Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-05-10
RECEPTION TO
 THE EMPEROR
NO INCIDENTS TO MAR THE
 DAYS FESTIVITIES.
Speech From the Throne Was Con ciliatorv-The Emperor Asks the Parliament to Co-Operate
 With Him in Relief Work.

|
 peror's reception passed off withou
 any untoward incident.
 I The tone of the speech from th'
 throne was conciliatory. I. ex
 pressed the emperor's wish that re lief be given to the peasants in theil lpresent unfortunate conditions ant called on the members of parliamen
 to put their hearts into their worl
 and to cooperate with him in solving
 the present problems of Russla ane
 in handing down united and pros
 porous empire to his successor.
 The emperor and the empresse:
 after leaving the palace entered { |launch, passed down the river, board ed the imperial yacht Alexandra and
 returned to Peterhof.
 I The crowds on the banks of the river and islands heartily cheered the imperial party.
 There was no other incident.
 The members of the lower house
 of parliament after the ceremonies at the palace embarked on steamers l and went up the river, landing at the
 Tauride palace. where the house will assemble.
 St Petersburg. May 10.-An ideal
 May day like happy augury greeted the uprising of the curtain for the
 new act of the great historical drama,
 Russia's struggle for liberty. Never did the showy northern capital or
 Peter the Great present more bril- liant picture than for the inaugura-
 tion of the Russian parliament. Just
 a suspicion of haze hung over the
 gulf softening the outlines and giving
 the scene a touch of fairyland. The
 city, spreading out over the numerous
 green islands in the river. seemed
 swimming In flood of light. The
 broad. swift flowing Neya with arms
 outstretched to the sea and the inter-
 facing canals were turned to azure by
 the reflecting blue of the heavens,
 while the golden domes of the church. es. the spires of the admiralty and the St Peter and St Paul fortress and the shining minarets of the palace seemed to float above the masses of yellow buildings. Besides. the metrop- oils was dressed bride-like. awaiting the coming of her lord. The yellow imperial standard with the double headed eagle flew from the Winter palace, flags by order of the police were displayed from every house and streams of multi-colored pennants fiutteed from the yachts and ship ping in the harbor. Even the tiny pas senger boats which thread the rivers and canals. the street cars and many cabs carried the Russian colors. The banks, stores. schools and some of the factories were closed in honor of the occasion but there was no gen eral holiday, the government specin- cally discouraging suspension of work fin the industrial districts owing to fear that crowding the workmen into the center of the city might pro yoke collisions; disorders and perhaps blocdshed.
 There was something distinctly overlapping about the day. with visions of chains falling from another branch of the human race and the Russian people taking up the march of modern civilization. The represent atives of the Russian millions and the Russian emperor were at last face to face and the result was to determine the fate of the nation and country from Germany to the Pa clfic. to the Polar seas and to the burning sands of Central Asia.
 Notwithstanding the mutual dis trust of the government and people there was not lacking the hope that the foundation of sincere under standing between the emperor and | his subjects would be laid strong and | deep to-day. It was the attitude of | mutual suspicion which constituted | the great. jarring note on this occa- sion. It could not he concealed. It was | apparent everywhere.
 The city might have been fin a | state of siege, so heavy was the ar ray of troops. Not only were detach- | nents of infantry. cavalry and gend- ar7nes stationed at strategic points, put large reserves were massed fin | he court yards of the public build- ngs.
 Early in the morning the palace 'quare resembled field camp. two regiments of guards having h. there all night. At daylight of police took possession of III the approaches to the palace for he distance of third of mile and III day no one was allowed to pass he lines without tickets. The draw of he Nicholas bridge from vasilI is- and was opened and the palace ridge. which rests on pontoons. was flowed to swing down the current Q as to permit the imperial yachts. 'earing their majesties and tho court rom Peterhof to pass up the river to be landing stage in front of the win CT palace.
 A fiotilla of police patrol boats. everal low lying torpedo boats and
 number of cared gaIleys cleared the iver 90 far as the palace of all nov { lg craft.
 Like all great state functions fin { oly Russia the ceremonies began { -ith religious services. A. 10 clock in the morning the whole city I with bells and chimes -om St Petersburg's myriad of ea- | 1edrals. churches and temples, sum ( Ioning the people to thanksK1vfag. ( nly those who have heard the boon- ( lg of the bells of St 1sasc's csthe- ( ral. striking bass to the tfntinnabu- C Itions of the other belfrfes. can sp- ' reciete the savage splendor of the { i'd clanEor- Not only at St Peters 1rg but at the Kremlfn of Moscow Ills were rung and Te Deums were .lebrated. thus giving the occarfo7 { Ie solemn. religious zs we'll ss civic. 2 gnifcsnce necessary 10 impress the . 1sxizn nsxees- q