Connecticut western news., 1905-02-02
IN RUSS|A'S DEFENSE
Grand Duke Vladimir Explains Governments Recent Acts and
 Says Reforms Will Come.
CHANGE MUST BE GRADUAL

 low and Russia as a State Would Cease to Be- Exception Taken to Foreign Criticism.
 St. Petersburg, Feb. In order that the world shall know officially the Russian governments views with re- gard to the present disturbances and it's political plans for the future of the empire Grand Duke Vladimir speaking for his nephew, Emperor Nicholas, has given a formal interview, which, he claims, represents the mature opinions of the most liberal members of the ministry.
 He announces that reforms practical ly have been decided upon; that while the peasants are at present unfit for secret ballot the emperor, after consul tation with his advisers, has determined upon a representative assembly, which | will give all classes of people right to be heard and bring their needs and | their grievances direct to the sovereign. The grand duke did not ill answer to | specific questions give the form of the
 
 | would be sweeping enough to meet the needs of Russia for a generation to come.
 Not Ready For Constitution. Before the formal interview the | grand duke, turning to Prince Mirsky minister of the interior, whose heart, | he said, was with the Russian peasants and artisans, challenged any student | of the political situation in Russia to | show that there was any necessity for | q constitution, but more than that, to l show that the people were ready for government under constitution. He said that such political independence would only bring about anarchy and | that for many years to come political reforms would have to be step by step, | always having in view the security of | the Russian empire and it's stability among the nations of the world. People speak of a constitution" said the grand duke. "A constitution would mean the end of Russia, as the state would be gone. Anarchy would super yene, and when it ended the empire would be disintegrated. Finland, Po- land and perhaps other frontier prov inces would have broken away. Russia is not ripe for a constitution. Go out among the peasants, who comprise the vast bulk of the empires population, and try to explain to them government by suffrage The peasant knows nothing of government. He does not even know what the word l. f1r him the emperor is everything. Give the peasant a vote and all would be anarchy Still there is necessity for re- forms, and they will be granted by the autocracy."
 Surprised at Americas Attitude. Referring to the events of Jan. P, | the grand duke said:
 Our duty was the duty of every government. The same situation has confronted cities in other countries. Why, because this occurred in Russia, should the whole world point the finger | of scorn at us? In the midst of our diff 1 faculties should we be turned upon? | .Why should America especially mis- interpret and think ill of us? We have | always been friends-friends of a cen | tury, friends when America needed friends I remember when America | was our great friend Why has all this l changed? What has Russia done to de-
 serve 1t? What has Russia done to | America?
 | Why should the foreign press, espe-
 cially that of Great Britain, not hesi-
 tate before any calumny? No invention
 seems too horrible for them to print.
 They do not explain that on Saturday | every dead wall in St. Petersburg was | placarded with warnings to the people
 not to assemble. No, but they tell that
 thousands of innocent people were
 killed and other thousands wounded
 and paint the streets as running red
 with blood. They even say the dead
 were pushed under the ice of the Neva
 at night.
 Ut Is infamous. These newspapers
 say nothing of isolated officers set upon | by mobs and hammered into inSenSibil-
 ity or of policemen killed or wounded"
 While there seems to have been con-
 plete restoration of order In St. Peters
 burg and Moscow conditions at War
 saw continue to go from bad to worse.
 Estimates of the killed and wounded
 in consequence of collisions between
 mobs and soldiers place the number at
 160. The bakers being on strike bread
 is at famine prices in Warsaw, and at l tempts to break into stores there have
 caused numerous collisions with the
 military. The finding of revolvers of
 uniform make on many of the rioters
 arrested affords confirmation of recent
 reports that revolutionary agitators
 have been smuggling arms in anticipa-
 tion of an outbreak.
 | Warsaw, Lodz and Petrokof have been
 placed under the operation of the law
 for the strict maintenance of public or
 der. The government buildings and
 large factories are guarded by troops.
 Part of the electric light plant has
 been destroyed by strikers. The au-
 thorities have taken charge of the wa.
 terworks, electric light and gas plants
 and serious trouble is anticipated
 In the last week 300,000 soldiers oi
 all arms have been poured into Mos
 COW, but even this stupendous dis
 play of power has not prevented sev
 eral attempts to fire government build
 ings.
 Indictment For Promoter Appleyard. | Buffalo, Feb. 1.-FrOm q public dec