The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-11
Emperor Nicholas and the PeO-
 pie Meet Face to Fac3
IDEAL MAY WEATHER PREVAILS
Not Jar or Discordant Feature At tends Opening of First Representa- tive Russian Parliament.
 Mouromtseff Presides.

St. Petersburg, May 10.-Wlthout a single hitch and with only a minor in- cdent to mar the memorable day, the Russian parliament was inaugurated to- day. The weather was superb. and the stage management of the impressive cere- mony at the winter paiace where Em- peror Nicholas surrounded by courtiers and all the pomp and panoply of power, delivered the speech from the throne to the members of the two houses, was per feet Such a spectacle perhaps never be- fore has been witnessed on the earth s stage.
 The message in reality was less throne speech than a greeting, and required only three minutes for it's delivery. Emperor Nicholas read slowly. The admirable and even cordial tone of the sovereign in re- newing his pledges and asking the CO., operation of parliament for the regen- eration of the country. was only nega- lively satisfactory.
 Courtiers and spectators. other than members of the national parliament, led the cheering, but the members were omn- ously silent, expressing neither approval nor disapproval What ranked most was the failure of the Emperor to mention amnesty, and later when the members as- sembled in the Tauride palace, away from the spell of the throne room, many of them were with difficulty restrained from pre- cpitating matters by offering resolutions on the subject. The constitutional demo- cratic leaders. however. who dominated everything were anxious not to weaken the reply when the lower house will pre- pare a reply to the speech from the throne, in which issues with the crown will be joined, and succeeded In staying off premature action.
 Scene at Tauride Palace.
 The scene around q. sraurile paleee was in striking contrast with that at the winter palace Each indeed was typi- cal and told an eloquent story. At the Tauride palace tens of thousands of peo- pie were acclaiming their representatives at the winter palace legions of military and courtiers by the hundreds cheered for the Emperor. Nevertheless of the pro- ceedings of the lower house were not spectacular, in fact they were almost tame in comparison with those at the winter palace.
 The only genuine flashes of fire which showed the real temper of the members of the house were when Professor Mour- omtseff who had been elected president of the house. invited government officials and clerks to leave the hall and when Ivan Petrunkevitch in a few eloquent words from the rostrum told the auditors that the first thought of the parliament should be for those who had suffered in the cause of liberty, who now filled the prisons, and whose arms were stretched out in hope and confidence to the peoples representatives More enthusiastic cheer ing than that which greeted this appeal never was heard in political conven- ton in the United States.
 By the Irony of fate Ivan Petrunke- witch, whose first mention of the word constitution twelve years ago was dis missed by Emperor Nicholas as a foolish dream;'' today stood in the front rank of the members of the representative chamber while Emperor Nicholas put his final seal upon the Russian parliament and begged the representatives of the people to cooperate with him in working for the welfare of the country.
 The house of parliament adjourned over until tomorrow. in order not to inter fere with the opening exercises of the council of the empire. and also to permit the committee of the constitional demo- crats to consider the reply to the speech from the throne.
 Celebrated Everywhere.
 Dispa tches received here from all parts of Russia indicate that the opening of the parliament was celebrated every where.
 Like all great state functions in holy Russia the ceremonies began with re- ligous services. At 10 o'clock this morn ing the whole city reverberated with bells and chimes from St. Petersburg's myriad of cathedrals, churches and temples, sum moning the people to thanksgiving. Only those who have heard the booming of the bells of St. Isaac's cathedral, striking bass to the Standardization of the other bel fries. can appreciate the savage splendor Of the wild clangor. Not only at St. Pet ersburg, but at the Kremlin of Moscow, bells were rung and tedeums were cele- brated. thus giving the occasion the sol emn, religious. as well as civic, signifi- canoe necessary to impress the Russian masses.
 While the bells were still ringing, the imperial yacht Alexandra with the im- perial standard at the fore. moved ma jesticallyi up the river. dipping her flag in answer to the salutes and cheers from the Emperors warships lying at the Bal tic works. Instead of proceeding to the winter palace the yacht stopped at the landing stage of the English quay below the Nicholas bridge, and in front of Leutchenberg palace. formerly the Ameri- can embassy, where the Emperor the Empress and the Dowager Empress en- tered a launch. and attended by launch on each flank. moved on up the river. The members of the court made the re- mander of the journey to the winter pal ace in carriages, escorted by troop of clattering horse guards.
 The Emperor's arrival was not her aided by the customary salute of 301 guns and for that reason the passage of the river hardly attracted the notice of thou sand of spectors who were waiting along the islands in the river.
 Prayed to Almighty.
 Without halting at the winter palace. the launches crossed the river and their ma1esties landed under the grim walls of the St. Peter and Paul fortresses, which they entered by the imperial water ter race. driving hurriedly to the immense cathedral inside the walls, where repose the remains of the Romanoffs. There. be- fore the tombs of the emperor's ances- tors the imperial family knelt for twenty minutes. made their devotipns and asked for the blessing and guidance of the AL mighty. As their majesties. after their devotions, returned to the terrace and re- entered the launch, the faint echo of &