The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-05-27

house more crowded than on the open
ing day, with every member in his seat
and the press and public galleries
crowded. Premier Goremykin this af-
ternOOn read to the lower house of par
lament the expected declaration on the
most cherished hopes and plans of the
peoples representatives. In the i'm
perial box sat Grand Duke Nicholas
NikOlaieVich, following the proceedings
with the keenest interest. There was
scarcely standing room in the section
assigned to members Of the upper
house and the premier and the entire
cabinet with the exception Of ViCe-Ad-
miTal BiTileff. minister of marine, and
Lieutenant General FudigeT, minister
Of war, occupied seats on the ministe-
rial benches.
An Exciting Scene.
The scene before the opening was one
Of great excitement. Ali present were
aware that the response would utterly
fail to meet the wishes of the lower
house and a hum of eager discussion
as TO the effect of the resolutions, ex-
pressing lack Of confidence in the gov
eminent which the Constitutional Dem
Ccrats and the labor party had drafted
i'm advance filed the hall and corridors.
I =
bell calling the session to order Stilled
the house TO instant silence, whereupon,
without waiting for further pTeliminaT-
les, Premier GOTemykin mounted to the
tribune and began reading the govern
mental declarations.
He evidently was not used to public
speeches as he labOTed under a Consid-
cradle strain and spoke in a low, weak
voice which at times, though deathly
Z ell Cd To he
rear of the great hall except as an
indistiuct mutteTing. The reading,
which was as rapid as if the premier
had been in a hurry to get through
with a disa gTeeabIe task, lasted eigh-
teen minutes and was interrupted only
by pauseS to swallow several glasses
Of water The members in the mean
while sat st0lidly silent and when the
premier had finished and bowed to the
assembly, not a murmUT Of applause
was heard throughout the house where
the pages Immediately began to dis
tribute printed copies of the speech.
Premler's Statement in Full.
The -premier's- statement was as fol-
lows.
The government, after examining
the address of the lower house of par
lament, in accordance with the in
pared TO lend its entire support to the
elaboration of the questions suggested
by the lower house in so far as they
do not go beyond limits Of the legis-
lative initiatives assigned to the lower
house This support the government
viii also extend TO the administration
of the franchise law, although it is Of
the opinion that this question should
not be made the subject of immediate
Z r. = or
house is only just entering upon its
labors and therefore is not yet in a pO-
sition to ascertain the need of such a
change
Caution is Advised.
Special caution must be shown by
the council of ministers in regard to
the questions raised by the lower house
OF satisfying without delay the needs
OF the rural population and placing the
peasants on a footing Of equality with
the other classes, of satisfying the re-
quirements of the working people, of
framing a measure providing for obli-
EatOry elementary education of max
ing the vealthiest classes liable to the
Payment of taxes. of reOTganizing the
provincial administration and Of intro
ducing a system of self government
with special consideration for the pecu-
liar conditions of the frontier provinces.
The council of ministers attaches no
less importance to the suggested law
relating to the liberty Of the subject, of
conscience and of the press and to free
dom of meeting and association. New
ertheless, it considers it necessary, in
preparing such laws, to provide the ad-
mfnistratiOn with such effective means
as to enable the government to prevent
or Counteract any abuse Of the liber-
ties conceded
Agrarian Question.
With reference to the solution of the
agrarian question by the transfer of
the crown aDpenages and monastery
and church lands and by the fOTCible
appropriation of private landed prop
erty, which includes the private prop
erty Of peasants. the council of minis
tiers holds it to be its duty TO declare
that such a method is wholly inadmis-
sfbIe. The government cannot deprive
one party Of its possessions in order to
bestow 4hem upon another To con-
test the right Of the private possession
Of land would in fact be to contest the
right to possess any private property at
all Throughout the world in all grades
Of the development Of civil life the in
volatility Of property constitutes the
cornerstone of the welfare of the peo-
plc and the fundamental basis of the
life Of the state. The resources still
at the disposal of the state and the
wide application Of legal methods will
doubtless help 20 find a successful So
luton Of the agrarian question without
undermining the powers of the father
land.
Proposed Laws Not Justified.
The other laws referred to by the
lower house touch on the responsibility
Of the ministers and the abolition of
the upper house. The council of minis
tiers does not feel itself justified in en-
pertaining these proposals as they in
volve radical alterations Of the funda-
mental law and conditions which are
beyond the province of the lower house
Finally, as regards the soliCitude Of
the lower house to secure justice and
right in the army and navy, the gov