The San Francisco call., 1907-06-16
DUMA DISSOLVED AND
RUSSIA FACES CRISIS
Gar Overrides Fundamental
Law in Calling for
New Elections
UPRISING is FEARED
St. Petersburg Filled With
Troops and Resembles
Armed Camp
UPRISING rs FEARED
ST. PETER sBIrRG

ST. PETERSBURG, June 15-Em-
peror Nicholas affixed his signature
this morning to an imperial ukase
abolishing the present duma and order
ing that the elections of members to
its successor which is to meet No
vember H. be held under the new
election law. which provides against
the "submergence of the educated class
by the uneducated masses"
This act constitutes a virtual coup
d'etat, and overrides the Fundamental
laws solemnly proclaimed by his ma
jesty on the eve of the convocation of
the first duma. which declared that the
electoral law could never be changed
without the consent of parliament it.
self. This breach of the constitution
is justified by the great law of neces-
sity, the advisers of the emperor hold
ing that 1t is impossible under pres
ent conditions to secure a parliament
capable of cooperating harmoniously
with the crown to rescue Russia from
anarchy and revolution.
The session of the counsel of min
listers, at which the decision to dis
solve parliament was reached, lasted
from o'clock last night until nearly
4 o'clock this morning. The ministers
had agreed upon the terms of the
ukase before midnight, however and a
draft of il was taken Immediately to
Feterhof. where the emperor affixed
his signature.
The news OF me dissolution was re-
oeived at 2:04 o'clock this morning, but
the meeting OF the cabinet was cnn-
tinued until the arrival of the signed
document. This document was deliv-
cred by Premier Stolypin to the OIL
cial printers for publication in the
Official Messenger and the Rossia this
morning.
TROOPS RUSHED TO CITY
The city has again resumed the ap-
pearance of armed camp. The
guard regiment left the summer camp
at Krasnoye-Selo for ST Petersburg
last night and throughout the night de-
tachments Of infantry and cavalry were
arriving here. The garrison of ST
Petersburg is now double it's ordinary
strength, the sguard regiments having
been replaced by regiments of the line
when the former went into camp. Long
lines of transport wagons with camp
equipages, etc. trundled through the
main streets all morning, interspersed
with occasional detachments of cavalry
and infantry marching to the head
quarters.
Otherwise the center of the city bore
Its usual appearance, but the indus
trial centers literally bristled with
troops. Every railroad station was
guarded by two companies of infantry
and two squadrons of cavalry, and
troops were held in readiness in many
places. An investigation of the pos
sibility of the outbreak Of a railroad
strike was made and the reserves of all
the regiments were confined to bar
racks.
All the railroad stations were
watched by secret police in order to
prevent the escape of the social demo-
cratic deputies and revolutionary agita-
tors among whom a general exodus is
expected to begin as soon asSparliament
is dissolved.
An order from General Dracheffski.
prefect of st. Petersburg, addressed to
| the municipal press has Just appeared
1t announces that the publication Of
any article inimical to the government
| will be considered a misdemeanor,
punishable by fine of $500 and three
months in Jail. This is the most drastic
measure proclaimed against the press
since the days of the black reaction,
and If enforced will entail the suspen-
] sion OF every liberal newspaper in st.
Petersburg.
| The socialist Tovarisch will not at
| tempt to appear this afternoon, feel
ing that suppression is inevitable.
ZOO ARRESTS MADE
More than 700 arrests were made
/ during the day.
1 The procedure of the duma commit
! tee in requesting additional time to
consider the charges against the So
/ cialist democrat members would ap-
! pear at this wrilIng to have nonplused
the government. It's plans on Fzjday
were based upon the supposition that
the decision of the duma would be
taken at last nights session and that
dissolution would follow Immediately,
but by permitting Prosecutor Kane
shansky to appear before the commit
tee the administration has tacit1y sanc-
! toned examination of the documents
4 against the 55 social democratic depu-
1 ties. The government consequently
/ found itself in difficult position when
4 the committee presented reasonable
request for delay. The reactionartes
consider that this was a great blunder,
| for which they hold prominent people
| responsible.
The committee is examining the in
dictments against each of the SO depu-
/ ties separa tely, and it can hardly finish
4 the work before Monday night.
Up to the PRESENT the committee Is
said to have recognized the validity of
the indictments against seven deputies,
but In the cases of several others 1t
| has found no ground for suspension.
! The latter include M. Konshin, g. newly
elected deputy from Siberia, who never
has allied himself with the social dem
ocrats in the house or acknowledged
the authority of the party.
The dissolution of the Russian duma
followed the refusal of that body to
4 permit the arrest of a number of It's
| members on the charge of conspiring
against the state. 1t has been freely
predicted ever since the lower house
first met, March s. that its dissolution
| was only a question of time, and the
| many official denials never carried con-
| viction. The history of this duma, like
its predecessor, has been one of almost
constant clashes with the government
DEVASTATION BY PNEUMONIA
Today pneumonia stands as the most
fearful danger to which the American
people are normally exposed during the