New-York tribune., 1905-02-16
AUTOCRATS SWAY CAR.
POPUL.1R RULE FAR OFF.
Monarch WaUers Under Court Press
ure against Zemsky Sober.

ST Petersburg Feb 15-In spite of Emperor
Nicholass personal inclination in favor or Il
zeFnsky sobor the imperial decision TO summon
this parliament has not yet been taken Ihe
Emperor is carefully weighing arguments TOT
and against the plan before committing himself
This statement is made the authority OF
perhaps the most liberal OF the Emperor's Min
listers who this evening said that the question
remained under consideration at Tsarskoe Selo.
He added:
I myself have frankly urged upon his majesty
the view that the time has come when a voice
in the government should no longer be denied
10 the people, and the same counsel mas peeh
given by many others who, like me, belleve that
The Moderate Liberal element which has peen
drifting away can thus be rallied to the sup
port of the government. His majesty received
cur views sympathetically. and believe IS per-
sonally inclined to adopt the course we sus-
gest
II is no secret. however that powerful in
nuences about his majesty are pressing the con-
frary view and advancing strong arguments
which cannot lightly be thrust aside. Hasty ac-
ton is impossible. although the people, who are
laboring under the stress of excitement, seem 20
forget that for such sweeping innovatIol lt.te IN.
is necessary to formulate and elaborate the
scheme for the electorate, composition and func-
tions OF the body Reasons of state also exist
which might make 1t inadVisable 10 summon
such body during the continuation or the war,
since the government is united in the opinion
that peace IS impossible now. But IL the
zernsky sober is to be convened at the conelu-
sion OF the war proclamation should De issued
now.
No matter what the Emperor's decision may
be- the manifesto reforms on which the Com
Inittee of Ministers is working VIII be pro-
ducfive of great good. The misfortune is that
all the diScontented classes are for the moment
Ekeptical. They are using every weapon TO EN-.
bsrrass the government while II is engrossed
with the war. The situation is deplorable, but
not critical There may be trouble and disorders,
even a comparatively large scale, though
there will he crisis unless the discomfort ex-
tends 70 the rural districts In my opinion that
IS possible only in case Of some great catastro-
,ha
an epidemic Of cholera. Then. with famine to
frighten the country, coupled with political agi-
tation in the cities, no one can predict what may
happen.
It is understood that one OF the arguments
used by the court party against the revival of
the zensky sober is the fact that the body in
the old days welded immense power, being itself
responsible for the elevation Of the Romanon
dynasty TO the throne, and that therefore it
might even undertake, If again called into be-
ing, TO elect new ruler
The position Of the opposition to the zenasky
sober is well voiced editorialy in to-day's Mos
COW Gazette" the leading exponent of autoc-
racy, in which it is prophesied that any sort
of national assembly VIII lead TO a struggle
between it and the Emperor which inevitably
Will end in the overthrow OF the autocracy.
The article draws a parallel between the pres
ent political situation and the nihilst terrorism
which almost wrung a constitution from Alex
ander II. and after his assassination confronted
Alexander III The article continues
Then. now. the public press loudly pro-
claimed that without parliament or a zemsky
sober Russia must fall. Even government circles
were intimidated by an insignificant group or
terrorists that they came to believe that Rus
sia could be saved only by the zemstvo lead
ers instead of the sensible power of the auto
cratic sovereign. But Alexander understood
that the 1rst condition for the welfare OF Rus
sia was the restoration of order. The govern
ment and not the people. the Emperor and not
the Zenlsky sober, then rescued Russia from
revolution. What true then is true now
the Emperor must again save Russia.
Suppose the government were turned over TO
such men as composed the Zenstvo congress.
who met without the consent of the ruler.
adopted resolutions and otherwise instigated
the people TO open revolt. II real power were
lodged in their hands the result would be prompt
defiance of the ruler and open quarrel, resulting
either in terrible civil war or the dethrone-
nnent of the autocracy by revolution.
Those who imagine that such dangers be
avoided by restricting representation to privi-
legged classes need only remember France in
17S9, when the third estate engufed the other
two estates. executing the King. So in Russia
zemsky sober Of the privileged zemstvo class
would be only stepping stone to general rep
resentation, which would be bound to destroy
the rule Of the autocracy and the Russian state.
N. Vatatsi, director general Of the affairs of
the Ministry Of the Interior. has been appoint
ed assistant TO the Minister OF the Interior.