Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-26
Is That Russia May Aban-,
|. don Path Of Reform ]
Through the Altitude Of Aglta-
tors. and Some Of People.
Fear Of Armed Rsvolsiea Practically Over
Army Much ShsBgiheasd.

st. Petersburg, March 25.-The AS
sociated Press is able to give the re-
! suits of an important cOnversati ton
with a high parsonage regarding the
situation in Russia. Neither the name
nor the position of this parsonage can
| be indicated, but his competency to
speak on the situation can be vouched
for. The conversation which covered
a wide range. left the distinct impress
sion that the assembling of the ma
tional Parliament would bring a crisis
| but not the one anticipated abroad.
The government, evidently is absolute
| ly convinced that an armed revolution
| or n general uprising which would
| menace its life is no longer possible
| and that the danger now is not that the
government will be Overthrown but
that it win be driven to abandon its
path of reform.
"The guerilla warfare which the
tIevolutiOniSts at present are conduct
ing" said the parsonage referred to.
'cannot succeed. Acts Of terrorism
doubtless will cOntinue-vengeance
may be wrecked upon governors gen.
| erals and police masters: Count Witte,
the premier, and minister of the inter-
| ior Durno"o may be aSsassinated,
bank buildings may be blown up and
there may be even riots here and
there-bnt attempts to produce wide
spread risings in the cities or a repeti-
| ton Of the railroad strike are doomed
t. failure. The government has 4 firm
grip and every measure to prevent ex-
ceSSeS will be taken,
| Besides, the situation has been COM
pietely altered since last fall, when
practically the whole Of the urban
population joined the protest urging
| the Emperor 10 grant the manifesto
| Of Oct. 80. The government was un-
| able to cope with the extreme revolu-
| tionaries then. sThe army in European
Russia was at 4aow strength and filled
with reservists sbordering on mutiny
owing to their anxiety to return to
their homes and rejoin their families,
and new recruits everywhere were pre-
| vented from joining the colors. Since
then all is changed. The reservistS
have been discharged and the recruits
| have been drilled and joined the ranks.
| Regiments which then consisted of
400 men now have 1000 men. The army
| corps have arrived from Manchuria
and more regulars are arriving daily.
mo matter what is said to the con-
trary it is certain that the army is
faithful to the Emperor. There may
be individual cases Of dislOyalty, but
the reliability of the army as 4 whole
| is unouestionable. The weight of
troops alone makes Il revolution i'm
possible.
| "His Majesty is desirOus of granting
his peoples wishes and intends to do
| so in the near future, but
| reactionary party exists. 1t is
composed of the aristocracy with q
| powerful backing in high places and.
| above all. it enjoys the support of the
| military faction which in country
like Russia. is an immense factor. The
| Military is naturally reactionary. An
| officer prefers to serve Napoleon
rat than a Parliament
| Nevertheless, at the present mo-
| ment the reactiOnary party is weak
| and pOwcilese. 1t lacks the public fol-
| lowing without which it dare not move.
| 1t is; easily conceivable. however, that
| the situation might suddenly change
should an opportunity TO strike come
should the Parliament attempt TO
| take the bull by the horns for the dep
| oSition of the Emperor and the de-
SIruction of the whole fabric of govern
mcnt, the new regime might be over
Whelmed with disaster. a large ele-
merit of the population, especially the
| masses who had no share in the revolu-
| tion. and who reverence the Emperor
as god-given ruler, might be aroused
| to action by the re-actionaries and the
Emperor seeing the revoutiOnaries on
| one side attempting to go too far and
| in the face Of what seemed to he a pop
rlar demand. for the restoration OF the
old regime, might will not say he
would-yield TO what he considered the
wish of his subjects
"What would specially be deemed an
act on the part OF Parliament threat
ening such Il catastrophe-the demand
for the convocation Of a constituent
Assembly," was asked.
"Certainlv that would be equivalent
to an attempt to refer the form of gov
ernmcpt to the decision to the people.
Ii probably would result instantly in a
summons to the Preobrajensk or other
guard regiments 10 dlsperse tne far-
Lament with bayonets.
1.-THE charges that the government is
interfering with elections are untrue.
/ The present indications are that the
that the Parliament will be conserva-
tive and it might. instead Of raising
c,anor for the overthrow Of the gov
ernn,ent set seriously to work to solve
the great and pressing questions on
| which the future depends. The absten-
tion cf the extreme elements from 'vot-
ing i,r the elections may affect some
what the national character of the
| Parliament and its authority to speak
in the name of the whole people.
"But it is now clear that the element
| that is abstaining from voting is pure
| Iy revolutionary. 1t is unwilling to ad-
| vance gradually in the path Of reforms.
| refuse all compromises and is deter
| .--xsnrod IN pauo Up.,aN