Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-18
RUSSIA'S PERIL.


of the proclamation of a general strike
d'etat are steadily lessening. The ques-
ton is now under discussion at a Sc
cret conference of the central commit
tee of the Social Democrats which is
being held in Finland. but a strong
current Of opposition is known to pre-
vail. not only on the part of the Mod
crate leaders, but also among the adj
hercnts of the Radical majority A
fraction Of the Moderates urge that the
government is now so strongly in
trenched that a strike would be futile
and only weaken the prestige of the
party and involve the rank and file and
the industrial proletariat generally in
q series of reprisGls and immense pc
Cuniary loss. The conference, which is
attended by all the members of the
Lower House who have not been ar
rested. will contert itself with issuing
a series of proclamationS addressed to
the peasantry. the army and navy and
the workmen. accusing the government
of violating faith with the country by
altering the election law in defiance of
the imperial pledges and appealing to
the masses to continue the fight to
overthrow the existing regime.
The Social RevolutioniStS nj CON
ference held last night declared against
the proposed strike and appointed 4
committee to draft 4 similar address to
the pcasantcy, the army and navy and
tho Workmcn. The National Socialist
and Group If Toll members are also
contemplating the issuance of mani
frstoca to their constituents.
kilograms from practically every city
in the empire announce that the news
Of the dissolution of Parliament was
received quietly ANA With almost m
entire absence Of demonstrations. Even
at Odessa ana kicv no disturbances
occurred.
Tie order of Gen. Dracheffski pre-
feet Of police Of st. Petersburg. pro-
hibiting hostile criticisms of the gov
eminent was copied almost universally
by the governor general throughout
Russia and completely muzzled the
Liberal press.
Few newspapers appearing here to-
day make extremely guarded com.
ments on the situation, the radical
Russ merely expressing the hope that
the two campaign elections in one year
will widen the political horizon of the
people ana make them firm adhercnts
of the idea of parliamentarism.
The NOvoe Nremya, which has
aligned itself with the Reactionfsts. at
lacks the new election law as n half
way measure affording the possibility
that the Revolutionary clements will
again be able to enter Parliament.
close study Of the new election law.
which is bulky document Of 50 pages
of complicated phraseology. has some
what dissipated the feeling Of gloom in
Liberal circles. The idea is aaining
ground that the government has failed
in its intentions and that there may
be an oppositional majority in the
third Parliament. as in the ease of it's
predecessors. Even under the now Jaw
it is thought THAI the Constitutional
Democrats will retain control of the
cities. though. perhaps. they will be
swamped by the Social Democrats in
tire elections of the second and poorer
catcGorics Of Urban voters.
The Constitutional Democrats also
hope to return considerable number
OF the 50 land owning representatives.
" hom the government believed would
be exclusively Conservative.
According to the opinion Gf a foreign
diplomat who is il close touch with the
court, the government has done either
too much or too little. 1t has violated
the fundamental laws. or constitution.
and laid itself open to the charge Of &C
comprising a coup d'etat without al
| tering the election law sufficiently to
produce the desired results.
The feeling is court circles against
Premier Stolypin, who has undertaken
full responsibility before His Majesty
for g speedy convocation Of Parliament
on the present basis Of suffrage, is said
! to be most bitter and he is alleged to
| he the object of strong reactiOnary
intrigue.
| The grant of seven Parliamentary
representatives to the Armenians and
Tartars was decided upon at the last
| moment The original plan was to dis
franchise the Caucasus entirely, but
this was abandoned owing to the repre-
eantat:1rs of. Count Won NOrontZoff-
Iashlloff. viceroy Of the Caucasus, who
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