The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-16
.DEMANDSMADE| IN
REPLY TO THRONE
Russians Ask General Amnesty,
Full Civil Liberty, and
Mitch Else.
SCENES IN PARLIAMENT
Reference to. Plank Oh Woman
Suffrage Causes Much
Cheering.
SCENES IN PARLIAMENT
(Bv AssoeIated press.)

lE5y ASSoCldleus icSS.J 81.
ST. PETERSBURG. May 16.--After an
afternoon spent III dIcussion OF rules Of
order, the lower house Of parliament
this evening began the debate on the
address In reply to the speech from the
throne, adjournlng at midnight after
speeches by NJ. Roditcheff and dozen
orators of lesser calibre. The discussion,
which Will be resumed at II o'clock To-
morrow, showed that the main attack on
the address will be delivered from the
left. The leaders OF parliament have more
to fear from the radicals than from the
conservatives. The draft Of the address
to the throne consists practically OF the
following ten demands:
General amnesty,
The abolition Of the death penalty.
The suspension OF martial law and
all exceptional laws.
Full civil liberty.
The abolition Of the Council Of the
Empire.
The revision Of the Fundamental
laws.
The establishment Of the RESPONSE
blIlty Of ministers.
The right Of Interpolation.
Forced appropriation Of land,
Guarantees Of the rights Of trades
unions. S 81 t53 5j
The reply to the speech from the throne
concludes as follows: s
Your Mnjesty,-On the threshold Of
our labors one question agitates the soul
of the whole Russian people and prevents
US as their representatives from calmly
entering upon our legislative, work. The
first word pronounced In parliament was
amnesty. It was met with cries of SYM
patty. The country is thirsting for It..
It is demand of the peoples conscience,
which 1t is impossible to refuse or delay.
ira no mai 1ia rT,n tia fI11l O0lifi-
cal amnesty as the first pledge OF
mutual understanding in the future and
concord between the Emperor and the
people.
Debate Tame.
The evenings debate was tame. Even
the periods OF M. Rodltcheff, the best
orator among the Constitutional Demo-
Gratis, explaining and defending the adj
dress, brought only faint ripple OF ap-
pa,lse. The only scene of real enthu-
siasm was due to a reference to the
absence from the address Of plank on
the subject of woman suffrage, which
brought half the members Of the house
to their feet cheering. II
K Other radical members demanded n
paragraph asking for the punishment OF
officials guilty OF excuses In past acts
OF repression and fuller and palmer
statement OF the demand for a constitu-
tional order.
Several constitutional members essayed
to speak, but the House was in ~ mood
to listen then. PRINCE Nolkonsky. a lead
ing Octoberist, refused to continue his
speech and left the rostrum with q bitter
fling at denial OF the right OF free
speech.
Two features of the session developed
outside the regular debate The first was
the adoption OF a rule relative to the
previous question. under which fifty
members may prevent the stoppage Of
debate, opening door to successful filibus-
terng by a determined minority Of one
tenth OF the membership OF the house.
The other feature was the appearance III
a conservative peasant group among the
supporters OF the government. forty-four
peasant members singing a motion for
postponement OF the debate.
The meaning Of the manoeuvre was at
first not comprehended by the members
Of the house. hut when in reading the list
OF supporters OF the motion, the name Of
Ytrogin, a government deputy and or
ganzer Of the scheme to provide for
peasant members sign ing a motion for
reuched, low whistle Of surprise and
comprehension ran round the benches
Count Hayden and other members OF the
right supported the motion, but 1t was
overwhelmingly defeated.