The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-05-16
CAR OPENS PARLIAMENT
Grand Ceremonies Mark Begin.
ming of Russian Legislation.
RADICALS WERE DISAPPOINTED
The Democrats Had Hoped to Hear
Something in II About Liber-
atine Prisoners.

WllHout q slilSlt NUN, anu VIII
only minor accident to mar the
memorable occasion, the Russian par
lament was inaugurated May 10
Emperor Nicholas, surrounded by
courtiers and all the pomp anC
panoply of power, delivered the
speech from the throne at the Win
ter palace to the members of the two
houses. Such a spectacle perhaps
never before has been witnessed OF
the earth's stage.
The message in realty was less q
throne speech, than a greeting, ant
required only three minutes for it:
delivery. Emperor Nicholas read
slowly.
In his address the emperor said:
THE supreme providence which
gave me the care of our fatherland
moved me to call to my assistance
in legislative work elected represen
tatives of the people. In the eXpecta
tion of brilliant future for Russia
greet in your persons the best mer
from the empire, whom / ordered my
beloved subjects TO choose from
among themselves.
"A difficult work lies before you,
trust that love for your fatherlanC
and your earnest desire to serve II
will inspire and unite you.
Il shall keep inviolate the institu
tions which I have granted with the
firm assurance that You will devote
all your strength to the service Of
your country and especially to the
needs of the peasantry, which are Sc
close to my heart, and to the educa'
ton of the people and their econom
ical welfare, remembering that to the
dignity and prosperity of the state
not only freedom, but order founded
upon justice is necessary.
Il desire from my heart to see my
people happy and hand down to my
son an empire. secure, well organized
and enlightened.
MAY God bless the work that lies
before men in the unity with the
council Of the empire and the i'm
perial douma. May this day be the
day of moral revival of Russia, ans
the day for the day of renewal of its
highest forces.
Approach with solemnity the la
bors for which call you. and be
worthy of the responsibilities pu'
upon you by the emperor and the
people.
MAY God assist u.s.
The admirable and even cordia'
tone of the sovereign, in renewing
his pledges, and asking the co-opera
tion of parliament for the regenera
ton of the country, was only mega
lively satisfactorily.
Almost Precipitated Matters.
Courtiers and spectators, Other
than members of the national parlia
ment. led the cheering. The mem
bers were ominously silent, express
ing neither approval nor disapprov'
al. What ranked most was the
failure of the emperor to mention
amnesty, and later. when the mem
bers assembled in the Tauride palace
away from the spell of the throne
room, many of them were with diff
fculty restrained from precipitatine
matters by Offering resolutions OF
the subject.
The Constitutional Democratic
}eadIers. however who dominated
everything, were anxious not tC
weaken the reply which the lower
house will prepare to the speech
from the throne, in which issues
whith the crown will be joined, and
succeeded in staving of premature
action.
Real Flashes Of Fire.
The only genuine flashes OF fire
which showed the real temper of the
members of the house. were wher
Prof. Mouromtseif, who had beer
elected president of the lower house
invited government officials ant
clerks to leave the hail. and wheI
Ivan Petrunkevitch, in a few elo
quent words from the rostrum, tolt
the auditors that the first thought O.
the parliament should be for those
who had suffered in the cause ot
liberty, who now filed the prisons
and whose arms were stretched ou
In hope and confidence to the peo
pies representatives,. More enthu
siastic cheering than that which
greeted this appeal never was hearC
in a political convention in the
United States.
Constitution and amnesty were tht
key-notes of President Mouromtseff'
speech.
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