The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-06
IA POWERFUL
 IMPRESSION Russia Struck With En- perOr'S ReScript. HISTORY OF DOCUMENT Fight Between Liberal and ReactiOnary Forces. Parallel Drawn In Cases of Cxar Nich- oIas and King Louis XVII, Who
 Did Right Thing . Day
 Too Late.
HISTORY OF DOCUMENT

to the Associated Press. sheds curious
 illumining light upon the struggles | for ascendency between the forces of
 reaction and liberalism which are rag
 ing about the emperor again compell- l ing one to draw parallel with the
 French revolution and impressing the truth of Prince Bismarck's famous res
 mark, that everything King Louis XVII did to preserve his throne came | a day too late.
 Substantially. the decision to permit representatives of the people to parti. cipate in a consultative capacity in consideration of projected reforms and preparation of laws had been taken ! by the emperor three months ago. on the advice of Prince Sviatopolk- Mir sky. and had been actually incorporat- | ed in clause HI of the December man. | ifesto. Prince Sviatopolk- -Mirsky's | heart was set upon thls scheme. mak- ing 1t a condition of his continuance l in office, but at the last minute yield- ing to the pressure of the reactionfsts. led by Grand Duke Sergius and M Pobedonstaff. procurator of tEe Holy Synod 1t was stricken out. and Prince Sviatopolk -Mirsky, under the sunshine of whose inspiration the hopes of the whole nation burst into bloom, stepped down. Had Emperor Nicholas then chung to his original resolution many painful events since the first of the year, including the assassination of his uncle. might had been avoided.
 Project Revived.
 The project on much broader lines was again revived by M. Termoloff three weeks ago at the meeting which
 inaugurated weekly cabinet councils under the emperor's direct presidency The Emperor insisted upon preserving the principle of autocracy and some di- vergent views also developed among the ministers. Between the meeting and February 24. the ministers compro- missed their differences When he was presented the preparation containing the rescript. His Majesty. while with holding his definite approval. asked that | 1t be placed in concrete form. This was done in the intervening week. The text is believed to be largely the work of Finance Minister Kokovzeff. although the Associated Press Is not in a position to absolutely affirm 1t. | In the meantime Prince Mestchersky
 who Is the editor of The Grashdanin, the reactionary organ at the capital and who always has enjoyed large | influence at the court, drew up draft | of Friday mornings manifesto, as counterpoise to the rescript just as Grand Duke Sergius had prepared the communique which accompanied the December manifesto. Prince Nest chersky sent the draft to M. Pobedo- nestzeff. who wrote letter to the Elm peror recommending 1t. The manifesto was signed and issued atfer midnight on Thursday without the knowledge of or after consultation with any of the ministers, who were thunderstruck, but upon the arrival at TsaFsko-Selo Fri day afternoon the ministers were re- lieved when the Emperor informed them that the manifesto would not in- terfere with the rescript, which he had resolved to sign. explaining the con neffton between the two as stated in Assoeiated Press dispatches of March 1. If Is a fact that the ministers were so fearful that some adverse influence might intervene before 1t could appear in the regular morning editions of the official messenger of Saturday that 1t was made public instantly upon their return to St. Petersburg and at the same time the ministers ordered It's publication in a special edition of the Messenger.
 Uncertain as to Intent.
 Notwithstanding the praise with which some of the Russian papers
 greet the document, hailing 1t with such expressions as "the dawnlng or a new era for the Slavraco" the Rubicon of mistrust has been crossed" "the moment for which we have been
 thirsting with trembling. longing and tortured souls has arrived and the voice of the people at last will be heard in the councils of the Empire" there
 is the greatest diversity of views as to what Is actually intended; but by every
 ohe 1t Is evidently designed to trans- late the imperial rescript as prom ise of a real legislative chamber upon which they intend to make the fight. Extremists, of course. who demand an out-and-out constitution deride it as
 lelusion and a snare; but thrOughtful Liberals who are convinced that the autocracy intends to yield as little as possible believe they have at least se- cured a fulcrum for their lever, and that the Emperor, like Aladdin. has rubbed the lamp and called genii into action. but he will not be able to con troI the new creation when 1t appears.
 A great fight must come on In- terior Minister Bouligan's committee. upon which the Liberals have already demanded that the Zemstvos be repre- sented The decision has been taken to keen the agitation at white heat and to strike while the iron is hot. In this the Liberals will have powerful support in high quarters within the Government. What they mainly fear is delay and the cooling off of the peo- pie into the apathy of fancied security of a victory achieved. At the same time they hope the general situation will moderate, and especially that there will be no repetition of terrorism. Certainly the rescript has created a powerful impression.
 The disorders which were predicted here and at Moscow for Saturday and Sunday did not occur. although the strike situation here appears distinct ly more threatening. The authorities profess great hope that the rescript will completely change the attitude of the vast bulk of the workmen who really are only demanding economic reforms by a strike. but who are easy victims to a propaganda of their revo- lutionary comrades.
 Warsaw Quiet.
 Warsaw. March 5.-11:2O D. m)-It is reported that since Thursday the po- lice of this city have arrested hundreds