Morris tribune., 1906-05-19

LORD Beresford. must be with
drawn from Tabah and that no COM
promise would be considered.
Gar Opens Russian Douma.
In the white marble hall of the Win
ter palace at St. Petersburg, May 10,
the elected members of the first ma
tional assembly, or douma, of Russia,
under the new dispensation, met Gar
Nicholas face to face in the presence
Of glittering assemblage of court Off
Gals, diplomats and soldiers. The car
had come from Peterhof to the capital
for the purpose Of inaugurating with
his own spoken word this first effort
toward representative parliament.
1t was the first time he had been in the
Winter palace since the fateful Sunday
in January, 1905, when the supplcat-
ing wOrkmen were shot down in the
streets, the event which was the first
of long series of strikes and revolts
which has forced from the autocracy
the summoning of a douma and the
granting of constitutional guarantees.
In marked contrast to the gorgeous
uniforms of the officials and heralds
the car appeared in plain uniform
of dark blue, with half length boots
and the scarlet ribbon of the Nevsky
order and the diamond star of st. An
drew as his only decorations. He was
accompanied by the empress and the
empress dowager in gold embroidered
costumes, numerous matrOns and
maids of honor and the wives and
daughters of the nobility. He kissed
the cross held out by the metropolitan
of the church and the ''Te Deum" was
sung, after which the car assembled
the throne and spoke his message in
steady voice.
He said that the supreme Providence
which had given him the care Of the
his assistance elected representatives
of the people. He greeted "the best
men from the empire" whom he had
ordered his beloved subjects to choose.
He promised to keep inviolate the insti-
tuition which he had created, and urged
especially that they devote their
strength to the needs of the peasantry.
remembering that the dignity and pros
perity of the state depended not only
on freedom, but on order. He hoped
this would be the day Of moral re-
vival for Russia. The members of the
douma, many of whom were dressed
in the uncouth garb of peasants, did
not join in the applause which follow.
ed the address The car and his at
tendants then returned to Peterhof I'M
der a strong military guard, and the
douma proceeded at once to the cham
Der in the Tauride palace, which had
been prepared for It's session. Profess
or Sergei Mouromtzef of Moscow was
chosen president of the house by vote
Of 426 to T. and the first act in response
to the fiery appeal Of Ivan Petrunke-
witch, the Liberal leader, was to formu-
late a demand for freedom and the am
nesty Of those who had bled for the
cause. AS a sign Of the douma's indie
pendent spirit, all government officials
were ordered to withdraw from the
floor
The members had been greatly an
gered few days before the meeting
of the douma when the car promul-
gated the new fundamental law or con-
stitution which was supposed to have
persisted with the resignation of Pre-
mier Witte. This made the permanent
basis Of the state unaltefable except on
the cars initiative. 1t contained many
changes, buttressing the imperial pow
er. The Constitutional Democrats in
ssist that this document is betrayal Of
the promise made by the czar on Oct.
80, 1905, when the douma was called.
French Strike Continues.
The general strike inaugurated May
by the French Confederation of La
Dor has continued to embarrass many
industries of France. Every automo-
bile factory In Paris is closed and all
building operations are at standstill.
The victory of the government in the
elections appears not to have weakened
the determination of the strikers.
Mounted patrols were maintained in