THE LIBERAL “PILLARS OF ORDER”
The Zemstvo Congress has made an official statement against the formation of the Constituent Assembly! The “liberal” gentlemen have thereby cemented their alliance with the tsarist government, and have accepted the government’s plan to strangle constitutional change in the Duma, sidestepping a National Constituent Assembly† that would have been elected by all of the people in the process. Of course, none of this will have any impact on the revolution’s path. The workers are sticking calmly to their battle plan, and are preparing for a new and decisive battle across the board in December or January.
Moscow, November 21 (report from the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). The Zemstvos Congress and the municipalities. In the continuing consultations about the position to be adopted in the negotiations with Witte’s ministry, the Polish speakers Dborotworsky and [Alexander Robertovich] Lednitzki stated that they were prepared to reach agreement on the condition that martial law be rescinded in Poland, that primary schools be allowed to teach in Polish, and that this language be re-introduced in administrative and public institutions. Lednitzki protested vehemently against the claim that Poland was considering separating itself from Russia. [Mikhail Alexandrovich] Stachovitch, representative from the town of Jelatz, proposed supporting the government only on the condition that elections to the Duma—which he requested be called a representative rather than a Constituent Assembly—be held on the basis of universal suffrage, and on the condition that the death penalty be abolished. Prince Volkonski from Ryazan warned the assembly against overblown demands. If the majority were to decide publicly against supporting the government, then he would propose that the minority form themselves into a group and put themselves at the disposal of Witte’s ministry. [Vasili Vassilyevich] Klimov from Ryazan said that the people will always be for the tsar, and that a National Constituent Assembly is only necessary for Social Democrats. Stachovitch, Marshal of the Nobility, referred to the example of the Finns, who, if they had received a promise from the Chamber of Representatives would have stopped the revolution immediately. The assembly should, he said, wait for the new constitution, based on the October 30 manifesto. Prince Pavel Dolgurokov proposed support for Witte’s ministry. All other speakers elaborated on the same thoughts; only Shepkin stated that Witte’s ministry has proven itself incapable during the last three weeks of delivering to the country the new freedoms guaranteed by the monarch. It must now either be swept aside, or be forced to grant these freedoms inside three days.
Moscow, November 22 (report from the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). The congress has received telegrams from various associations, zemstvo administrations and other bodies in the provinces, all stating that supporting the government is a must and positioning themselves against the Constituent Assembly.
Petersburg, November 22 (report from the Petersburg Telegraph Agency). Prime Minister Count Witte received telegrams from municipal councils in Kazan and Astrakhan, and from the stock exchanges in Rybinsk and Samara, in which these bodies declared their preference to support a government founded based on the manifesto of October 30.
Petersburg, November 22. Count Witte received a lengthy telegram from the members of the Zemstvo Congress in Moscow, communicating their readiness to support him in order to restore order. A delegation of members from the Zemstvo Congress will receive an audience with the tsar in the near future. Rumor has it that numerous ministerial portfolios will be distributed among zemstvo men.
These “liberal” mamelukes* are getting what they deserved!
MARTIAL LAW AND BLUE PILLS FOR THE PEASANTS
Petersburg, November 22 (report from Petersburg Telegraph Agency). A state of increased protection has been declared in the governorates of Chernihiv, Tambov, Penza, and Kursk, in the municipalities of Balashov, Serdobsk, Petrovsk, Atkarsk, and Saratov, as it has in the governorate of Saratov and the city of Saratov.
Petersburg, November 23. The agrarian movement in the provinces of Tambov and Voronezh is growing in size. That prompted the vice-governor to order the arrests of a number of rabble-rousing peasants, and for an even larger number of them to be shot. The troops carried out these orders, resulting in the shooting of over 100 peasants and the wounding of many others. The peasants destroyed dwellings and demanded that the landowners relinquish their land; at which the owners fled into the cities.
Petersburg, November 23. The governor of Livonia, present in the city, explained to Count Witte that order could only be maintained by imposing a state of war.
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!
Report in from Warsaw: A large public assembly took place yesterday in the workshops of the Warsaw–Vienna railroad, with 10,000 participants. They passed a motion that unless the government repeals martial law in Poland by January 1, 1906, a general strike for the whole of Poland will be declared.
Petersburg, November 22. A number of state manufactories were closed, and the workers made redundant, because the workers refused to return to work. The government went on to communicate that these industrial establishments will remain closed permanently, if the workers don’t relent.
Helsinki, November 23 (Wolff’s Telegraph Office). At a meeting of the Labor Party* the motion was passed by 191 votes to 96 that the party will not participate in elections for regional parliaments. If necessary, a general strike should be declared.
FERMENTATION IN THE ARMY AND NAVY
Petersburg, November 23. According to reports received by the Admiral Office, there is much unrest among the crews of the two Russian cruisers that have reached Saigon. General [Nikolai P.] Linevich has also reported concurrently in a similar vein that agitators among the troops in Manchuria have also attempted insurrections.
THE “ADMINISTRATIVE ROUTE” TO A CONSTITUTIONAL COMEDY
Petersburg, November 22. Today the tsar chaired the first complete meeting of the new cabinet assembled by Count Witte, in Tsarskoye Selo. The tsar reportedly signed two edicts during the meeting, giving more form to the promises made by him in his manifesto, aimed at transforming freedoms of assembly and of the press into permanent constitutional measures.
TSARIST LIBERALISM HIT BY HARD BLOW!
London, November 23. The Petersburg correspondent of the Standard reports that Count Witte has had a stroke. His left arm is paralyzed. The prime minister has also been suffering under dizzy spells. Hours have passed in which people have seriously worried about Witte’s life. It appears unlikely that Count Witte will remain in office for long. The same report can be found in the Parisian Le Matin.
Mosse and Auntie Voß* will be tearing their hair out—how can world history move at all without Witte?