Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-24
TOCSIN FOR A REVOLT
DEPosED DoUMA ISSUED DE-
FAINT MANIFESTO.

at yiborg on the final act of the drama of
Russas first parliament when, under the
spur of the threat of Gov. Rechanberg to
use military force to end the session, and
with troops already converging on the Ho-
tel Belvedere where the meeting was held.
the assembled members of the lower house
1876 in number hurriediy adopted and Sign
ed an address to the people which is thor.
oughly revolutionary In It's nature. elected a
perpetual executive committee, headed by
Prince Paul Dolsoroukof. vice president of
the house. to carry the work of liberia
ton and adjourned amid characteristic Rus
sian embracing and kissing.
A few members. including President Mou-
rorntseff Ivan Petrunkevitch and Count
Heyden. returned to st. Petersburg by even
ing trains. The constitutional democratic
representa- ives intend to go to St. Peters
burg In a body in the morning, but many OF
the radical members. fearing arrest on
their arrival In the capital. will remain for
the present In Finland or return by rounda-
bout routes.
Address to the People.
The address which bears a remarkable
similarity to the manifesto framed by the
council of workmen> last November, which
landed its authors and the editors of eight
st. Petersburg newspapers in cells of the
fortress of st. Peter and st. Paul, strikes
the government in It's most vulnerable point
by declaring that the administration and
not parliament Is responsible for the delay
in the settlement OF the agrarfan question
and by proclaiming a cessation OF payment
Of taxes and of military service and repudi-
alton of future loans.
The address is as follows:
ITO the people from their popular repre-
sentatives:
"Citizens of all Russia: Parliament has
been dissolved by ukase of July 81. You
elected us as your representatives and
instructed us to fight for country and
for freedom. In execution of your instruc-
tons and our duty we drew up laws in
order to insure freedom to the people.
We demanded the removal of irresponsible
ministers who were infringing the laws
with impunity and depressing freedom.
First of all. however. we wanted to bring
out a law respecting the distribution OF
land to working peasants and involving
the assignment to this end. of crown APP
panages monasteries. and lands belonging
to the clergy, and compulsory appropriation
of private estates. The government held
parliament once more urgently putting for
ward its resolution regarding compulsory
appropriation parliament was dissolved.
THE government promises to convoke
new parliament seven months hence Rus
STA must remain without popular represen-
tation for seven whole months at time
when the people are standing on the brink
of ruin and industry and commerce are I'M
dermined, when the whole country is seeth-
ing with unrest and when the ministry has
definitely shown Its incapacity to do justice
to popular needs. For seven months the
government will act arbitrarily and Will
fight against the popular movement in or
der to obtain a pliable. subservient parlia-
ment. Should it succeed, however, In COM
pletely suppressing the popular movement,
the government will convoke no parliament
at all.
An Appeal for Passive Revolt
ofaI
on rights. for popular representation, and
for an imperial parliament. Russia must
not remain day without popular repre-
sentation. You possess the means of ac-
quiring 1t. The government has, without
the assent Of the popular representatives.
no right to collect taxes from the people
nor to summon the people to military
service Therefore you are now now the gov.
justified in giving neither money nor SOL
diers. Should the government, however,
contract loans in order to procure funds,
such loans will be invalid without the con-
sent Of the popular representatives. The
Russian people will never acknowledge
them and will not be called upon to pay
them. Accordingly, until popular rep
reseiatattye parliament is summoned. do
not give a kopec to the throne or a soldier
to the army. Be steadfast In your re-
fusal No power can resist the united, in
flexible will of the people.
Citizens, in this obligatory and un-
avoidable struggle. your representatives
will be with you"
desire for unanimous adoption of the
manifesto would be wrecked There were
sharp differences between the constltu-
tional democrats and the revolutionists,
the latter wishing to proclaim the house
in perpetual session and abrogate the aiie-
glance Of the people. while the eonstltu-
tional democrats favored the declaration
of a pacific general strike without resort
TO revolutionary measures as protest
against the emperor's dissolution of par
lament.
Governor Precipitated Action.
The psychological moment which changed
the minds of the moderates was the ARRIVAL
of Gov. Rechanberg, with the curt COM
mand to dispense or take the consequences,
when even the more conservative or the
constitutional democrats, such as M. Pc
trafitsky and Prof Hertzenstein, who had
made speeches IN favor of moderation,
struck hands with the radicals. and the
whole assembly foreswore amendment or
debate and adopted the foregoing address
The socialists, their part. withdrew
the proviso that the house constitute itself
a constituent assembly and compromised
on the election Of a permanent executive
committee. With the exception of Count
Heyden. Michael Stakovich and the Polish
delegates, every member present signed the
address, the Polish delegates stating that
they had no credentials to advise the Polish
nation as to future tactics, and that they
cannot participate in directing the Russian
people but that all their sympathies were
on the side of the Russian revolution.
Immediately after the announcement OF
Gov. Rechanberg that the meeting of MEM
bers of parliament must dispense. detach-
ment of infantry was marched past the
Hotel Belvedere to give emphasis to the
threat to employ troops to enforce the or
der of dispersal
1t is reported that arrangements have
been made in St. Petersburg to greet the
deputies on their arrival there with for
midable demonstration in their favor and
that general strike may be declared;
but on these points the utmost secrecy is
maintained.