Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-10
A GREAT DAY
FOR RUSSIA
Opening of the First National
Parliament.
WEATHER A HAPPY AUGURY
Emperor Faced Representatives Of
Vast Empire.
THE HEAVY ARRAY OF TROOPS
Mutual Distrust Only Jarring Note
-Emperor's Speech From Throne
Very Conciliatory.

IN lI'Sioi lNNSptiOli pdSSSu
Off without any untoward incident
at St. Petersburg today.
The tone of the speech from the
throne was conciliatory. 1t ex-
pressed the emperor's wish that re-
lief be given to the peasants in
their present unfortunate condi-
tions, and called on the members
OF parliament to put their hearts
into their work and to cooperate
with him in solving the present
problems OF Russia and in handing
down a united and prosperous en-
pire to his successors.
The members of the lower house
of parliament, after the ceremonies
at the palace, embarked on steam
ers and went up the river, landing
at the Tauride palace, where the
house will assemble.
The emperor and the expresses,
after leaving the palace entered a
launch, passed down the river,
boarded the imperial yacht Alex
arldra and returned to Peterhof.
The crowds on the banks of the
river and islands heartily cheered
the imperial party.
There was no other incident.
ST. PETERSBURG, May 10, 10 am.-An
ideal May day like happy augury greeted
the uprising of the curtain for the new act
OF the great historical drama Russia 8
struggle for liberty. Never did the snowy
northern capital of Peter the Great present
a more brilliant picture than for the inau-
guration OF the Russian parliament. lust
a suspicion of haze hung over the gulf.
softening the outlines and giving the scene
a touch Of fairyland.
The city, spreading out over the numer-
Gus green islands in the river. seemed
swimming in food of light The broad
swift flowing Neva with arms outstretched
to the sea and the interlacing canals were
turned to azure by the rejecting blue of the
heavens, while the golden dones of the
churches, the spires of the admiralty and
the st. Peter and ST. Paul fortress and the
shining minarets OF the palaces seem to
float above the mass OF yellow buildings.
Besides, the metropolis was dressed bride
like. awaiting the coming of her lord The
yellow imperial standard with the double
headed eagle few from the Winter Palace,
hags by order OF the police were displayed
from every house and streams of multi
colored pennants fiuttered from the yachts
and shipping in the harbor. Even the tiny
passenger boats which thread the rivers
and canals. the street cars and many cabs
carried the Russian colors. The banks
stores, schools and some of the factories
were closed in honor of the occasion, but
there was no general holiday, the govern
ment specifically discouraging a suspension
OF work in the industrial districts owing to
fear that crowdlng the workmen into the
center of the city might provoke collisions
disorders and perhaps bloodshed.
There was something distinctly awe-fn-
spring about the day, with visions of
chains falling from another branch of the
human race and the Russian people taking
UP the march of modern civilization The
Representatives ot the Russian millions and
the Russian emperor were at last face to
face and the result was TO determine the
fate of the nation and country stretching
from Germany TO the Pacific, 10 the polar
seas and to the burning sands of central
Asia.