Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-08
FEARS FOR M AY IA
HOPE EXPRESSED RUSSIAN La
Dor TROUBLES ARE OVER.
Authorities Have Confidence That
Leaders Of the Social Democrats Are
in Prison or in Exile.

Politically the weeks development in St.
Petersburg was both interesting and impor-
tant, and the lines between the parties
struggling for and against reform are grad
ually growing clearer. Leaving out of con-
sideration the party of revolution, with its
terroristic appendix there are three impor-
tant parties who are fighting for supremacy.
The autocratists. as they might be called,
who practically support the present order
Of things, but who hitherto have not come
out In the open, on Thursday, under the
leadership Of Prince Sherematieff, who be-
longs to the reactionary party at court, and
who Is a leading supporter of the late In
terror Minister Won Plehve's policy, boldly
proclaimed pan-Slavist program, the
maintenance of the autocraey and the I'M
impaired prosecution of the war until VIC
tory is achieved. occupied with repression
with firm hand of the present agitation
and disorder in the interior, as conditions
precedent to reforms which should be linn
tied to the extension Of local Self-govern-
ment.
Rich and Powerful.
On the other hand, the second zemstvo
congress, which convened Friday at Mos
cow, was more radical than its predeces-
sor, held In st. Petersburg. and committed
itself for a parliamentary regime Of two
houses, modelled closely in the matter of
elections with the French system. The for
mer party is only a small group, but it is
rich and powerful. and 1t Is composed of
those who close to the throne, where it
can make its influence felt. The zemstvo
congress, or, rather, the radical wing of
the ZemStvos, which now, perhaps, COM
prises a majority of those local bodies who
so long have maintained a fight for decen-
traliZation, is now practically throwing its
fortunes with the congresses of the pro-
IL ~, Sou -
ton and a universally elected parliament
for the control of the budget and admins
tration in general The belief is that with
cut magma charta liberties no reforms will
permanently insure the country against the
reactionary regime, which at a stroke of
the imperial pen can wipe out all conces-
sions.
The Conservative Liberal Party.
Between these two stands the conserva-
tive liberal party formed at Moscow by
M. Shipoff. Prince Troubetskoy and Prince
Galitzn, who seeded from their radical
colleagues of the zemstvos. This party has
the support of marshals of the nobility and
the nobility generally. and is attracting a
much more solid and temperate liberal ele
ment which does not believe the country
is prepared to go at one bound to a parlia-
mentary basis. 1t stands for the equality
OF all before the law, liberty of speech and
of the press and many other vital reforms.
1t favors responsible minister's but for the
present only a consultative electrive body
representing the different classes with
power to discuss the budget and Interpret
late minister's and the leaving of final
law making power to the council of the
empire and the sovereign.
The doctrines of this party, which 10
called THE golden mean" are likely to
prevail in the end in the dismissal of Prof.
Ivanoffsky. who was celebrating a rescript
project under Minister of the Interior Bou-
lingin's direction. and may also be tho
precursor of the oft rumored retirement of
the latter and the appointment of M.