Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-13
RUSSIAN REGIME
NOW UNDER WAY
First Strain Over Parliament
Has Passed.
REAL ISSUE COMES LATER
When Reply to Emperor's Speech is
Presented.
CAR REPORTED WELL DISPOSED
Amnesty for Political, Agrarian and
Military Grimes and Abandonment
Of Death Penalty Asked.
REAL ISSUE COMES LATER
When Reply to Emperor's Speech is
Presented.
CAR REPORTED WELL DISPOSED

ST. PETERSBURG. May I2-with tho
new parliament finally under way there ia
q distinct relief from the tremendous strain
or the past few months. but both sides
anticipate great struggle between the
crown and the people. They realize that
the real issue will not be Joined until the
answer Of the lower house to the speech
from the throne at the opening of parlis-
ment IL presented. Then the emperor must
choose between war or peace.
The constitutional democrats have ef-
fected temporary combination with the
peasants and feel that they have behind
them four-flfths majority. Their tactics
are to avoid a conflict at the outset in or
der to get through their agrarian bill as a
practical local measure to win and to hold
the support OF the peasants. Then IL the
government is not ready to yield. they will
draw the sword and there are many posi-
BILE complications OF dead falls ahead. The
prospects Of a solution however. are GER
tainly brighter.
The emperor appears to be we'll disposed
The words Of his speech at the winter pal
ace. which are now known to have been by
his own hand after rejecting all the drafts
submitted by his advisers, indicate that he
IL sincerely DESTROYS of rapprochment
with parliament. and what he said to Prof.
MCrOumtsen. president of the house, yester-
day Is distinctly on line with wish to
meet the expressed wall of the people.
Nevertheless. words no longer sufnce. Tue
lenders of the constitutional democrats,
while they have displayed consummate abil-
ity in restraining the hotspurs. are strong
and resolute In their determination to Sc
cure full parliament rights. with a respon-
s!ble minister chosen from the majority up-
oer a constitutional monarchy.
Peasant Vote Surprise.
With the exception of forty members the
entire peasant contingent Joined the con-
stitutional democrats and In q test vote
this afternoon for vice presidents poied
381 out Of 42S. The radical tendency Of the
peasants constitutes the greatest surprise
of the week Ore hundred and twenty-five
OF them voted not to attend the banquet
given by the city council tonight in honor
of the parliament because they could not
countenance the expenditure of $3.50
while the poor of the nation are on the
verge OF starvation, ard also because they
would not attend function in which mem
bers OF the council of the empire. who are
under boycott. participated.
Gen. Trepoff commandant of the palace,
Is now generally recognized as a secret and
dangerous influence at court. and the lib
eral newspapers have opened a systematic
campaign against him. .-
Should the emperor eventually elect to
wage war by declining to yield further. the
proletariat organizations viii again come
to the front. as they constitute the only
militant force capable of fighting the gov
eminent by the means of a strike as
weapon. Until the final decision of the emf
peror comes the social democrats have de-
clared a truce with the majority. The
members Of the secret congress OF the party
met here today and decided to temporarily
suspend the boycott OF the parliament and
give further encouragement of tactics
of terrorism.
Draft of Reply to Speech.
Without a dissenting voice and with evil
dences Of the deepest feeling the parliament
at the evening session adopted a resolution
instructing the committee which will draft
the reply to the speech from the throne 40
include in 1t a request for fun amnesty for
political, agrarian and military crimes, ana
a recommendation for the immediate aban-
donment of the death penalty for all Of
lenses. criminal as well as political.
The committee. which is composed OF
eleven members unconstitutional democrats.
peasants. nationalists (Poles) Let's, Tar
tars. etc-was not hampered with further
instructions. but was asked If possible TO
submit report at the opening of the ses-
sion at O'Clock tomorrow.
The debate on the resolution which fol-
lowed a long day OF routine business was
simple but eloquent. NJ. Rodicheff ICON
stitutional democraD the author OF the mo-
was followed by dozen or more stirring
minute addresses by peasant and la
Dor representa- tives. whose eloquence will
compare favorably with that of any parlia-
mentary body in the world. The tenor of
the whole debate was expressed in the
words of NJ. Rodichen that the opportunity
for a reconciliation Of the people by acced-
Ing to their prayer for amnesty was now
knocking at the emperor's door, but that
what he failed to give. the people with ele-
mental force would take
An Eloquent Speech.
NJ Rodicheffs speech was most eloquent.
and In part was as follows:
Pardon Is the prerogative of the mon
arch and / Will not submit bin for par
DON During the electoral campaign and
even here the only word we heard was the
word amnesty. The jurisconsulta of Rus
STA maintain that the death penalty is nom
existent In Russia. but in April alone there
were ninety-nine executions. The ghosts OF
the victims. dripping with blood. crowd this
hail. and we cannot work In this place I'M
til they are laid. (Cheerfng)
Pardon is necessary, but 1t must be gem
eral. We do not need partial amnesty
The error Of October 80 must not be re-
peated. All the persons who have commit
ted crimes must be forgiven, as the Apostle
constitute the seal of union between the
people and the empefor." prolonged cheer
ing1
The adoption of the resolution was due to
the peasants who not only voted down
motion for two hours recess for dinner,
but went hungry in order to obtain imme-
date action. They also insisted on work
ing Sundays In order to expedite the solu-
ton OF the burning problems before The
parliament.
At the moment when the parliament was
adopting the resolution favorfng amnesty
Cossacks were breaking up student demon
STATIONS In the Nevsky Prospect. They
charged a crowd of 1000. containing men
ard women singing the Marseilles. arrest
ing scores Of them.