The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-13

ST. Petersburg, April S.-The cleo
toral colleges in % out Of the 81 prov
inces in European Russia today elected
17S members to the national Parlia-
ment-about one-third of it's entire
membership-and returns received up
to midnight indicate that the widest
hopes of h liberals have been real
lied. the constitutional democrats and
other progressivists practically every
where having gained a tremendous
victory over the Octoberists and other
conservative parties. AS far as is as
certalnable. not a single reactionary
candidate pulled through and nowhere
did even the Octoberists score a tri-
umph. The maiorities obtained by the
radicals clinch the character of the
victory. From the Volga to the from
tier of Poland and from the still ice
bound coast of Archangel to the Black
sea. the story is substantially the same.
Peasants Vote Liberal.
In almost every instance, the peas
ants elected were not only progress
sives. but the majority of them, at
least. had a high school education.
In the Volga district and the central
provinces. where famine and agrarian
disorders ave been the greatest, the
peasant vote was most radical.
In Samara by a vote Of Sc to s, they
chose NJ. Guttandont. a Socialist. while
the members elected by the college
We're a doctor, for Zemtoists and five
progressive peasants.
Even Cossack Tribe Radical.
The effect of the revolutionary out
breaks at Sebastopol was reflected in
the results in Taurida. which h peas
ants chose a Social Revolutionist.
II the province of Grodno, in the
Jewish pale, a solid progressive dele
cation was chosen. included among it
being two JevT@.
Tver, where Governor General Slept
zoff was ass. ssinated Saturday, was
swept by the constitutional democrats
by an overwhelming majority. IvaT
Petrunkevitch. the leader of the con
stitutional democrats, and against
whom the opposition was concentrated
and R%odicheff and Kuzminkaravieff
were triumphantly elected.
Some of the Leaders.
Among other prominent person
elected are Prince Balataiteff. the we'll
known Zemtvoist worker of Simbirsk
Professor Maxim k~ovolevsky, o
Kharkoff.
While no definite results of the mu
nicipal elections held today are known
they seem also everywhere to have
gone in favor Of the progressives. In
MOnSk province. the radical Russians
and Jews and Poles formed a coalition
n decided to put Ut a joint ticket
comprised Of Jour Jews, two Poles and
one Russian.
Government Must Choose.
Today's results prove beyond ques-
ton that the calculations of the gov
eminent have been rudely upset and
that the opposition elements will con-
troll the national Parliament by a de-
cisive majority. Premier Whites eff
forts to induce Emperor Nichols to
proclaim a constitution should now be
greatly REINFORCED.
Another crisis plainly confronts the
government, for the sweeping charac-
ter of their victory undoubtedly viii
the liberals to push the gov
eminent to the wall. and it would seem
that the emperor must yield TO the en-.
treaties of those who counsel a ina
surrender by issuing a constitution &c
the people of dispensing the national
EaT1 ament as soon as it assemblies
There seems no alternative except the
choice OF n Of these two courses.