Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-17
REACT|ONAR|Es,
PR0GRESS|v|sTs.
Their Struggle in Russia Must
CuIminate and End in a
Few Days.
IT'S DURN0v0 AGAINST WlTTE
Question at Issue l. Withdrawal Of
Extraordinary Powers From
Governor Generals.

st. Petersburg, Feb. l6,--Informa-
ton has reached the Associated
Press that the desperate struggle which
has been raging In the government be-
tween the reactionary and the progress
sive forces Is approaching culmlna-
ton and must end within a few days in
the resignation either Of Minister OF
the Interior Durnoyo who is Leading
the movement for .horoughgoing re-
preston, or OF Premier Witte and Sow
erai other members OF the cabinet.
The question at issue is the with
drawal OF the extraordinary powers
confided In governor generals through
out Russia, which IN many cases. II Is
alleged, have been exercised for the re-
preston Of not alone political disorders.
but also OF the political activity Of the
parties.
The dl scusslon has reached such an
acute and passionate stage In the cabl-
net that no other Issue than the fall Of
one faction or the otner is possible.
The chances of victory incline to the
side OF Count Witte, who insists that
the governor generals must be de-
plrved OF their extreme powers within
a fortnight In order to remove the re-
strictions upon a free electoral cam
paiBn.
Minister Of Agriculture Kutler has re-
signed. But the announcement of the
acceptance Of his resignation, which
was due to influential opposition to his
project for appropriation of private
lands and their division among the
peasants has not been made.
Il Is said that NJ. Kutler, who, like
his predecessor, VI. Yermooff, Is pos
sesssd OF exceedingly strong progress
slve tendencies. Will leave the state
service entirely, not even receiving the
usual promotion" 10 the council Of the
empire the body which is reserved for
discarded ministers.
Rumor is busy with other changes TO
follow the first break In the cabinet Of
Count Witte. The most persistent story
Is directed at the premier himself, who,
according 20 general report is credited
with having bluntly Informed Emperor
Nicholas that he must choose between
him and Minister Of the Interior Dur
novo who, through his control OF the
police ministry OF the interior has been
pushing repression 10 the extreme and
throwing all the elements OF society
into opposition Of the government.
today at Count Whites chancellory to
deny positively tho report that Count
White had already resigned, but the
words OF an official high IN the pre-
mier's confidence that he could vouch
for the fact that at the present mo-
ment the report Is untrue, indicates that
there may be something In the wind
The project OF Minister kutler, who,
next to Minister Tizziaref, Is the most
liberal member OF the cabinet. struck
TO the heart OF the agrarian problem,
which the zemstyoists, who are LIB
erals, but land owners, found too
ticklish 20 handle at the last congress.
IT provided for the appropriation OF pri-
vate estates IN excess Of a maximum
acreage at price dependent on ac-
tual market values and their distribu-
ton on easy terms OF payment to the
peasantry. whose land hunger Is too
intense TO be satisfied with the prom
ised partition OF crown and church
lands.
NJ. Kutler held that this was the only
means OF preventing augmentation OF
the agrarian troubles, whose rising
pillows are the chief source of peril to
the government but his proposal not
only awakened the intense opposition OF
the rich and powerful camarilla at
court, but also was too drastic to suit
the marshals Of nobility, who sent a
deputation from the convention at Mos
COW to demand explicitly OF Premier
Witte whether he intended to accept
the Kuter scheme,
The premier responded that the pro-
ject was only tentative suggestion OF
an individual member OF the cabinet,
and that the agrarian problem was too
important TO be settled without refer
ence 10 the national assembly. How
ever the mere fathering OF the PROPOSE
tion seems TO have been fatal to Mr..
Kutler,
Should NJ, Kutler not be nominated TO
the council Of the empire It will be the
first instance OF the kind since the
retirement Of NJ Krivoshen from the
ministry Of railroads, who q decade
ego was dismissed In disgrace for steal
Ing.