Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-03-04
RUSSIA'S FREEDOM.
Czar Takes a Step Toward
 Popular Government.
PEOPLES RIGHTS TO BE RECOGNIZED
CT Am Willing" Said Emperor .Nich- olas, ito Shed My Blood For My
 PeOple"-Empcror Will Hear

 Elected Representatives.
 ST. PETERSBURG. March An the Alexandra palace at Tsarskoe-Selo, sur l rounded by the ministers and few members of the court and with the i empress at his side, Emperor Nicholas ! has affixed his signature to a rescript l 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 autOcracy's final response to the agitation in favor of participa- tion by the people in government which has brought Russia in the last few months almost to the brink of revolu- ton. It's import must not be misun- derstOod. For the present at least it involves no change in the regime of aStocracy, and it means neither con stitution nor national assembly. At the same time 1t recognizes the prin- ciple 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 it was in- tended to signalize.
 The signing of the document came at the end of dramatic scene, the eli max of which was an impassioned speech by Emperor Nicholas to his min isters. in which he declared that he sought only the welfare of his sub jects.
 T am willing" the emperor said "to shed 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 1 statement is taken
 "The action of the emperor is not a 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 i them and recommended by the council 1 of the empire Moreover. if you will read the rescript carefully you will see 1 that it contains a distinct promise of l something more in the future. Its small beginning will not involve the surrender of the principle of autoc- racy now. What it may involve in the future only the future can determine. | We do not expect that it will meet the wishes of radicals and extremists of any class. Nothing would satisfy them I but the complete overthrow of the cN- | isting regime. We do hope. however, that after mature deliberation it will 1 meet with the approval of moderate men who are sincere well wishers of the country.
 ..Thc 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 pe0- ple. Nothing could he further from the truth. Not only the welfare of the people but the greatness of Russia. is his sole care
 X general strike has been proclaimed l at sectional meetings of wOrkmen here.
 Serious disorders broke out at the Poinanski cotton mill while the men were being paid of. Troops were sum ] moned to restore order. and three ' workm.n wcrc killed and forty-two 1 injured. \ general strike is on.
 The text of an imperial manifesto proclaimed by tho czar calls on the country to rally round tho throne in defense of the empire from its internal enemies.