Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-11
o MENTION OF AMNESTY IN ADDRESS
Tailure to Proclaim Release Of Politics
Offenders Arouses Members.
NOURoMTsEfF is ELECTED PRESIDENT
Parliament Votes to DRAFT Reply
to Address from the Throne
Celebration Held in the
Evening.

single hitch and with only a minor Incl
dent to mar the memorable day the Rus
sian Parliament was inaugurated. The
weather was superb and the stage man
agement of the impressive ceremony at
the Winter palace. where Emperor Mich
olas. surrounded by courtiers and all the
pomp and panoply Of power delivered the
speech from the throne to the members
Cf the two houses was perfect
The message IN reality was less a 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 was only mega
lively satisfactory. Courtiers and spec
tatOrs other than members of the national
Parliament led the cheering but the mem
bers were ominously silent expressing
neither approval nor dsapproval.
What ranked most was the failure Of the
emperor to mention amnesty. and later,
when the members assembled in the Tau
ride palace away from the spell Of the
throne room. many Of them were with diff
neulty restrained from precpitat;aE mat
ters by offering resolutions on the subject
The constitutional democratic leaders how
ever, who dominated everything, we're
anxious not to weaken the reply which
the lower house will prepare to the speech
from the throne In which issues with the
crown win be Joined and succeeded In
staVinG on premature action.
Text of Csar's speech.
The text OF the czar's speech follows;
The supreme Providence which gave me
the care OF our fatherland moved me to
call te my assistance In legislative work
elected Representatives of the people. IN
the expectation Of brilliant future for
tho empire SS Whom ordsred sns 0est my sS Bsloved
subjects to choose from among them
difncult work lies before you 1 trust
that love for your fRtherland and your
earnest desire to serve It will inspire and
/ shall keep inviolate the institutions
suranee that you viii devote ali your
and sspeeially TO the needs OF the peas
an;ry, which are 50 close to my heart
their economical welfare, remembering that
to the dignity and prosperity Of the state
not only freedom, but order founded upon
I desire from my heart to see my peo-
Pile happy and hand down 70 my son an
empire secure. well organized and enlight-
May God bless the work that lies before
me In unity with the council OF the ein-
day be the day OF the moral revival OF
Russia and the day for the renewal Of It's
Approach with. soleinnity the labors for
which call you and ee worthy OF the
responsibilities put upon you by the em-
peror and people.
May God assist you.
scenes at Tauride Palace.
The scene around the Tauride palace was
In striking contrast with that at the the
Winter palace. Each, indeed. was typical
and told an eloquent story. At the Tauride
palace tens OF thousands OF people were
aoclaiminB their representatives, at the
Winter palace leGions of military and court
iors by the hundreds cheered for the en-
pcror, Nevertheless the proceedings OF the
lower house were not spectacular, IN fact
they were almost tame In comparison with
those at the Winter palace
VIII Dsmand Amnesty.
The only genuine flashes OF nre which
showed the real temper OF the members OF
the house were when Prof. Mouromtseff.
who had been elected president OF the lower
house. invitad government officials and
clerks to leave the hall. and when Ivan
Pstrunkevitch. In few eloquent words
from the rostrum. told the auditors that
tho 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 eonh-
denee TO the peoples representatives. More
enthusiastic cheering than that which
greeted this appeal never was heard IN
Political convention IN the United States
Constitution and amnesty were the key
nates OF President Mouromtseffs speech
"FOOIish Drsam'' iH Realized.
BY the irony OF fate. Ivan Petrunkevitch
whose first mention OF the word constitu-
tion twelve years ago was dismissed by
emperor Nicholas II as "a foolish dream"
today stood IN the front rank OF the mem
bers OF the Representative chamber while
Emperor Nicholas put his final seal upon
the russian Parliament and begged the
representatives OF the people 70 cooperate
with him IN working for the welfare OF the
country.
The lower house Of the Parliament ad-
journcd until tomorrow in order not to
interfere with the opening exercises OF the
Council Of the Empire and also to permit
the committee OF the constitutional demo-
Gratis to consider the reply 10 the speech
from the throne.
Dispatches received here from all parts
Uf Russia Indicate that the opening OF
Parliament Was celebrated everywhere.
PrOeeedinEs of First Session.
The lower house OF Parliament was called
10 order az D. In. by Baron Frish and
Isaron teXkull, secretary Of the empire.
with the hall from one-half TO two-thirds
filled, Baron Frisch read an imperial
uhase eonvohing Parliament and invited
the members 10 come forward and sign
the oath. A recess was then taken.
The most striking feature Of the assembly
was tho multiplicity OF races ana classes
aud the colors OF the costumes OF mom-
hers There were n0blemen and other men
OK high station sitting beside simple peas
fFaa A.,
81 the shops on The Villages; turbaned
Mussuimaus and Bnddhists from Bokhara.
iaaietor. Croin the Sirghiz steppes. ortho-
doN I$Nts Ia black cassocks. Catholic
bishops m purple cassocks. Armenians ana
Tartarr from the CAuCasus. Jews from the
Pale. Buriants from central Asia and I4thu
ahiaas aud EsthOnlans from the Baltic