Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
W|TTE STRENGTHENED
BY Results of the Recent
Elections.
REACTIONISTS ARE ALARMED
Constitutional Democrats Remarkable
Strength.
PREMIER eoNsULTs THE czAR
Told Him That Time Had Come to
Choose Between Himself and
Minister Durnovo.

ST. PETERSBURG, April IA panic
has been created In government circles by
the surprising strength developed by the
constitutional democrats in the elections,
which may have immediate and dramatic
consequences. The issue between reaction
and reform, which has been hanging in the
balance, has been unexpectedly precipitated
by Premier Witte The elections have great
ly strengthened the premer's hand in his
fight against the reactionsts, and he now
feels strong enough to challenge Gen. Tre-
poff and Minister of the Interior Durnovo
and the entire reactionary cabal.
Less than a fortnight ago the premier
was decidedly pessmistic and believed that
the majority in the lower house of parla-
ment would be conservative and that the
entire program for reform might be over
thrown. The results of the elections, how
ever, convinces him that the radicals will
control the house and that an attempt to
thwart the popular will as expressed by the
ballot box would be a fatal blunder on the
part of the government. 1t was learned
from an unimpeachable source this even
ing that the premier journeyed to Tsarskoe-
Seio on Tuesday to lay this view before the
emperor and made another trip to Tsars-
koe-Selo last night and was closeted with
his majesty until after midnight.
DIG Aodn dn 1hCSHIlVc.
The impression is abroad that the sue
cess of the constitutional democrats will
insure the success of the big foreign loan
Of which the government is in such urgent
need.
Tomorrow twenty eight provincial con-
ventions will meet and elect 1877 members
of the lower house of parliament The
peasant representatives have a clear ma
1ority over all the other classes combined.
Should the radicals make anything like
the sweep which they anticipate the en-
peFor probably will be compelled to yield
to the premier's advice. At any rate he
seems to have aligned himself on the side
OF the people.
In effect he told the enperor that he re-
garded the situation as desperate and that
the time had come to choose between him
self and Interior Minister Durnovo. and
cQunseled his majesty not only to accept
the result of the elections. but to anticipate
any demand on the part of the lower house
or parliament for constitution by the issu-
aflce of a constitution before parliament
convened, and at the same time mark his
change of policy by the proclamation OF
general amnesty at Easter. The premier
Is also understood to have pointed out that
such a course would make splendid I'M
preston.
Russia and Second Peace Conference.
L The date proposed by Russia for the
meeting of the second peace conference
fe-t 80 las 10 LILO CsAiiy part VI july Is
to the United States. For
e!gn Minister Lamsdorff has received
from Mr.. Meyer. the American ambassa-
dor to Russia. note informing him that
the date conflicts with the arrangements
made by the United States for repre-
sentation at the Red Cross convention at
Geneva, Switzerland, and at the pam
American convention at Rio Janeiro. No
suggestion of another date, however was
offered:
The full text of the Russian note to the
powers on the subject of the second peace
conference at The Hague, as published
here. gives the emperor full credit for
the Initiative, not mentioning President
Rooseyelts preliminary step in this di-
rection.
The introduction to the document is in
striking contrast to the invitation to the
out how the increasingly expensive arma-
tions and threatening the world with a gi-
gantic catastrophe, and made noble appeal
for general disarmament in order to SUBJ
stitute for the era OF armed peace an era
of peace based upon the settlement Of inter-
national disputes by the justice OF arbitra-
ton.
Striking Inconsistency.
Not only does the second invitation not
press the idea OF disarmament, but 1t dis
tinctly excludes It from consideration. and
only presents as a program for discussion