TROUBLE IN RUSSIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1513, 22 July 1905, Page 2

TROUBLE IN RUSSIA.

A POLICE INVASION, J*. By keiegrauli. Press Ass'n, Copyright ST. PETERSBURG, July. 20. Three hundred delegates of ‘zemstvos met at Prince Dolgorouki’s palace. The police attempted to prevent the gatnering, but were disregarded. - A resolution was adopted, dwellou the absence o 1 guarantees of liberty of individuals or the publics •generally iu M £ Buliguln,’s scheme, complaining of excessive administration and police control at elections, .The alleged discovery of a military plot aginst the Czar was alsq discussed. The draft oi a constitution was elaborated, which the Congress Executive has privately published. This provides for an Upper House, elected on a local government franchise which elects the zemstvos, also a Rower House elected for four years by a universal, equal, direct, secret ballot^. The Chambers are to originate icgislttion and control foreign tela.t.ionf:, treaties, and finance, and to. bo able to impeach Ministers. The doctrine that the Cabinet ia responsible to the Czar’s is greaely curtailed, but the Czar is left the command of armed forces. The constitution is mainly basod'pn Britisli principles, with am occasional suggestion of French practice. Whilst the zemstvos were sitting, at Dolgcrqukx Palace the police entered ant the Commissioner read his instructions to close the meeting, then retiring. , The Congress drew up a protocol, which the delegates countersigned, adding a complaint that degrees ami ciiculaxs were allowed to over-ride the Imperial ukase. They declared the police invasion of private residences to be illegal. The police withdrew.*

DEFIANT 3PEEOHES MADE.

VANISHING POWER OF . AUTOCRACY. By; telegraph. Press Ass’n, Copyright Received 11.23 p.m., July 21. St. Petersburg, Jons 21.

The Zemstvos Congress discussed the constitution as elaborated by the Executive. There were many complaints of omission of adequate and proportionate representation ; also the omission of female suffrage. The constitution was read a first time by 20 to 7. The Congress rejected the proposal to transmit the scheme to tbe Czar. After a heated speech, declaring that “ since appeals to the Czar and Government are fruitless we mußt now petition the people,” Prince Rostokvski left tho hall complaining of the direct incitements to revolution.

Prince Dolgorouki and Petruakevitch, re-echoing what the marshals and nobility had recently done, a storm of cheers greeted Petruakevitch’s deelaration that “ all hope oi reform from above has nanished. A revolution is inevitable, if possible without bloodshed.” ( The Congress resolved on an aotive propaganda of people. high . and low, and denounced the administration and outrages against the lives and liberty of the people.