers Resign as
Protest Against I'm
perial Ukase.
Late Governor General of st.
Petersburg Now Absolute
Dictator in Russia.

ST. PETERSBURG. June 8. s:Os a m.-
Emperor Nicholas ukase virtually Great
ing Governor General Trepoff dictator has
given rise to mighty sensation. 1t is
the imperial recognition of the crisis ia
the internal affairs of Russia and in
stinctively recalls the step taken by the
Emperor's grandfather, Alexander III, i'm
mediately after the attempt to blow up
the Winter Palace IN 1880, when he ap-
pointed a commission of public safety.
headed by General Loris-M -Melikoff, except
that the position OF General Trepoff viii
be more analogous to that occupied by
Loris-Melikoff when. later in the same
year, he was appointed Minister of the
Interior. with full control of the police
Reaction and repression" doubtless will
be the quick Interpretation put upon the
Emperor's act as soon as it becomes
known to the Liberals. Buried in the col
umns of the Oficial Messenger and COM
ing almost without warning, the ukase is
not yet generally known, but to the in
itiated the future OF Constantine Petro-
witch Pobyedonostseffs chief procurator OF
the holy synod looms large. Behind the
scenes the old man remains as stern and
as uncompromising as ever. He left what
many believed to be his deathbed last
Thursday and went to Tsarskoe-Selo,
where he spent almost the entire day with
his Majesty.
POWER OF POBYEDONOSTSEFF.
The decision to place in the hands OF
the strongest executive in Russia. which
1repoff is universally recognized as be-
ing, the power to crush with an iron
grasp the political agitation which has
brought Russia almost to the brink of
revolution, according to public belief. is
the fruit Of PobyedOnostseff's visit, for so
far as can be learned, not a single one
- -
secret
The ukase came Ike a bolt from a
clear sky. BauliEan, Mfnfster OF the
Interior, could not face the humiliation
and Immediately resigned. and IL Ia rot
improbable that other Ministers viii
follow suit. IL is rstmOred In the city
that Count IamsdOrff, the Foreign Min
lister, has already placed his resigna-
tion In the hands of the Emperor aud
that he VIII he succeeded by aIuravieH.
former Minister of Justice and now
EmbassadOr at Rome. Admiral AIexfeH
has also demanded the acceptance OF
his demissiOn.
To find a precedent for the resignation
of a Minister as a protest against impe-
rial action it is necessary to go back to
the designations of Ministers Loris- Nell
koff. Milutin and Ignatieff. when. after
the assassination of Alexander II. Alex
ander III repudiated the liberal policy OF
his father by issuing his famous mani
festo affirming the maintenance of the
autocracy and of orthodoxy, which stirred
the chancellOries of Europe to their
depths and marked the beginning of the
reactionary policy that has lasted until
the present liberal agitation was begun.
Sturmer, an extreme reactionary. who be-
longs to the Won Plehwe school. 1t Is re-
ported at this writing, will succeed NJ.
Bouligan as Minister OF the Interior. but
it matters little who may succeed to that
portfolio. as its holder viii be q subor-
dinate to General Trepoff In all matters
affecting politics
In spite OF the popular Interpretation.
however that Trepoff's appointment
means repression and reaction to the Bit
ter end. the latter conclusion by no means
follows, as 1t was under Loris-Melikoff's
dictatorship that the reform programme
OF Alexander II was worked out. The
same thing may prove true In this case.
Indeed, among the contradictory runors
which are current in the city one Is that
the ukase will be completed with the i'm
mediate calling Of Zemsky Sober. but
nothing is definitely known. and the En-
peror's most influential friends are not
aware as to what stand he will take.
Whatever he may do, it is now apparent
that the Emperor has decided that the
hands Of the Government shall no longer
be forced by political agitation. and that
the legislative assembly shall bear the
hall mark OF imperial fashioning, and not
that of popuar clamor.
The decision of the Emperor was un-
doubtedIy precipitated by the Russian
disaster in the Sea of Japan. as liberals
and radicals everywhere were preparing
TO make the bast possible use Of it in fur
thering their wishes.
MEANS CONTINUANCE OF WAR
The Government also will be threatened
with peace demonstrations, the first OF
which was to have been a big meeting
Of Zemstvoists at Moscow to-day. which
General Trepoff. as his first act. prohib-
tied.
On the surface OF things. therefore. It
looks ominously like the placing Of Ire
poff at the helm to deal with the internal
crisis which the determination to pursue
the war Is apt to cause. Indeed. there
are rumors that a general mobilization
has already been decided upon and that
the appointment of Trepon was made so
as to enable the Government to carry it
out. It Is dangerous to forecast the re-
suit of the change IN the situation.
As long as there was vent for escaping
steam in congresses and assemblies. pres