The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-20
COERCION USED IN
RUSSIAN ELECTIONS
Radical Elements are Being
Virtually Excluded
ARE DISPERSED BY TROOPS
Workmen Get Small Representation
and Overwhelming Display of
Troops Is Made During
the Elections.
ARE DISPERSED BY TROOPS

ST. Petersburg, March 19.-As the cleo
lions proceed there is more and more
evidence of the virtual exclusion from
participation of the radical element of
the population.
The preliminary stages of the elections
will rob the national assembly of much
of its national character. Its authority
to speak will be absolutely referred by
the proletariat organization which bore the
brunt of the fight for liberty Complaints
of interference and duress in the country
districts are increasing. Many fragrant
instances are cited of the terrorism of To-
cal officials in preventing free expression
of the peasants and often practically
compelling the selection of priests and VII
lage elders The seeming apathy of the
small land owners assemblies at which
an average of only 10 per cent of the
voters were present, is explainable by the
feeling that they were not free to choose.
The most serious phase of the situation
however. is the attitude of the workmen
In the cities who constitute politically
faction Of the masses of the population.
In spite of repression wholesale arrests
and exile of their leaders since the strike
disorders, many workmen are inclined to
reject the advice of the socialists to boy
colt the elections. The authorities in
stead of taking advantage of this senti-
ment and inducing the workmen as
class to participate, have with fabulous
blindness openly discouraged their par
ticipation where the radical elements are
In the majority, thus deliberately playing
the game of the boycotters, and driving
the whole working class into revolt.
Workmen's Attitude Serious.
This was apparent at the workmen's
elections in st. Petersburg yesterday.
Carefully collected information from the
OUTLYING Industrial districts today show
that the elections were a complete farce.
Nominally eleven out of 80 working groups
entitled to participate, elected 20 out OF 81
delegates to the convention which will
select is representatives for the city to
the convention, which in turn elects for
St. Petersburg six members of the ma
tional assembly. In reality the number
of worlsmen participating was infnitesi-
NAL. Where the elections were held, only
769 out of 81, 1870 worSmen voted, and they
almost invariably chose reactionists. As
an example at the Nevsky works hun
dred voters of 5000 elected five members
OF the League of the Russian People, and
three men belonging TO the Party OF
Law and Order; two prominent reaction
airy organizations
Overwhelming Display of Troops.
There was an overwhelming display of
troops and police in the districts and
places where the men assembled. Some
Of them held meetings and discussed the
ACCESSIBILITY of participating, but the
great mass simply withdrew, declaring
that during the present reign of terror
the designation of their real choice was
equivalent to turning over the men to the
police. In the big Moscow factory dis
tricts not a single man has been elected,
the employees unanimously refusing to
vote until the imprisoned members of
their organizations are released from
jail.
At the Navra works the men employed
in forty-four shops boycotted the cleo
tions declaring that their candidates who
were not in jail had been dismissed Sat
urday Prof. Paul NJ. Mitukoff, editor
of the Rech. organ of the constitutional
democrats, addressed large meeting
OF workmen urging the necessity for
preston, but the moment he in his tenn
perate speech pronounced the word ''op-
position the police nterfered, closed the
meeting and the workmen left in disgust.
Dispersed BY Soldiers.
At the Kolpino works the men were
hotly discussing the question of partici
pating in the election when they were
surrounded and dispersed by troops, who
mortally wounded q workman.
At Moscow yesterday. where the work.
men delegates met for the second cleo
ton stage to select representatives to
their city conference, the greatest con-
fusion prevailed and no result was at
tanned. the delegates insisting on being
allowed time to get acquainted, the
choices were limited to the members
present. There were 1872 candidates, al
though only eighteen qualified for cleo
ton.
In the meantime the leaders of the real
parties In the fight for supremacy in the
national assembly are concentrating their
efforts for the final struggle in the pro-
Yincial and city conventions which choose
the actual members of tine national as
sembly. Little attention is paid by the
liberals to the new council of the empire
which is foredoomed to be controlled by
tile government.
Parties Are Uniting.
1t is apparent that the progressive and
liberal elements with chances of actual
representation are uniting with the con-
stitutional democrats. They have already
made a good showing. capturing twenty,
of whom Prof. Manuiloff. rector of Mos
COW university, is one, out of ffty-two
small land owner delegates of Moscow
province Their candidates for the ma
tional assembly, for which full tickets