Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-27
Announces Russian Par
|iament's Opening May 10.
viii Convene in Famous Hurdle
Palace at St. Petersburg.
Doubts Of government Inteaiion as 10 Par.
Lament Are Being DispeIIed.

st. Petersburg, Feb. 26.-Reports
from the interior showing it is possible
to hold the elections in over half the
districts and open the National AS
sembly May 10 with working ma
jOrity, the cabinet has recommended
| that the first meeting of the Russian
Parliament be held and the long-ex-
pected imperial ukase to that effect
was promulgated today.
This definite announcement furnish
| ed convincing answer to the revolu-
tionary argument that the government
had no intention of cOnvoking the Ma
tional Assembly. 1t is expected to do
| far more towards completing the tran
utilization of the country than all the
repressive measures of Interior Minis
ter Durnovo. of whose waning power
| the ukasc is but one of several indica-
lions.
Many Of the members. including rep
lresentatives Of the Caucasus, Siberia,
Parts of Poland. the Baltic provinces
and even of important cities like Kieff
will probably not be chosen in time to
participate in the organization Of the
National Assembly and it's opening
sessions.
But the urgent need for speedy
iconvocation of the new Parliament in
order to re-assure the country regard
| ing the intentions of the government
| overweighted the disadvantages of in
| complete representation. A second
ukase annuls the requirement Of a
simultaneous election throughout the
empire.
g.,
National Assembly is the historic
| Kuride palace here, built by Catherine
| II for her favorite, Prince Potemkin,
and the extensive alterations neces-
| sary for adapting it to the use of a
Parliament are nearing completion
| The paintings which adorn the walls
were executed under the direction Of
q commission Of well-knOwn Russian
al lists and expensive chairs and other
furniture have been provided for the
members. This has drawn the fire of
| the radical press which claims that
Spartan simplicity should have been
the keynote of the new assembly.
For the first time in the history of
| Russian public architecture accom-
modatiOnS have been provided for
press correspondents. The principal
| Russian papers and foreign news
agencies will be seated in the press
gallery of the National Assembly. over
looking the floor.
The efforts to retain in the cabinet NJ.
Timirazeff. the minister of commerce.
who rendered his resignation on Feb 49,
have come to naught. At a conference
this evening with Premier White. NJ. Tim
iriazeff refused to abate one iota Of his
conditions, which included the abandon
| mont by the government of rcprcssive
| measures except as such measures may
| be necessary in order to cope with actual
| or contemplated disorders or revolution
and assurances that Minister Of the In
terror Durnovo should not be permitted
to interfere with the execution of NJ Tim
iriazeffs industrial program by whole
sale arrests of workmen. To these condi-
items. which practically demanded the
| retirement of NJ. Durnovo, Count Wittec
was unable to assent. He, however, urg-
ed M. Timiriazeff to remain in the cabinet
| for the short interval before the convoca-
| ton of the National Assembly. which he
said would be the responsible arbiter on
all questions Of policy.
Thirty revolutionists. who. the police
| claim. formed the central group of the
fighting organization Of the Social rev.
olutionists. nave been arrested in st.
Petersburg. In addition the police cap
tured many revolvers and cartridges
and several thousand dollars of the
revolutionary funds.
The police have finally established
the identity of the young woman who,
on Feb. ., shot and seriously wounded
Vice Admiral Choukin, commander Of
the Black Sea fleet at Sebastopol and
Continued on Page Three.)