The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-06

ukase Of December Is. 1904, he solemnly
pledged himself to satisfy In q reason
able measure the aspirations Of his peo-
pie for an amelioration OF the existing
political and social conditions, and for
participation In the management OF
their affairs. The promises made at the
date mentioned were subsequently re-
iterated, interpreted or expanded in
the rescript OF March }, and in ukase
put forth In the latter half OF April
They committed the Government against
arbitrary administrative violations OF
the statute law, against administrative
evasion Of responsibility. and against
police and military repression. They
committed the Government also to the
principles Of religious liberation, Of q
representation Of the people and OF the
freedom Of the press.
1t is pointed out by the Semstvo CON-
gress that since the St. Petersburg
Government officially announced its
entry upon the path Of reform It has
made no genuine progress, but on the
contrary has broken in the letter or in
the spirit every one Of its promises. Tho
representatives Of the administrative
power, from the highest down to the
lowest, have, continued TO escape all
responsibility, whether for a general
disregard Of the statute law or for .
violation Of the rights Of individuals
or groups Of the population. Unbridled
license has continued to characterize
the activity OF the bureaucracy. To no
official, for example, military or civil
ian, has been brought home account
ability for the ghastly massacre Of st.
Eustraty's Day January 22), which ID des-
tined to tako it's place IN history along
side the night Of St. Bartholomew. Alb
solutely nothing has been done to enlarge
the powers OF xemstvos and municipal
councils In the direction Of local self-rule.
The outrages committed by the police
and soldiers, far from having been
checked, have by their impunity been
encouraged. The pretended concession
Of liberation has turned out to be q sham,
secretaries being left entirely in the power
Of the administration, and freedom Of
conscience being still prosecuted with
severity. The rigor Of the censorship
has been unrelaxed. The sole outcome
of the professed intention to grant popu-
lar representation has been the project
framed by M. BoULYdUINE, a project SO
dishonest and derisory as to be repudi-
ated even by those in whose interests 1t
was framed,
From this array OF discriminating facts,
what conclusions were drawn by the
zemstvo congress9 We find them for
INFLATED in the final sentences, Of this
Grand Remembrance. The Russian
people are told that all the actions Of
their Government during the last six
months have been such as to leave not
shade Of doubt concerning its unfriendly
attitude toward the demand for trench
ant reform Of the political system. In
view of its proceedings it is pronounced
impossible to believe that the Car and
his present advisers are seriously minded
to accomplish the indispensable improve
ments. Meanwhile the situation Of the
Russian community at large Is growing
daily worse, and with increasing insist
enoe the demand Ia made that drastic
transformation in tho whole body polite
shall be carried out with the least pos
sible delay. Having taken upon itself
the task OF promoting with all possible
celebrity tho transition Of Russia to q
constitutional form Of government as the
sole means of saving the country, the
congress Of zemstvos and municipaii-
ties, in Moscow assembled, declares
that all true Russians are bound now to
take action of the most decisive character
to attain the aims set before them.
With the grim words, "We can wait no
longer the Grand Remonstrance"
ends.
To appreciate the far reaching, and
probably historical, purport Of this
document, we should bear in mind that
il was drawn up by liz delegates from
Russian zemstvos and liz delegates
from Russian municipalities. It is an
indictment framed, for the most part,
by those responsible for the execution
OF tho very laws which they declare
have ceased to exist; an indignant and .
threatening protest BY the law abiding
class Of Russians against the lawlessness-
and anarchy of'the present administra-
ton. 1t is an alarm bell, tocsin, which
the autocracy may do well to heed.
A Cure for Porto Rican Woes.
We printed on Monday letter from