The San Francisco call., 1906-05-19
NICHOLAS MUST
YIELD OR Fight
Action of Lower House of
Parliament Leaves No
Middle Course.
Gar Not Likely to Grant Even
Small Share of the
Demands.

ST. PETERSBURG, May 1S.-The
critical moment which will decide
whether there will be peace or war
between the crown and the people 40
parently arrived with the adoption by
the lower house of Parliament last
night Of It's reply to the speech from
the throne. President Mouromtsef
has gone to Peterhof to present the
reply to the Emperor and his Majesty's
response is awaited with great anxiety.
Popular opinion considers that the
Government has no option between
surrender and war. Nevertheless
while events during the past week
followed one another with extreme
rapidity the issue now raised is not
likely TO be decided quickly.
The Russians generally believe that
the Emperor, court and Government
undoubtedly have been dazed by the
blunt, direct fashion with which Par
lament has spoken out and their
policy naturally will be to gain time.
The Emperor personally is in a benefi-
cent frame of mind and for the pres
ent viii not listen to the counsels OF
those who advise him to dissolve Par
lament and fight. Nevertheless he is
resolved not to yield anything like all
that Parliament demands. II can be
predicted that he will pursue a tenn
porizing policy, with partial amnesty
as the first sop thrown to the country.
That the court reactionists, headed
by General Trepoff, are seeking in
every way possible to influence the
Emperor to fight Is apparent from the
discovery made by the Rech Of re-
cent circular sent to the Governors,
instructing them to have the Black
Hundred" organizations Immediately
dispatch to the Emperor protests
against amnesty and the abolition of
the death penalty. Those have been
flowing into Peterhof from all direc-
tions, more than fifty having been
printed in the Of1cial Messenger to-
day.
Dispatches from the interior report
demonstrations in front of the pris-
ons in all parts of Russia in favor of
the release of the political prisoners.
AT Simferpol troops surrounded the
prison where the political prisoners
were making a demonstration and
fired at them through the windows.
In st. Petersburg the political pris-
oners awaiting transportation at the
deporting prison hung out red flags
from the windows and sang the Mar
seillaise" throughout the night, while
crowds outside Joined in the revolu-
tionary song
The committee Of the Council of the
Empire, or upper house of Parliament
today concluded its draft of the reply
Of that house to the speech from the
throne. II declares that while carry
ing out the suggestions of the EN-
peror in the speech from the throne
the upper house will aim to assure the
welfare of the people and the pros
perity Of the country and expresses
the hope of the upper house that the
union of its efforts with those of the
lower house will prove successful in
enlightening the people through the
medium OF general education with re-
gard to safeguarding the rights and
freedom accorded to them.
Hope is expressed by the upper
house for success in developing the
resources of the country and for the
prosperity of all classes.
The upper house is profoundly con-
vinced that the diffusion Of the prin-
ciples of local autonomy in districts
where they heretofore have been lack
ing will, If due regard be paid to the
ldiosyncrasy Of the various national
tiles, succeed in creating a solid, en-
lightened state, to the glory of the
Emperor and the happiness OF the
free Russians.
The paragraph dealing with amnesty
says that all great Russian historical
events have been craven on the peo-
pies memory by the Emperor's acts
Of clemency toward prisoners and
criminals, and consequently the upper |
house, although possessed of a feeling
Of profound Indignation at the con-
tinual crimes committed in the heatj
Of the political struggle, has decided |
to submit for the gracious considera-
ton of the Emperor the lot of those |
who, while giving way to their ir- |
resistible desire for a speedy consum-
nation of their aspirations, have NOT !
committed outrases on life or prop |
erty or otherwise transgressed the es-
tablished laws.