The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-15
WILL DEMAND
FULL AMNESTY
Political Prisoners Not Forgot
ten by Lower House of
Russian Parliament.
WHITE FORGING TO FRONT
EX-PREMIER A LEADER in THE
COUNCIL.

St. Petersburg, May 14.-After strug-
Cling the whole day until late this
evening over a draft of the reply to the
speech from the throne, the members
of the committee of the house postponed
the final work of phrasing the document
until II O'Clock tomorrow morning. The
prospects are that full accord on sew
eral points may not be reached before
the opening of the house at O'Clock
and that therefore the reply may be
thrown into the full house for final dis
Cussion.
The struggle has centered mainly on
the agrarian plank. TO which the peas
ant members found that the recommen-
datiOnS OF the Constitutional Demo-
cratic convention. though calling for
large measure of forced appropriation,
were not sweeping enough. The peas
ants wished the abandonment Of most
of the limitations and qualifications of
the right Of appropriation.
Long Debate Expected.
The debate on the address viii be pro-
t-acted. probably occupying two days.
Besides the points Of universal amnesty
and adjustment of the death penalty
laid down IN the instructions of the
lower house. the document adroitly in
PRODUCES the subjects of abolishment of
the council of the empire and ministe-
rial respOns bility.
Taking as it's text Emperor Nicholas
pledge IN his speech from the throne to
maintain inviolate the institutions
which he has granted. the address ex-
presses the hope that this signifies that
The country is on the road to strictly
constitutional system. This being true.
the parliament wishes to call attention
TO the fact that the council of the en-
pire is a wall OF separation between the
emperor and the people. Then. advO-
eating q responsible ministry selected
from the dominant party in parliament.
the address points out as a great ad-
vantage of that system the cessatio
OF attacks on the monarch
The Amnesty Question.
The iron hand behind the respectful
writing Of the address peers out in the
paragraph regarding amnesty. which
contains these significant words:
There are some demands which can
not be refused. and this is one"
The workmen are remembered by a
reference in the address to the need OF
amelioratiOn in the condition Of labor,
while for the Poles and other national
tiles the address though avoiding the
word autonomy and insisting on the
maintenance of the bonds Of the en-
pire in full strength, speaks for the
right of each nationality to its own Ian
guage. customs and local self admins
tratiOn-
II is reported that the cabinet has
practically decided upon an amnesty
measure, which. though falling far
short of the universally demanded by
the lower no Use. conforms to the idea
of the council of the empire of grant
ing pardon to all political offenders ex-
cept such as have been convicted ot
sgrarian murders or attempts to muir
der.
Witte Wins His Point.
Former Premier witte again took {
prominent part today in the conferences
Of members of the council OF the EN-.
pire successfully insisting that the
adoption of a reply to the speech from
the rarone should be postponed until Z
regular meeting of the council at which
present. in order that the country MAJ
be informed as to arguments advanced
on either side
Nevertheless the projected reply {,
the speech from the throne which prob
ably will be adopted already has beer
drafted and has been seen by the Asso
ciated Press.
Though delicately expressed. the re
ply virtually contains a demand 70
the amnesty Of political prisoners whC
nre not guilty Of murder or robbery
In other respects the reply seems to b,
especially designed to disarn the sus
.picion that it is to be the role of TIL
upper chamber to block legislation pro
posed by the lower house. After ex
pressing the deepest loyalty to the EN-
peror. the reply Of the council Of tn
empire contains these three principa
points.
FirsJ-An unequivocaI Endorsement o
n liberal regime.
Second-Declarati ton of the intention