The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-09
Il Is Raised in Protest in Message to
the Gar

the Gar.
St Petersburg, June 9.=The voice
Of the delegates of the zemstvos and
of the municipalities demanding in no
uncertain tone the immediate cOnvo-
cation of d national assembly to pass
upon the question of peace or war to
heal internal strife and to unite the
people for the rejuVenation of Russia
viii be heard in the address adopted
by the all-Russian zemstvo congress
at Moscow which a deputatiOn headed
by Count Hayden and NJ. ShipOf is
bringing to present to the emperor.
The document bids fair to become his
tory. rIhe customary phrases of re-
spect at the opening and the closing
are omitted and it is otherwise uncere-
monlous, employing the direct per-
sonal DrOnoun.
The address arraigns the bu-
reaucracy and reminds the emperor
that his pledge to convoke a national
assembly, is slow of fuldllment.
1t says the country is on the verge
OF civil war and even ventures to CTiti-
else royal measure contrasting the
increase Of the police power by the
ukase issued last Sunday with a weak
ening of the administrative process
which the country had been led to
expect.
The address urges the summoning
OF national assembly that the wal
may become national or cease and
concludes with a solemn reminder OF
the sOyeretgn's duty to God and the
1atherland, and a prayer for action
before it is too s1ate.
There is intense interest to learn
whether the emperor will receive the
bearers Of so bold a message couched
in terms such as have never before
been used between the emperor anc
his subjects. The address is buttress-
ed with a stream Of petitions from in
dividual zemstvOs.
The dOumas of nearly all the prin-
cipal cities have addressed the throne
praying that the representatives of the
people be summoned at once.
The address is a lengthy document
from which the following are extracts
''Sire-Russia has been drawn int
disastrous war by criminal abuse!
and the negligence of your cOUnselors
our army is powerless and GU
fleet has been annihilated but NOR
menacing than this extreme peril i
the prospect Of civil war waged b.
your people against all the vices O
dangerous and ignorant bureaucracy.
Proceeding, the address declare
that the emperOr's reform intention
have been distorted and miscarried
while the police have been given unre
stricted power.
Martial law has been declared.
the address says, and the path to en-
able the truth to reach you is barre'
to your subjects.
"Sire. before it is too late for tn
welfare of Russia command a convo
cation of representatives Of the natiol
elected by equal franchise and lie
those elected representatives decid
with you the vital question of war o
peace. thus Transforming the war int
q national one
Let them establish an agreemen
with you, a renovated national organ
fzatiOu.
"Sire-Do not delay. Great is you
responsibility before God and befor
Russia. in this terrible hour of nation
al trial.
The address will not be published i
the newspapers but its contents wi
be spread with the mysterious rapidit
characteristic of Russia.
Throughout the address the wor
majesty is not used and there is nc
a single conventional expression c
loyalty.