Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-06
CURIOUS LIGHT
Thrown by the Imperial
Manifesto Of Friday.
Forces of Reaction and Liber.
aIism at Work,
cameron Yielding But Russians Arc
RESTING Uneasy-lnternaI Troubles.

- Petersburg. March GLE a. NJ
rhn history Of Fridays imperial re-
an;,,. ;e il has been authorativeIy
disclosed to The Associated Press
sh.6s :, curious Illuminating light upon
.,o Struggles for aScendancy between
,ta forces of reaction and liberalism
which are raging about the Emperor
Substantially the decision to permit
conservatives OF the peODle to par
,ici,.te in :: consultative capacity in
consideration of projected reforms and
,,ran,ration of Laws had been taken by
the Emperor three months ago. on the
o1yice of Prince SViatOpOlk- Mirsky
md had been actually incorporated in
cI.uee three of the December manifes-
IN bit ut the last minute. yielding to
thn rlessure of tho reactionarieS led by
C,arG Duke Sergius. and Mr.. Pobed-
rosteff. prncurator of the Holy Synod.
II was stricken out. and Prince SEia-
,onoIk- Mirsky. under the sunshine of
whose inspiration tn" hopes of the
,rholc nation burst into bloom. stepped
down. Had Emperor Nicholas then
dung to his original resolution MANY
non If his uncle. might have been
avoided.
The project. on much broader lines
WIS again reviewed by NJ. Yermelom
three weeks ago. The Emperor insist
ed upon preserving the principle of au-
tocraty and some divergent views also
d"ro'd,rd among the ministers. Be
tween that meeting and Feb. "a. the
ministers compromised the differences.
When it was presented the proposition
Contained the roscript. His Majesty.
while withholding his definite approval.
asked that it be placed in concrete
form This Was done in the interview
irg week. The text is believed to be
largely the work of Finance Minister
Eokovzof. although The Associated
Press is not in Il position to absolutely
affirm it.
IN the meantime Prince Mnstcherslly
drew M draft of Friday morning s
manifesto rs II fouut nrnOse to the re-
script just rs Grand Duke S"rgiuS had
prepared the communinue which &C.
c"n!naniod the December manifesto.
Prince Mcstchersky sent the draft tn
NJ Pobednnostsoff. who wrote let
ter to the Emperor recommending il.
The manifesto was signed and issued
after midnight. Thursday. without the
knowledge of the minister's who were
thuuderstruok X. Then upon their arriv-
n At TSdrskoe Selo. Friday afternoon
the MINISTERS were relieved when the
Emperor Informed them that the man
ifeStp would not interfere with the re-
script which he had resolved to re-
sign explaining the connection between
the two. as stated in The Associated
Press DISPATCHES of March 4. II is \
fact however. that the ministers were
50 careful that some adverse influence
might intervene before it could APP
pear in the regular morning edition Oi
The Official Messenger of Saturday
ahat it would be made public instantly
upon their return to st. Petersburg and
at tho same time. the ministers ordered
its puhli"ation in Il special edition Of
tn" VI. ssenSer.
y great fight must come on interior
Minister EniiliSan'S comittee. upor
which tn" Liberals have already de-
nlandrh that the Zrmstvos be repre-
S"ut"d. The decision has been taken t.
Keeping the agitation at white heat an'
7" strike the iron when il is hot. In this
tn" Liberals will have powerful sup
porting with the government. Wliat
they mainly fear is delay and TIL" coOl
lS off of the people into the apathy ~
ta'ri"d security of y victory achieved
NJ the same time. they hope the gen
t"al situation will ameliorate and oS
l"cially that there will be repetition o.
terrorism. Certainly the reScript ha:
created Il pow crful impression.