Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1906 — CZAR ENDS DOUMA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CZAR ENDS DOUMA

Russian Ruler Peremptorily Dissolves Parliament. NATION NEAR TO WAR in* Great Empire Now Seems on the Verge of Bloody Revolution. Nicholas Invltea Strife by Surrender to Policy of Grand Dultee— Members of the Disbanded Donma Flee to Vlborg, Finland, Where Parliament Aa«emhle.<i anil Plana Rebellion—Troops Are Manned at Danner Polntn and Martial Law la In Force.

Russia’s first experiment in parliamentary government came to an ignominious end Saturday uiglit with the promulgation of two Imperial ukases, the first dissolving the present parliament and providing for the convocation of its successor on March 5, 1907, more than six months lienee, and the second proclaiming the capital of Russia and the surrounding province to be in a state of extraordinary security, which is only Infinitesimally different from full martial law. This measure of safety is to provide for the outbursts which undobutedly will be provoked by this daring measure. It is now but a step tovdietatorship. A large part of the Province of Kiev, where armed uprisings are expected in consequence of the dissolution of parliament, was placed under martial law. The Emperor has surrendered completely to the grand dukes. For hours Saturday night at Peterhof lie con-

ferred with General Trepoff, “the most hated man in Russia,” and the bitterest of the ministers. When the conference ended Nicholas had fully made up his mind to seize the bull by the horns and plunge the country into bloodshed. All the

severities and brutalities which have characterized the rule of the czars in the past will be again brought into

play, It is exiiectSd. Thousands of revolutionists will be oast Into prison, hundreds of; them sent into dungeons gad to the mines of Siberia to die, and hundreds of others summarily executed. With two pithy but momentous orders which were promulgated at 3 o’clock Sunday morning Emperor Nicholas by a stroke of the pen set Russia bae kto where she stood two years ugo, In the full grip of autocracy and Irresponsihle government, wiping out for six months at least the whole structure of parliament, erected at such cost. There is little doubt, Ht. Petersburg advices say, that the order for convocation of the new assembly will still further postpone the time, unless flic new parliament promises to Is* more amenable than the one Just dissolved. The delay lit fixing the time for the new elections seems to Indicate a decision to change the present basis of suffrage to |ierhaps a basts of universal suffrage, with which the advisers of the Etiqteror ho|H* to swamp the educated liberals, the socialists and the workmen with the vast mass of the peasantry. See CathcrlM of Storm. The only UneeHaluty I* the coming storm— when anil where It will break. The advocate* of the "mailed- fist" l*elleve that by dissolving parliament and provoking a collision now they will find the revolutionary leaders not pretsrred for an uprising, an at Moscow, whereas further delay would merely give the revolutionists the tl.ne needed to organise and further dtaaffect the army.

The possibility of a dictatorship was suggested by the reactionary policy of the emperor and his advisers. This coarse has been suggested frequently since the deadlock between the czar <nd The -warring factions of the douma over the reorganization of the ministry made the dissolution of that body a foregone conclusion. It is advocated by IhmailiL.the .grand ducal clique who all along have been foremost in urging the emperor to repressive measures. and as they now seem to have the upper hand it is reasonable to supl>osc that their wishes in this regard will prevail. The dissolution of parliament is the which the Russian bureaucracy and court clique have stubbornly resisted the assembly’s demand for wide am-

nesty, the abolition of capital punishment in political cases and other reforms on the ground that the revolutionists are using terrorism as a political weapon. An important factor in bringing affairs to tbe present acute stage is the refusal of the constitutional democratic leaders to take places in a reorganized cabinet. The emperor, discouraged by his failure tp form a coalition ministry ami the distinctly revolutionary paths which parliament has chosen, was persuaded, after much characteristic hesl-~ tat lon, to risk a final appeal from the assembly to the people and to order new elections. This course probably will strengthen the cause of the revolutionists, or at any rate bring about the chaotic conditions that will give them an op]>ortunity for an effective demonstration. Donma Flees to Fluluml. The douma, in defiance of the ukase of Emperor Nicholas dissolving it, has

fled to Finland. Memlters of the outlaw parliament, 200 strong, gathered In a hotel at Viborg and began the discussion of their plans for the future, which Included the adoption of au address to the people of the country giving the liberal version of the conflict with the throne. A proclamation was drawn up saying that If the authorities prevent their further del I Iterations at that place it is their Intention to take a steamer and go out Into the Gulf of Finland, and if pursued l*y war ships to go to Sweden. It seems probable that Finland, in future Russian history, will become synonymous with “the Tennis Court" of the French revolution.

With the ukase dissolving parliament the curtain rose ujsm possibly the last a€t in the grent drama of the Russian revolution. The people and the government now gtnnd face to face, and upon the army depends the Immediate Issue. Even should the government, however, suci-eed ill restraining an outbreak of the |>eople, the victory probably will Ik* only temporary and simply confine the steam for the final explosion. Fierce clashes have occurred between the troo|si and rioters in the Narva (late, the scene of the "Red Sunday" massacre of eighteen months ngo.

GEN. TREPOFF.

NICHOLAS II.

THE MEMORABLE "RED SUNDAY” MASSACRE AT NARVA GATE.