The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-28
RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT
TERRIBLY IN Earnest
DEMAND FOR MINISTRY,S RE-
TIREMENT A DIRECT SLAP
IN FACE.

Has Burned the Bridge and Virtually
Taken the Step Which French States
General Did When it Transformed
Itself IntO National Convention
News of the Action Came Like an FL
Electric Shocl1--Agitated Conferences
Between Ministerial Leaders.
st. Petersburg, May 2S.-With breath
less anxiety society is awaiting the
governments response to the bold ac-
tion of the lower house of parliament.
Saturday, which, in censuring the min
istry and demanding it's retirement,
was like deliberate slap in the face,
and direct challenge which the gov
ernment, though inclined to prefer its
usual policy Of temporlzation and COM
promise, can hardly avoid meeting.
Parliament has burned the bridge, and
virtually has taken the step which the
French States General did when it
transformed itself into a national con-
Yention.
By Haunting the fundamental laws,
and practically declaring THAT 1t pro-
poses to exercise full parliamentary
rights with a responsible ministry, it
has become In the eyes of the law a
revolutionary body, and from that po-
sition there seems no retreat.
The news of the action of the house
came like an electric shock, the peo-
pie generally being as greatly surprised
as the bureaucracy at the promptness
with which the whole of the govern
ment's policy was absolutely scorned.
Both sides recognize the aeuteness and
seriousness Of the moment, but panic
is in the government and not the pop
ular camp.
Premier Goremykin went to ePterhof
Immediately after the adjournment Of
Saturdays session to confer with the
emperor, and yesterday there were agi-
tated conferences between the minis
terlal leaders. The constitutional dem
ocratic chiefs are displaying calmness
in the face of the crisis. They declare
that having delivered their reply they
propose to so calmly ahead with the
work before them, forcing the govern
ment to take the initiative. The
strength Of their position lies in the
conviction that the Russian nation, and
especially the peasantry, who are sure
to be disconnected at the fiat concern
ing the appropriation OF land, Is behind
parliament IN its rejection of the gov
ernment's policy. as utterly unaccept-
able.
THE government, If it dares to
fight" said M. Kokoshkine, one of the
constitutional democratic members of
the house, can disperse the parlia-
ment, but the victory of the bureaucra-
cy would only oe temporary. 1t would
inevitably be followed shortly by a
bloody revolution which would not
leave a stick OF the present govern
ment standing. The emperor must
choose between a real constitutional
government and the loss not only Of
his crown, but probably Of his head"
The social democrats and social rev.
OlulLO&llpLS dIE QtllSLllCQ ebl talO tNtlAA VI
events, believing they furnish Just the
stimulus needed for the rising they are
planning. The terrorists were quick to
seize the opportunity for series of
blows in widely separated parts of the
country, the news Of which forms a
| prominent feature in this moring' s
newspapers, instead of the expected de-
cree of amnesty. The attempts at Tiff
lis and Sebastopol are convincing indi-
cations Of the determination of the
| fighting organization to resume Its
campaign Of assa assfnation with full
| vigor.
The press to-day, almost without ex-
ception, is pessimistic, recognizing the
| extreme gravity of the situation, ana
the tempest which the denial of the
right of forced appropriation of land
will provoke among the peasantry, The
Rech declares that the government s
| reasoning in this respect is false and
fallacious, the appropriation of land
standing practically on the same basis
now as in 1861.
Professor Kareieff in a special article
says a parallel of the early state of
the French revolution is now complete.
He invites the ministry to substitute
for the 1906 events those of 1889, and
then to consider whether they wish to
continue their present course.
The Slovo, the Octoberist organ, falls
behind none of the others in sharpness
of criticism, declaring that the govern
ment has proclaimed war on parlla-
| menit.
Orders for the guard corps to go into
summer camp at Krasnoye Selo have
been eounternanded, and it is supposed
they will be retained here in readiness
to cope with any outbreak.