The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-11-03

Witte VIII BE Called Liberator of
the Russian PeopIe-Peace Confer
enee Brought Him Back to Power
His Word TO Emperor Caused FAN
of ROmanoa's Iron Rule-ReIoicing
over All the Land.
ST. PETERSBURG, Oct. 3l.-Ths
autocracy Of the Romanoffs and the
old order Of things has ceased to exist
in Russia.
Emperor Nicholas has surrendered
and Count Wltte comes into power as
minister president, with an imperial
mandate which Will enable him 10 con
vert farcical national assembly into
real legislative body.
Count Witte had a long Interview
with the emperor in Peterhof, going
over a dnal draft Of a manifesto to
which he insisted that certain modlh
cations be made Before taking a train
for st. Petersburg he telephoned 10
friend that the emperor had affixed his
signature and that the mandate was iD
bis pocket.
Its conditions include freedom Of the
press, the right Of assembly and I'm
munity Of the person, including the
right Of habeas corpus.
The following is the text Of the i'm
perial manifesto:
"We, Nicholas H., by the grace Of
God emperor and autocrat Of all the
Russias, grand duke Of Finland, etc,
declare to all our faithful subjects that
the troubles and agitation In our capi-
tails and In numerous other places hll
cur heart with excessive pain and sor-
row.
I'VE, therefore, direct our govern
ment 10 carry out our inhexlble VIII In
the following manner:
"First.-To extend 70 the population
the lmmutable foundations Of civic lib
erty, based on the real invlolabllity Of
person. freedom Of conscience, speech,
union and association.
Second.-Without suspending the al
ready ordered elections 10 the state
douma to invite to participation in the
douma so FAR as the limited time before
the convocation Of the douma will per-
nit those classes Of the population now
completely deprived Of electoral rights,
leaving the ultimate development Of
the principle OF the electoral right in
general 10 the newly established legis
lative order Of things.
"Third.-To establish as an unchange-
able rule that no law shall be enforced
without the approval Of the state dou-
ma and that it shall be possible for the
elected Of the people 10 exercise real
participation IN the supervision Of the
legality Of the acts Of the authorities
appointed by US.
"Glven at Peterhof Oct 30, in the
eleventh year OF our reign"
81 am sure the American people, who
understand what freedom is, and the
American press. which voices the
wishes Of the people Will rejoice with
the friendly Russian nation nc this
moment. when the Russian people have
received from his imperial majesty the
promises and the guarantees Of free
dom and will join In the hope that the
Russian people will wisely aid In the
realization Of those liberties by co
operating with the government for
their peaceful introduction. Only thus
will it be possible 10 secure the full
benefits OF the freedom conferred upon
the people"
Count Witte, Russia's FIRST premier,
last night sent the above message 70
the American people through the press.
He had just arrived at his residence
on Kammeniovrov prospect from Pc
terhof where. in the Alexander palace,
the emperor had given his final ap
proyal to a manifesto and TO a pro
gramme which will forever end the
rule Of absolutism exercised by him
and his Romanof ancestors FOR 300
years.
The municipal council OF 81. Peters
burg at its sitting after reading the
imperial manifesto, sent the following
message to the emperor:
"The council welcomes with delight
the long desired tidlngs Of freedom,
firmly relying on a bright future for
our dear fatherland. Hurrah for the
emperor OF a free people"
The strike has ended on the Moscow
and st. Petersburg. the Moscow and
Kazan and the Moscow and Archangel
railroads.
J Plerpont Morgan, Jr., and George
W Perkins were with Finance Minis
ter Kokovson when the latter received
the news from NJ Witte. II was a dra-
matte moment The minister was called
TO the telephone, and when he returned
be was greatly agitated and said:
Gentlemen, the old order Of things
has changed. Russia has a constltu
ton"
Count Witte insisted on a cabinet on
the British model with a selected pre-
mier responsible 70 the imperial douma
or parliament The emperor chung to
appointment Of members Of the cabinet
on the American plan by the emperor
ss chief Of state