The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1905-03-04
RUSSIA'S FREEDOM.
Gear Takes a Step Toward
Popular Government.
PEOPLES RIGHTS TO BIZ RECOGNIZED
~ Am willing" Said Emperor Nich-
oias, "to Shed My Blood For My
PeopIe"-Emperor VIII Hear
Elected Representatives.

ST. PETERSBURG, March Ain the
Alexandra palace at Tsarskoe-Selo, sur,
rounded by the ministers and few
members Of the court and with the
empress at his side, Emperor Nicholas
I has affixed his signature TO resLript
containing his majesty's decree to give
elected representatives of the people
an opportunity to express their views
in the preparation Of the laws Of the
empire.
This Is the autocracys final response
to the agitation In favor Of 'partlcipa-
ton by the people In government which
has brought Russia In the last few
months almost TO the brink of revolu-
ton. Its import must not be mlsun-
derstood. For the present at least 1t
involves no change In the regime Of
autocracy, and II means neither con-
stitution nor national assembly. At
the same time II recognizes the prin-
clple of the peoples right to be heard
regarding laws under which they must
live. Whatever the result may be the
document is sure to mark an epoch in
Russian history as important If not
more important than the signing OF the
emancipation manifesto. the twenty
fourth anniversary Of which 1t was in
tended to signalize.
The signing OF the document came at
the end of dramatic scene, the eli
max Of which was an impassloned
speech by Emperor Nicholas TO his min
isters in which he declared that he
sought only the welfare of his sub
jects.
II am willing the emperor said, ito
she'd my blood for the good OF my peo
pie"
From the lips Of high parsonage
who was present when the rescript
was signed the following authoritative
statement is taken:
THE action OF the emperor is not
step toward, but the actual grant TO
the people Of the means whereby their
duly elected representatives can place
before his majesty their views upon
every important measure affecting
them and recommended by the council
of the empire. Moreover, If you will
read the rescript carefully you will see
that II contains distinct promise OF
something more In the future. Its
small beginning will not involve the
surrender of the principle Of autoc-
racy now. What 1t may involve in the
future, only the future can determine.
We do not expect that II will meet the
wishes of radicals and extremists OF
any class. Nothing'would satisfy them
but the complete overthrow of the ex-
isting regime. We do hope, however,
that after mature elaboration ii will
meet with the approval of moderate
men who are sincere well wishers Of
the country.
"The emperor has been much ma
ligned and misunderstood abroad. No
body appreciates the trials and suffer
ing he has endured the last few
months. He has been represented as
Indifferent to the condition of his peO-
Pile Nothing could be further from
the truth, Not only the welfare OF the
people, but the greatness Of Russia, is
his sole care For him the two are in
dissolubly linked For this reason he
refuses to surrender the autocratic
power in favor of constitutional
regime. Whyi Because he il con.
vinced, as he virtually says in so many
words in the rescript, that the people
are not prepared for popular govern
ment The heterogeneous elements of
the population-Poles, Firms. Tartars,
Armenians, Mongols and other races
are only held together by the autoc-
racy, whose end would mean the fall
of Russia as a great state. But the
emperor recognizes the strength of the
cutlery against the bureaucracy as
manifested by addresses and memori-
ais voted by all classes of society and
has yielded to their demand. The peo-
pies representatives can make known
directly to him their views concerning
every law which the council of the EN-
pire proposes"
general strike has been proclaimed
at sectional meetings OF workmen
here.
General Malama, acting commander
in chief of the Caucasus, has issued an
order announcing to the people that
under the powers granted him by the
emperor he has invited Prince Amilach
yori. the emperor's aid-de-camp. to
fulfill the functions of governor general
of the town and government Of Baku.
Serious disorders broke out at the
Poinanski cotton mill while the men
were being paid on Troops were sum-
moned to restore order. and three
workmen Were killed and fortytwo
injured. A general strike is on