The Paducah sun., 1906-05-11
OPENING OF
RUSSIA'S DOUMA
Effected without a Hitch But
With Some Significance.
Emperor Nicholas Appeared Sur
rounded by All Pomp and the
Panoply Of Power.
CHEERED ONLY BY SUPPORTERS


out single hitch and with only
minor incident to make a memora-
BILE day the Russian parliament was
inaugurated The stage management
of the impressive ceremony at the
Winter Palace where Emperor Mich
olas, surrounded by courtiers and all
the pomp and panoply of power. de-
livered his speech from the throne to
the members of the two houses was
perfect. Such spectacle, perhaps,
never before had been witnessed on
the earth's stage.
The message in reality was less
throne speech than greeting and
required only three minutes for de-
livery. Emperor Nicholas read slowly
and admirably. Even the cordial tone
of the sovereign in renewing his
pledges and asking the cooperation
of the parliament for the regenera-
tion of che country was only mega
lively satisfactory.
Only supporters Cheered.
Courtiers and spectators, other
than members OF the national parlia-
ment. led the cheering, but the mem
bers we're ominously silent, express
ing neither approval nor dlsapproval.
What ranked most was the failure
OF the emperor to mention amp esty
and later when the members EN-
bled In the Tauride Palace away
from the spell of the throne room,
many OF them were with difficulty re-
strained from participating in the
matter by Offering resolutions on the
subject.
The constitutional democratic lead
/ ers. however. who dominated every
thing. were anxious not to weaken
| the reply which the lower house will
prepare to the speech from the
throne, in which the issues with the
crown will be Joined. and succeeded
in staving off premature action.
Contrasting Scenes.
The scene around Taurlde Palace
was in striking contrast with that at
the Winter Palace. Each, indeed was
/ typical and told an eloquent story.
! At Tauride Palace tens of thousands
of people were acclaiming their rep
| re esentatives; at the Winter Palace
legions OF military and courtiers by
the hundreds cheered for the emper-
or. Nevertheless the proceedings OF
the lower house were not spectacu
lar; In fact they were almost tame in
comparison with those at the Winter
Palace.
The only genuine flashes of fire
which showed the real temper of the
members of the house were when
Prof. Mouromstoff. who had been
elected presid Mt of the house. invit-
ed the government officials and
clerks to leave the hall and when
Ivan Petrunkevitch, in few elo-
quent words from the rostrum, told
his auditors that the first thought Of
the parliament should be for those
who had suffered in the cause of lib
erty, and now filled prisons and
whose arms were stretched out in the
hope and confidence to the peoples
representatives. More enthusiastic
cheering than that which greeted this
appeal never was heard in a political
convention anywhere.
"Constltution and amnesty" were
the kcynotes of Mouramstoff's speech
A "Foolish Dreamer's" Dream.
BY the irony of fate, Ivan Petrun-
kevltch. whose first mention of the
word constitution IL years ago was
dismissed by Emperor Nicholas II.
as "a foolish dreamer" stood in the
front rank of the members of the
representative chambers while En-
peror Nicholas put his final seal up
on the Russian parliament and beg
ged the representatives of the people
to co-operat with him in working
for the welfare of the country.
The lower house of parliament ad-
journed over a day, in order not TO
i interfere with the opening exercises
of the council of the empire and also
/ to permit the committee of consC-
tutional democrats to consider the
reply to the speech from the throne.
| Witte, the EN-Piemier.
A pathetic figure in the scene at the
palace was that of Count Witte, OF
whom the correspondent of the Asso-
ciated Press caught a glimpse before
the ceremony. pacing the corridor
entirely, alone. Later he entered the
throne hall clad in the gold and black
Uniform of a secre tarv of state, one
of the highest dignitaries OF the
/, court, which still remains to him.
and with the ribbon OF the Alexander
Nevsky order on his breast lie took
his place in the ranks of the bureau
acy. Former Interior Minister Minis
ter DuInovo was there too. chatting
intimately and earnestly with his
companions. but Witte seemed TO ind
2 cold welcome from everyone. FL