New-York tribune., 1905-11-22
ZEMSTV0S WITH WITTE.
LEAST OF MANY EVILS" ="
Leaders Say Cooperation 50ith the
Government Is Wdy to Liberty

Moscow, Nov. 21.-The sentiment of the
| zenstvo congress is veering distinctly to the
side of Count Witte. and it now seems probable
that large majority of delegates will favor
a resolution to come TO the assistance of the
government against the forces of revolution and
disorganization. though only because such ac-
ton is regarded by considerable faction as
the least Of many evils. Such leaders as NJ.
| Stchepkine, Of Moscow; Alexander Stakovitch,
! Michael Stakovitch, Prince Paul Dolgorukof
and Prince volkonsky of Riazan, who are
! among the most prominent in Russia, and
have the confidence of those engaged in the
reform movement, came out boldly at to-day s
| session and laid down plain truth that
| only through cooperation with the government,
| good or bad though it may be, lay the way
| to happy realization of the liberties promised
| by the imperial manifesto of October 80. NJ.
| Stchepkine said:
The people may call US Judases who have
sold ourselves to Count Witte. but we must
array ourselves with him in order TO make the
state douma an active force in which the peo-
pie will have confidence.
Even NJ Petrunkevitch, president of the Mos
COW Agricultural Society. whose exile TO Siberia
so ernbittered him against the bureaucracy that
he declared himself ready to join hands with the
Social Democrats in the douma if they would
lay aside for the present their economic theories,
insisted that the first duty of all parties now
was to unite so to restore tranquility and save
the fatherIand.
NJ. Codicheff, a lawyer Of st, Petersburg, how
ever attacked the government, which he termed
"a government of lies and said that no CO.
operation with it was possible until it purged
itself of it's falsehoods.
The presiding officer of the congress to-day
was Count Mukhanof, former marshal OF the
nobility of Chernigoff, who was dismissed from
his post for addressing telegram directly to the
Emperor.
This letter. regarding the needs of the people
lis majesty In marginal note characterized as
'inpertinent and tactless
The speech of Prince Paul Dolgorukoff was
one of the best delivered since the opening of
the congress Arguing in defence of resolu-
ton to the effect that the Cabinet Of Count Witte
could count on the support of many classes of
Russian society while putting into operation the
liberties Of constitutional regime based on the
Fmperor's manifesto of October 30, he warned
the congress against the present state OF revoiu-
tionary hysteria and declared that at this time,
when important creative work was in progress
it would be wrong to demand the immediate
removal of every timber of the foundation of
the Russian government. even though many OF
the blanks were admitted rotten. The min
istry Of Count Witte. which he compared to
commission in bankruptcy, was far from ideal.
but he said that it must he supported and sus-
tanned
The prince brought the congress to its feet
at the end of his speech by saying that no
matter who might be at the head of the gov
ernnlent the regime of the autocracy and the
bureau aucracy had now been relegated to the limbo
of 'Idiotic phantasies." al1uding TO the words
used by the Emperor in his answer to M Pc
trunkevitch, when, a decade ago at the reception
of the delegations from the zemstvos after the
coronation the Liberal from Tver warned his
majesty Of the necessity of convoking the repre-
sentatives of the people
Michael Stakovich. a marshal of the nobility
of Orel, appealed to the good sense OF the con-
gress. and referred to the example of the Fin
nish people, who were quietly awaiting the re-
forms promised them He said that the con-
gress. by proonging the opposition TO the gov
ernment, would fall the same error as the
bureaucracy. which had attached no weight to
force of public opinion directed against II, but
that by cooperating with Count Witte the
old rotten legal structure and the elabors ton Of
a constitution based on the Emperors mani
festo.
Alexander Stakovich brother Of the pre-
Cedfng speaker, said that Count Witte an
intelligent and ambitious man who would try |
to put into practice the principles of the mani
festo but that unless he were properly aided |
the court circles and be forced into the path of |
reaction. He advocated the convocatton as |
quickly as possible of a DOuma based on uni |
versaI suffrage and the dispatch of a deputation |
of ZeTnstvoists to St. Petersburg to advise and |
confer with Count Witte.