The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-02-12
GREAT REFORM WILL BE INSTI-
TUTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
TOlstOi Believes War Will Be Brought to
Successful End, and That the New
National Body Will Shortly
Be at Work.

ST. Petersburg, Feb 1f.--"I am not
opposed to zanaiy Zshor. On the
con rary | b,li,Te It aeee7scry.'
In these words E.np ~ NicIolas,
whcso word Is law personally q car
ed himself in favor CT lanl congress
and expressed the conviction that the
time had come tc pfepare 10 6 gye the
people a Voice in The government The
emperors words were spoken in tho
course If conversation with Count
Lee Deonvfch Tolstoi. son Of the fa'
nous author, and fully conhrn ihe As-
sociated Press interview with Grand
Duke vladimir on January u in
which the grand duke expressly de.
clared that his august nephew was In
favor OF a Zemsky Tabor. The semi.
official denial subsequently sent out
is now disproved by che sovereign 8
statement to Count Tolstoi.
W1dt tOiStOi SdyS'
The Assccia ed Press this evening
interviewed Count Tolstoi.
Il cannot enter into details because
consider It unseemly TO do so" he
said, but am glad to state the bread
lines of my conversation with the SOW
ereign. His majes.y summoned me
after having received memorial
which addresses TO the throne expos
ing the present situation in the coun-
try ana humbly expressing the opin
ion that the interest OF the monarch
and nation called for the removal OF
the wall raised up by The bureaucracy
between them, the urgent need OF de-
Wis ng means for enabling the sover-
eign 10 hear the voice OF the people
and recommending the conyocation of
a Zemsky Tabor.
His majesty assured me that per
sonally he was not opposed 10 its
convoeation. but on the contrary be
lieved it necessary.
THE whole question is now greatly
simplified and resolves itself 10 dis
cussion as TO when is the most oppos-
tune moment
Will Come as Soon as Possible.
II am not at liberty to relate the
emperor's views on the subject, but
you may announce to the American
people tha the delay will be only such
as is strictly necessary for the intro
duction Of an innovation Of such mag
nitude The great thing is that the
emperor is in favor of the Iemsky "a
bcr This dispels the legends obtain
ing currency abroad ana q. home that
the sovereign mis.rusts the people
and is absolutely opposed to the
idea of representative national as
sembly. These legends have caused
immense harm and have sown sus
picion and discomfort among the pee
pie. leading to unrest and agitation
and aggrayating labor movements,
whereas If Russians Cnly understood
che situation they would refrain from
rendering the task of the reformer
well nigh impossible.
None the less, am optimistic. and
believe we will succeed after all N
bringing the war to satisfactory con-
clusion. Then everything will resume
its natural course. and reforms, in
cluling national representation, will
he in reduced on Sound basis"
viii Have Good Effect.
The emperor's words are likely to
do moro good 'han any number Of
proclamations. Tolstoi is trying to
persuade the working men 10 be pa
tient by means cf articles in which he.
points out the poor results Of social
istic propaganda abroad and thinks IL
a pity that means have not been de
vised for approaching work men and
discussing matters directly with them.
instead of leaving the field open to
demagogues leading political
writer. Alexander stolypin, in an in
terview with the Associated Press. ex-
pressed the opinion that zemsky Ia
Dor will soon be an accomplished fact.