Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-07-23

imperial ukaSe diSSolvinG Parliament
which was promulgated early this
morning thc curtain rose upon poSsi-
bly, the last act in the great drama of
the Russian revolution. The people and
the government now stand tacc to
face and upon the loyalty of the army
depends the immediate issue
Even should the government, howev-
er, succeed in getting on the lid," the
victory. probably will only be tempo
rary and simply confinc the stem Of the
final explosion. No one doubts the Sc
verify of the storm which will arise in
the country in response to the Empcr-
Or's dispersal of the mon whom he
welcomed two months ago in the win
ter palace as the "best men in Russia;
but the die is cast. The government has
elected to fight and the capital today
bore eloquent testimony of the prcpa-
rations made to repress the masses by
force. The city was packed with SOL
diers and resembled an armed camp.
During Saturday night additional
troops were brought in and disposed Of
according TO plans previously adopted.
These reinforcementS included four in
faHtry regiments of the Chcvalicr
Guard. Hussars. Mounted Grenaatiicrs
and a battery of machine guns. The
troops occupied railroad stations and
the bridges across the rivers and ca
nails and the patrols of both police and
gendarmcs were everywhere doubled.
The work of gathering in Revolutions
airy agitators began Immediately after
the ukase placing St Petersburg in "a
ne .,x-f, r,.Ii ,tx,'1
promulgated and hundreds of arrests
were made before daylight.
The powers conferred upon NJ. Won
Der Launitz. project Of police. and NJ.
Zinovieff, governor Of the province.
make them little short of petty dictat-
Ors. Searches and arrests can be made
without process of law. newspapers
forced to suspend publication and per-
SONS deported by administrative order
without trial. Public and private meet
ings are forbidden. Those arrested may,
f it is desired, be tried by military
courts and Summarily executed. The
only real difference between "eXtraor-
binary security" and full martial law
is that power is exercised by the so
called civil instead of military author
ity.
Although the news OF the dissolution
of Parliament spread like wild fire
among the members of the various po-
litical organizations, the masses here
generally are hardly awake to the mo-
mcntous event. The news Travelled fast
in the country and the general eXpecta-
ton is that the peasantry expecting the
dispersal of Parliament as the final
~ -
The proletariat organizations have
been preparing for months for just
such provocation to declare open war.
1t is impossible to describe the con-
sternation with which the Constitution
al Democrats learned the news. Al
though 1t had been bruited for the past
three days, the ukasc was received by
them in blank Amusement. Even Satur-
day nights caucus did not believe the
government would dare to take the
threatened step and seriously discussed
the attitude to be taken towards Min
lister of the Interior Stolypin, when he
appears in Parliament tomorrow to an
swer interpretations.
The government undoubtedly calcu-
lated on catching the opposition off It's
guard, but if it expected to strike ter
ror to the hearts of the members of
Parliament 1T has failed signally. Some
time ago when dissolution seemed i'm
mnent the various groups Of the or
position virtually agreed to follow the
example of their Fresch compatrots of
the States-General and meet if driven
out of the Tauride palace, wherever
and whenever circumstances dictated
until a constitution was firmly estab-
lished.
After hurried secret conference
this morning it was decided on account
of the possibility of the meeting being
broken up and the members arrested
that they go Immediately to Finland
and decide upon the future course to
be pursued and small groups left this
afternoon and evening by train.
Whether word was given them to meet
at Viborg or Helsingfors is unknown
but 1T seems probable that Finland. in
future Russian history. will become sy-
nonymous with 1.-The Tennis Court of
the French revolution. Even Count
Heyden, the leader, and other members
of the Right are understood to have
departed. It is quite improbable, how