Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-13
Reaction Denied by Cabinet.

The members of Count Whites cabinet
distinctly deny that the government has
entered on the path OF reaction, but they
say that the present state of anarchy can
not go on. People amenable TO the laws
will be arrested and tried by the courts.
IF the government really enters on the
path of reaction" said one of the ministers
today, ut must end in a dictatorship
and you may be that at the first evi-
dence of this Witte will step down and
out"
Count Witte takes the ground that the
ministry is only a stopgap to transfer the
power into the hands OF the national as
sensbly. and therefore he Will not undertake
TO bind the country by temporary laws or a
policy which the representatives of the ma
tion should decide for themselves. This is
the theory on which complete universal
suffrage will be refused
The situation in the Baltic provinces is
Dbw the most grave OF the empires condi-
iions. 1t approaches civil war and the
government has been forced 10 appoint a
governor general with sweeping adminis-
trative powers TO try to restore order. All
the troops in these provinces have been
placed under his command. The importa-
tion of arms. which have been entering the
country In large quantities. and the sale
of weapons have been prohibited and the
authorities are even empowered to arrest
for three months under an administrative
order persons having arms in their posses
sion.
The Governments Precautions.
At the same time the government recog-
nizes that crushing the growing rebellion
by force will not suffice, and that some
sort Of local self-government will alone
quiet the population. Therefore, It has or
dered the convocation OF representatives
of the various classes of the provinces in
cludtng the peasants to work out scheme
Tor the creation of zemstvo to control
local affairs
NJ Petrunkevich. president of the Agri-
cultural Society OF Moscow and the lead
tng delegate of the Moscow zemstyo In St
petersburg. and his colleagues are return
inE to MOSCOW without Count Whites re-
ply to the zemstvos demands, although it
is practically ready the correspondent of
the Associated Press having seen the doc
ument.
Firms rendered Support.
At the workmen's meeting last night the
members of the Finnish national guard"
really socialist organiza ton. rendered their
support and sailor claiming to represent
the majority OF his comrades declared the
sailors solidarity with the proletariat,
promising that when the signal is given
the sailors will be found ready
The commission which is discussing peas
ant legislation has reached an exceedingly
important decision involving the right OF
the communes to assign lands in severalty
to individuals. which would give them the
right te sell the lands at viii, thus yirtu-
ally sounding the knell of the communal
system. Where the peasants desire to re-
tain the commune. however they may
mortgage the lands and obtain money to
purchase additional lands make improve
ments and buy agricultural impleszents.
This decision Is based on the fact that
the emperor's permission of further pay
ments of the peasants arrearages of debt
ended the necessity for communal owner