The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-27
Parliament Throws Down Gaunt-
let to Government and The
Great Struggle is On
VOTES LACK OF CONFIDENCE
IN THE CARS MINISTRY
Premier's Statement of Cabinet Policy
Is Rejected With But Seven Dis
sentlnq Votes After But
Seven Hours Session.

ScNen r1ourS oSSSloH.
st. Petersburg, May 26.-At the end of a
memorable seven hour session the lower
house of Parliament this evening rejected
the governments policy as presented by
Premier Goremyl1in, and with only seven
dissenting voices voted a lack of conf
dence in the ministry, practically throwing
the gauntlet to the bureaucracy with
demand for the retirement of the present
cabinet and its supersession by a minis
try approved by the majority in the
House.
The spirit of absolute revolution Is in
the air and a conflict between the crown
and the nation now appears to be newt
able. While the House avoided the APP
pearance of delivering an ultmatum, the
government seems to have no alternative
except surrender or war. The gloomiest
forebodings are everywhere expressed to-
night, and the general impression is that
the country is on the verge of gigan-
tic struggle which may be delayed but
not averted.
Struggle May Begin Tomorrow.
Dispatches received from the interior
Indicate that the struggle possibly may
be inaugurated Monday with a general
strike when the people learn that all am
nesty has been refused them.
o While the premiers statement promised
operation with the lower house insofar
FN .he latter does not transgress the linn
. of the fundamental laws" it recog-
j ~ -ia
posng to remedy the deficiency in land
jough the operation of an agrarian
hlS and migration to Siberia. 1t pro-
.ked the Introduction of universal and
compulsory educat tion, the reform of the
administration and the realization of the
four liberties
Murder and Terrorism Must Cease.
Premrsr Goremykin's statement, how
ever, returned a non-possmus on the burn
ing question raised by the House in its
reply to the speech from the throne 1t
declared that the governments fiat and
exceptional laws cannot be withdrawn
until murder and terrorism cease. The ex-
preparation of appanages of the crown and
church and private lands was declared to
be inadmissible. The right of investiga-
tion of administrative acts. the statement
declared, belonged to the crown, the
House having only the power of interpre-
tation. Amnesty, Premier Goremykin said,
was solely the prerogative of the En-
peror.
Such briefly was the governments re-
ply to the address of the House and the
premier's words seemed to arouse all the
latent resentment in the hearts of the
members of the House The constitutional
democratic leaders for the first time gave
free hand to their passions and with
flaming words, orator after orator de-
clared the governments programme in
admissible and said the ministry must
give way to a cabinet in which the people
had confidence. NJ Roditcheff announced
that the governments reply had dashed
to the grounds all his hope of working in
harmony with the administration. M.
Kovalsky enacted the role of Mrabeau,
practically paraphrasng the Frenchman s
words: I'VE are here by the will of the
people and nothing but bayonets can dis
perse u.s., while half a dozen peasant
members hurled defiance at the minis
try
Even Count Hayden Deserts.
Even Count Hayden, the leader of
the right deserted the government s side,
saying that inasmuch the govern
ment had refused to redeem its promise
to repeal the exceptional laws, his vote
also was for censure
The realization of censure as adopted
provides that the House shall proceed
with the order of the day Monday thus
adroitly placing upon the shoulders of
the government the responsibility for
making the next move. For the moment
as indicated by statement issued by the
official agency at midnight, the ministry
is hesitating in a dilemma, being ready
neither to resign itself nor to dismiss
Parliament The communication says:
1--WE are able to announce authoritatively
that the rumors of dissolution of Par
lament are unfounded. The Parliament
will sit until the middle of June, when
1t will take a vacation.
The dismissal of the ministers is
matter exclusively for the unfettered de-
cision of the sovereign. The speech of
the minister of justice at today's sitting
of the house was an expression of his
personal views given on his own initiative.
Expresses Lack of Confidence.
The text of the resolution of lack of
confidence in the government was draft
led by the labor group. 1t is as follows:
The declaration of the premier heard
today by parliament contains the decisive
declaration that the government in no
wise wishes to meet the demands of the
people and the execution of a law of lib
erty and civil rights enumerated in the
address of the house in reply to the
speech from the throne without the full
fillment of which pacfication of the coun-
try and successful work by the house
Is impossible. BY its refusal to satisfy
the slular demands the government
clearly Shows its disregard of the real
interests of the people and its plain un-
Willingness to relieve from the shadow
of new disasters a country which is har-
rassed by poverty lawessness and the
continued unpunished arbitrariness of the
authorities.
.1,he lower house of parliament con-
siders that it is its plain duty to pro-
claim TO the country it's complete dis
trust of an irresponsible ministry. 1t re-
CARDS as a most necessary condition to