Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-21
CAR SNUBS DEPUTATION
Practically Refuses Audience to Present
Reply to the Speech from Throne,
INSTRUCTED TO PRESENT IT TO MINISTERS
Constitutional Democrats Hold Caucus
and Leaders Have DiHcuIty In Pre-
venting IncOnsiderate Action
by Radicals.

ST. PETERSBURG. May "a bomb
was thrown into the Parliamentary camp
this afternoon by note received by Pres
ident Mouromtseft OF the lower house from
Peterhof, which. instead OF making an
appointment for an audience. at which he
and the deputation could present the ad-
dress in reply to the speech from the
throne. contained the Information that
Emperor Nicholas would not receive the
deputation and that the address must he
presented through the ministry Of the
court.
Disconnected utterly at this unexpected
development the leaders of the majority
in the House hastily summoned a caucus
OF the constitutional democratic deputies.
President MouromtseI. instead Of sending
the address to Baron Fredericks, minister
OF the imperial house. Immediately issued
a call for meeting Of Parliament at IL
o'clock tomorrow, at which he well report
the occurrence and ask for further in
structions. A most heated meeting is in
prospect
The first disposition OF the caucus Of con-
stitutional democrats. which was in session
| all the afternoon and evening and at mid
| night had not been concluded, was to re-
! gard the refusal TO receive the deputation
as a challenge and an open affront, which
| was only answerable by a counter declsra-
| tion of war The. deputies we're red with
rage. but after The first passion had cooled.
| the leaders realized the danger Of too pre-
cipitate action and set for themselves the
task Of bringing their enraged followers
under control.
Outsiders were not admitted to the eau
Gus. but through the glass doors of the
| great hall of the constitutional club where
the session was held II could be seen that
Prof. Milukoff. Prince Peter Dolgoroukoff
and others were on their feet time and
again pleading with and commanding their
auditors to act deliberately and firmly and
not ruin all by unreasoning passion The
cooler councils seemed ultimately to be
prevailing, but it is almost certain that
| the radical group, accompanied by a por-
| ton of the peasants, will break away to-
| morrow and endeavor to force the House
into some fiery declaration against the en-
peror and the government which might
| compel an immediate rupture, entail disso-
luton and civil war.
| An interesting constitutional point is in
| volved in the refusal of a personal au-
dience by the emperor According to the
! Parliamentary law 'the president submits
to the consideration of the emperor the
transactions of the lower house" but II is
not stated whether he does so personally
and a deputaton is nowhere authorized.
The Associated Press Is informed by a
member OF the ministry to say that En-
peror Nicholas was willing to receive Presi-
dent Meurontssfr. but that the action of
the house in appointing delegation to
accompany him was regarded as a danger
Gus precedent. capable of being stretched
to include a deputation of any siEe-even
the whole membership OF the house. This
minister intimated that II the leaders Of
the house desired to avoid a rupture they
could do so either by accepting the in
structions to present the address through
the ministry Of the court as a proper and
justihable matter Of routine OF could by
keeping within the limits Of the constitu
tional provision direct the president Of the
house to apply alone for an audience. II
was pointed out that no distinction had
been made between the lower house and The
council of the empire and that the last
named body has also been instructed 20
present it's address through the same chan
mel.
President Mouromtsen again went 10
Peterhof this evening in order to be pre-
sented to the empress. who had no op-
portunity OF meeting him during the cere-
monies there Saturday He did not see the
| emperor.
Consider Parliament Dead.
LONDON, May 21.-!The Daily Telegra PHI s
st Petersburg correspondent declares that
the days of the Russian Parliament are
numbered. He says: In the eyes of the
court party the Parliament is already dead
the only question not solved is how ami
when to arrange for decent burial NV
belief is that the crown will dessolve the
Parliament. promulgate a narrow electoral
law and order new elections, which will re-
suit in the return OF it's own psrtisans"
The Tribunss St. Petersburg correspon-
dent asserts that he has obtained informa-
tion Of plot that has been elaborated at
large meetings of military oficers to sur
round the Tauride palace arrest all mem
beTs Of the Parliament and proclaim Cen
eral Trepoff military dictator in the event
Of Emperor Nicholas failing 10 abolish