Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-13
CONGRESS OF LAWYERS
Favor Movement Toward More
Democratic Government.

! ST. Petersburg. April 13-115 A. NJ
| the formation of Il national profession
al reform league to unite the activities
of lawyers, doctors, teachers. engineers
and other professional classes of Rus
STA to bring about the democrat TIA
ton of the government and the insti-
i tuition of Il representative parliament
and responsible ministry is the ambi-
| tious project set on foot by the nation
al congress of lawyers which finished
its work here, last night The plan
proposed is the formation of national
associations of the various professional
classes. each of which shall elect dele
gates to Il central bureau which is to
direct and cO-Grdinate the efforts of
the ''intellrrtuals'' in the direction Of
reforms.
| Other classes which have openly man.
| ifcsted liberal tendencies on many oc-
| casions, and notably TIL" doctors at the
recent congress in Moscow. are apt to
| ACCEPT the invitation, and unless inter-
| ferred with, a powerful reform force
IS likely to spring into being soon.
Tho deliberations of the lawyers.
| which were carried to a conclusion in
direct disregard of police orders and
which were participated in by lib dele
gates representing every judicial dis
trict in Russia. except Siberia. resulted
in the organization of the National
Legal Association ana the election Of
a central bureau of Il which is empow-
cred to select legal representatives for
a proposed central committee to draft
preliminary plans for The organization
of that body.
The leaders of the movement
declare that their plans do not
contemplate any assault on the
monarchcal form of government Or
disloyalty TO The empire put the
liShn,cat Of participation OF the governed
in tie direction Of affairs, and especially
in certain matters, as the budget and tax
alton. AMI the pClnt Of the lc.cction.
though by !: small majority. OF IL rrsolu-
ton committing the assembly to extra
legal measures to show hatred OF the eX-
listing order and bring about a democratic
and legal mode of government in Russia
hears out this declaration y feature or
the meeting was Il special honor shown
the Polish delegates at the first session,
when the entire aSSemblag'' rose Hnd re-
manned facing the station occupied by the
Poles while speaker pronounced pan
ecyric upon them. The Poles, however,
did not participate i'll the followIng ses-
sions which were held in delnc" of the
police. merely sending their visiting cards
each day.
The delegates met, in accordance with
secret arrangements. at different houses.
assembling before the arrival of the po-
lice and disreearding orders to cease
their sessions. At yesterdays session.
however. TIL" police promptly placed a
Gordon around the house in which the
delegates were to meet and prevented all
hut Is from entering and sent word TO
those that all delegates not residents OF
St Petersburg must leave the city I'M
r1ediatelv. AS the congress had finished
its program. adjournment sine die was
pronounced the lawyers AS a final thrust
drafting a statement to the chief OF DO
lice that this general order TO delegates
en- bloc to leave the city was illegal ana
that they would recognize the withdrawal
of permission to remain in the city only
if it were delivered to each delegates
personally.
another Zcn-:,tro % nCv'ss lbs been
called to meet in Moscow On MAY !. III
which rppr .i,ntt.ti- es - 80 ''nb ''' ~ -
will IA participate. From thee 10 Il. I. .v-
gates from each provincial zemstvo hav"
been invited 1t is reported that an en-
deavor will be made to align the moder-
ates with the nobility in favor of reforms
without going t. the length of the consd-
tutionalism OF western Europe