Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-05-17
heard Gar SPEAK
Representatives Of Russian People,
Amid POmp and Display, Listen
edto Emperor Three Minutes.
ASKED THEIR COOPERATION
No Act of OstentRtIOn Tending to
surround His Majesty with a
Halo of Sovereignty
Was Omitted,

| st. Petersburg, May 11.-An ides
May day like happy augury greete
the uprising of the curtain for tn
new act of the great historical drami
Russia's struggle for liberty. Neve
did the snowy northern capital Q
Peter the Great present a more bril-
liant picture than for the Inauguration
OF the Russian parliament. The met
ropolis was dressed bride-like await
ing the coming of her lord. Tn,
yellow imperial standard with the dou
BILE headed eagle few from the Win
ter palace, flags by order Of the polio,
were displayed from every house ant
streams of multi-colored pennantI
futtered from the yachts and shipping
In the harbor. Even the tiny passenger
boats which thread the rivers and
canals, the street cars and many cabs
carried the Russian colors. The banks
stores, schools and some of the fac
tories were closed in honor of the CO.
casion but there was no general holi-
day, the government specifically dis.
couraging a suspension Of work in the
industrial districts owing to fear that
crowding the workman into the center
of the city might provoke collisions,
disorders and perhaps bloodshed.
There was something distinctly awe
inspiring about the day with visions
Of chains falling from another branch
of the human race and the Russian
people taking up the march Of modern
civilization. The representatives Of the
Russian millions and the Russian en-
peror were at last face to face and the
result was to determine the fate Of
the nation and country stretching
from Germany to the Pacific, to the
Polar seas and to the burning sands
Of central Asia.
The weather was superb and the
stage management of the impressive
ceremony at the winter palace, where
Emperor Nicholas, surrounded by
courtiors and all the pomp and piano.
ply of power delivered the speech from
the throne to the members Of the two
houses, was perfect. The message in
reality was less a throne speech than
q greeting and required only three
for Its delivery. Emperor
Nicholas read slowly. The admirable |
and even cordial tone of the sovereign |
In renewing his pledges and asking |
the cooperation of parliament for the
of the country was only |
negatively satisfactory.
The emperor was dressed In the
Jimple blue uniform of colonel of the
oreobrajensky regiment OF the guards
With half-length boots and his only
decorations were the scarlet ribbon of
he Alexander Nevsky order across
lis breast and the diamond star of
he st, Andrew order. He carried his
Military cap in his left hand.
When all those participating in the
CEREMONY had taken their new places,
here was a slight pause and then the .
mperor walked slowly twenty PAGES
} the dias, assembled the throne, seated
imself in the imperial chair and an
lde de camp stepped forward and pre- .
snted him with the draft Of his ad-
reSs. His majesty rose and looking
own upon the wonderful scene, de-
vered his message to the representa- .
yes Of the Russian millions.
The emperor spoke with firm,
eady voice which was heard distinct
in every corner Of the hail, empha-
zing deliberately every word. Such
hush fell on the assembly during thO
aiding that the snap Of a camera
utter was sharply audible. q
The tone Of the speech from the
rome was conciliatory, 1t expressed D
e emperor's wish that relief be given q
3 peasants in their present unfort- ?
ate conditions and called on the 81
'mbers Of the parliament to put their u
arts into their work and to cooper Il
with him in solving the present 9
oblems Of Russia and in handing q
wn a united and prosperous empire 3
his successor.
Jourtiers and spectators other than X
mbers of the national parliament 81
the cheering, but the members
re ominously silent, expressing "
liner approval nor disapproval :, :,
hat ranked most was the failure OF =
emperor to mention amnesty, and !.
er, when the members assembled in :.
} Tauride palace away from the spell
the throne room, many Of them D
re with difficulty restrained from =
'cipitating matters by offering reso- =,
ions on the subject. =
The scene around the Tauride pal.
was in striking contrast with that a
the winter palace. Each, indeed, NJ
} typical and told an eloquent story. A.
the Tauride palace tens Of thou A.
Ids Of people were acclaiming their ~
at the winter palace "a
Ions Of military and courtiers BY n
hundreds cheered for the emperor.
the Droeaadlngs of ths =.
'er house We're not spectacular; In po
t, they were almost tame In COM ln
ison with those at the winter pal. "
he only genuine flashes Of fro
Ich showed the real temper Of the
nbers Of the house were when Prof =,