Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-26
Government Refuses the
Demands of Par
lament.
PROMISES ARE FEW
Social Democrats and Reac-
tionists Both Successfully
Courting Trouble.

ST. Petersburg, May 26, 4:40 p. M
IL is rumored in the corridors of the
lower house of parliament the premier
has in his pocket a mandate for the
dissolution of parliament.
Speech Firm I'm Tone.
st. Petersburg, May 26.-Premier
Goremykin's speech the outlining of
which was Unexpectedly firm in tone,
produced such a vivid impression that
conflict is now considered inevitable.
To the demands made in the address
of the lower house in reply TO speech
from the throne it was almost a COM
plete mon possmus."
Amnesty Impossible.
1t reiterated that general amnesty
is impossible. but promised the re-
lease as rapidly as possible of those
who had been arrested by administra-
tive order. There could be no ques-
tion, it was pointed out. of the abolition
of the council of the empire, or upper
house, as that is an institution cover
yOnd the competence of parliament.
No Distribution of Land.
Most important of all, the premier
declared the basis for a solution of the
aggrarian problem proposed by the
lower house was completely impOssi-
Bile. There could be no forced distIibu-
tion of land He promised however,
the distribution of some parts of the
state domains and outlined broad
program for popular education. reyi-
sion of the tax law and the institution
of political liberty. ----------
Reply Immediate.
AS the premier concluded reading
the governments declaration, which
was received without single murmur
of approval, a wonderful scene follow
ed when NJ Roditchoff, leader of the
constitutional democrats, mounted the
rostrum and rejected in behalf of his
party the governments reply. With
burning words he flung down the
gauntlet to the government, and thun-
ders of applause greeted his speech.
Wild With F;nthusiasm.
When Rodtchoff turned toward the
benches occupied by the ministry and
declared that 'it is not the government,
but the representatives of the people
here assembled who must decide what
is best for the welfare of the country,
the members were wild with enthuSl-
asm. Time and again the house roared
with irOnical laughter as the orators
sarcastic denunciations of the policy
of the government. Roditchoff conclud-
ed with a demand for the retirement
of the bureaucratic cabinet and the Gre
alton of a responsible ministry from
the peoples chosen representatives
Would DIscredit Parliament.
The social democrats are working
might and main to cast discredit on
parliament and produce an uprising of
the elemental forces They have al
ready precipitated an incipient strike
in the industrial quarters of Moscow,
and at Odessa the 'longshoresmen have
struck. Not a single vessel left that
harbor yesterday.
Given Powerful Weapon.
The governments refusal to grant
amnesty to political prisoners furnishes
the proletariat organizations with
powerful weapon, and they threaten
that unless tomorrow the anniversary
of the emperOr's coronation, sees am
nesty proclaimed, TO call a general
strike as preliminary to an armed up
rising Constant runors of a reaction
airy coup d'etat, the dispersal of par
lament and the establishment of die
tatorship under Trepoff, add to the gen.
eral excitement
Becomes Leading Topic.
Fear of another explosion in the
country and its attendant crisis is be-
ginning to overshadow the fight be-
tween the crown and the lower house
of parliament. The expectation that
the premiers statement would be ut
terly unfavorable caused great excite
ment at the opening of the lower house
of parliament. Both constitutional DEM
ocrats and labor groups in anticipation
of an unsatisfactory reply, drafted res
olutions expressing lack of confidence
in the government which they are pre-
pared to move as soon as the reading
is finished
Provinces Unquief.
Grave news comes from the prov
inces. Instead of acting as seda-
tive, the assembling of parliament has
been marked by an alarming increase
in revolutionary agitation and terror