The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-02
EMPEROR HAS
 NOT DECIDED HeSitateS Over Nation'S
 Vital Question. w0RKNGMEN IN MEETING Monster Convention Held II !. St Petersburg. sssesssi nsseAss oasital Frs. nss- COW, Bat tAs 0rin ola Fishtins Hero Mests natAsr Csad
 Rscsptien.
IN MEETING

st. Petersburg. March. s.--(12:41 4. M. .)-The great and cveFsh&dowtng question for Russians. that of Grant- ing the people voice In tho goveru~ ment remains undecided at TsarkGoe- Selo. Emperor Nicholas has not yet given the final word.
 Tn view of many conflicting state- ments printed abroad. the AssOctated Press is authorized to make the fore- going definite announcement At the same time it can be said that the re- cent developments in Russia which brought the social, the economic and the educational life of the empire a1- most to . standstill, have left the Emperor no illusions regarding tho strength of the popular demand tor something in the nature of constitu- tional government. In addition to tho addresses voted by the zemstovs, dou- mas. educational and other bodies, he had received thousands of private me- morials In consultation with his ad- visors the Emperor has displayed sym- pathy with aspirations of the peo~ pie and expressed concordance in the opinion that something must be done to bridge the chasm between himseik and the people. Since the death of Grand Duke Serguis some of the in- fIuences at court which formerly were antagonistic, take the same view. Nevertheless the grand ducaI party as a whole still hold out. yielding noth- ing.
 The minister with whom the Em- peror has been discussing the problem since the opening of the Cabinet Coun- ell three weeks ago entertained diver- gent opinions: but by q process oE elimination, two proposals have been definitely rejected. the first q consti- tutional monarchial regime based on Western models. with a Parliament to frame laws and control the budget; and the second the convening of the zem- sky Zober. The former proposal has been rejected on the ground that Rus sia is not yet ripe for constitutfonaa sovernment, and the second because the zemsky zabor Is now an anschron- ism.
 In substanoa. ths proposal which ths Emperor is now oonsldering with the Council of Ministers fs the establish. merit of a national assembly based on direct class representation to alt in consultative capacity and propose lawsf in other words, yielding the form while retaining the essence of autocracy Ths majority of the ministers have joined in expressing the opinion to his Majesty that such a measure, coupled with the reforms enunciated in the manifesto of OeCetuUeT Gos AeVrs 8 81oASA4-S<tet1 f~Nf~s~-- fly before the law, responsibility of of ficers, and freedom of the press. will meet the present situation.
 All. however recognise and so advise his majesty that a solution can be only temporary. An assembly of this kind would be an anomoly in the Russian Government and must soon give way to a regular parliamentary body. This fact is equally recognized by the lib- erals whom the proposed form would not satisfy. but who are convinced that this would be forward step and who would hail it as a victory for future constitutionalism
 M. witte, President of the Committee of ministers whose position is not yet clearly defined. but who Is said to hold that the country is not yet prepared for a constitution, is said to have told the Emperor biuntly that no withdrawal Is possible after step has once been taken. It is the ultimate consequences rather than the immediate which ap- parently make the Emperor pause.
 When a decision Is reached it is ex- pected that 1t will be announced imme- diately for it's effect on the country. though naturally some time must elapse before representative assem- bly, can be convened as election ma chinery. definition of duties and other details must be worked out.