Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-08-03
RUSSIAN REFORMS.
Council OF Ministers So Far Fail to
Agree on Assembly Scheme.

st. Petersburg, Aug. 3.-2.5S A. M
There was no session. yesterday, of the
commission which has under consider
alton the national assembly scheme
Emperor Nichols will preside at the
second meeting, which will be held,
this afternoon.
At the first meeting, Tuesday, the
imperial palace 1T Peterhof was the
battle ground of the contending forces,
in the matter of reform. For, five
hours taking advantage Of the EInper-
or's Request. there was the freest and
frinkest discussion of the situation
and the needs of Russia The respec-
tive members Of the two camps pre-
stnted arguments before their August
master in a series of speeches. which
left little time for the actual consid-
Grafton Of the details of the project
which will be Ella borated by the council
of ministers.
Almost score Of the members of the
conference took an active part in the
discussion. NJ. Bouligin, minister Of the
interior; General Trepoff. assistant
minister of the interior; Count Igna-
tieff. member of the council of the en-
rirei Count Sclsky. president of the
economic department of the commit
tee OF ministers, and Prince Halkoff,
minister of railroads and communica-
tiorS. were tn" leading advocates OF
Immediate reform and the convocation
OF the repr. sentativcs of the people
while under the banner of the old order
NJ. PobicdonoStsetf prccurator general
of the Holy synod, faithful to the ira
ditions of a lifetime. had arrayed Count
LamsdorfT. minister of foreign affairs:
NJ. Manukhin, minister of Justice: NJ.
Schwanebach minister of agriculture;
General Lobko, controller general and
Baron Fre6erickS, court marshal, who
insisted that the present. with the war
abroad and the disorders at home, was
no time to summon a popular assembly
or institute sweeping changes in the
government Of the empire.
The partiSanS of reform were in the
majority, including besides the leaders
already mentioned, many members of
the council of state
The feature of the meeting is said
to have been speech delivered by
Count Ignatieff, who had been sent by
the Emperor to investigate the situa-
ton in the south after the mutiny on
the battleship Kniaz Potemkine. ana
who declared in plain clear cut sem
tences that the condition there made
immediate and extensive reforms i'm
perative. At the same time, he de-
clarcd. order must be preserved and the
agitatorS kept within bounds with q
firm Land.
General Trepof. Minister Bouligir
and Count Solsky, also cmpha sized the
necessity of adopting firm measures
while instituting reforms. Other Pro-
gressivists dwelt We're upon the neces.
sity of the immediate convocation of
the people.
Three of the ministers, Lieutenant Cen
erai RudiCer. minister of war; NJ Glasoff.
minister Of education. and NJ. Kokovsoff.
minister of finance did not commit them
selves and four OF the grand dukes pres
cnt avoided taking active part in the dis
cussion.
When the speech making was finally
ended and the attitude of the council |
consideration of the Bouligin
was taken up and this dis
cussiOn will be continued at today's meet
ing at Peterhoff |
The Associated Press is informed that
rs yet no important decision has been
taken and the general impression is that
the commission will not finish its Iabors |
without at least one or two further ses-
sions.