The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-17
PREMIER WITTE
FACES 4 CRISIS
Desperate Struggle in Russian Cabi-
net Over Curling Power of
Governor Generals.
MINISTRY BADLY DIVIDED
GAR MUST CHOOSE AND THAT
QUICKLY.

st. Petersburg, Feb. 16.-Information
has reached the Associated Press that
the desperate struggle which has been
raging in the government between the
TeactionaTy and the progressive forces
Is approaching a elimination and must
end within a few days in the resigna-
ton either Of Minister of the Interior
Durnovo, who is leading the move
ment for thorough going repression, or
of Premier Witte and several other
members Of the cabinet.
The question at issue is the with
draWa1 of the extraordinary powers
Confided in governor generals through
out Russia, which, in many cases, it
is alleged, have been exercised for the
repression of not only political disor-
but also of the political activity of the
parties.
Chances Favor White.
The discussion has reached such an
acute and passionate stage In the cab
met that no other issue than the fall
of one faction or the other is possible.
The chances of victory incline to the
side of Count White, who insists that
the governor generals must be de-
Irived of their extreme powers within
a fortnight in order to remove the re-
strictions upon a free electoral cam
paign.
Minister OF Agriculture Kutler, the
Associated Press has been informed on
excellent authority, has resigned. The
announcement Of the acceptance Of his
resignation, which was due to infiuen-
tial opposition to his project for eX-
preparation Of private lands and their
division among the peasants, may be
expected shortly. It is said that NJ
Kutler, who, like his predecessor, NJ.
YermoIoff, is possessed Of exceedingly
strong progressive tendencies. will
leave the state service entirely, not
even receiving the usual promotion"
to the council of the empire, the body
which is reserved for discarded minis
tiers.
Premier Speaks Biuntly.
Rumor is busy with other changes to
follow the first break in the cabinet
Of Count Witte The most persistent
story is directed at the premier him
self who. according to general report,
is credited with having bluntly in
formed Emperor Nicholas that he must
choose between him and Minister of
TIE Interior DurnOVO, who through his
control OF the police ministry Of the in
terror has been pushing repression to
the extreme and throwing all the ele-
n,ents of society into opposition of the
government. The Associated Press
was authorized today at Count Whites
cfancelIery to deny positively the re-
port that Count Witte had already re-
signed: but the words of an official
high in the premier's confidence that
he could vouch for the fact that at the
present moment the report is untrue,
irdicate that there may be something
in the wind.
KutIer's Resignation.
The project Of Minister Kutler, who
next to Minister Tizziareff. is the most
liberal member of the cabinet. struck
to the heart the agraTian problem
which the zemstvoists, who are libeT-
ais, but land owners, found too ticklish
10 handle at the last congress. It pro-
vided for the appropriation Of private
estates in excess of a maximum acre
age at a price dependent on actual
market values and their distribution
On easy terms of payment to the peas
antry, whose land hunger is too in
tense to be satisfied with the promised
partition of crown and church lands
NJ Kutler held that this was the only
means Of preventing augmentation OF
the agFarian troubles, whose rising bill
lows are the chief source Of peril to
the government; but his proposal not
only awakened the intense opposition
of the rich and powerful camarilla at
court but also was too drastic to suit
the marshalS Of nobility, who sent a
deputatiOn from the convention al
Moscow to demand explicitly Of Premier
Witte whether he intended to accept
the Kutler scheme. The premier re-
spcnded that the project was only a
tentative suggestion of an individual
member Of the cabinet and that the
agrarian problem was too important to
be settled without reference to the
national assembly. However, the mere
fathering OF the proposition seems &c
have been fatal to N. Kutler.
Should NJ Kutler not be nominated
to the council Of the empire it will be
the first instance of the kind since the
retirement of NJ. Krivoshein from the
ministry of railroads, who a decade
ago was dismissed in disgrace fOI
stealing.