INTERNAL RUSSIA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 20

INTERNAL RUSSIA.

THE LIBERAL MOVEMENT. REFORMERS AND THE WAR. SOCGtNTFICANOE ~OF THE FALL OF FORT ARTHUR. LONDON, January 3. Up to 10 o’clock on Monday night the news of the fall of Port Arthur had not been announced at St. Petersburg, though officials and some of the educated class were aware of it. Reformers, who dread military triumphs, are delighted at the fall of the fortress. They declare that a weighty obstacle to the realisation of constitutional aspirations has been removed. Others accept the fall with fatalistic resignation. DESTRUCTION OF BRIDGES. THE DEMAND FOR REFORMS. ST. PETERSBURG, January 2. The interruption of railways in the Polish and other districts, which is officially attributed to snowdrifts, is unofficially stated to he due to the destruction of bridges by reservists’ relatives. The municipality of Nijni Novgorod decided to urge tbe convening of a Congi 1 ess of Mayors representative of all tbe Russian cities to discuss tbe necessary changes in political and social life. The authorities in provincial Russia are preventing the organisation of Liberal banquets.

FRINGE MIRSKI RESIGNS. ST. PETERSBURG, January 3. General’ Tseherkoff, Governor of Poland, having ignored Prince Mireki’s assurances to the Poles, Prince Mirski has tendered his resignation as Minister of the Interior. An assembly of nobles in one of the Russian provinces has adopted a resolution demanding consultation with freely-elected representatives of the people in elaboration of the Czaa-’s scheme of reforms. The municipality of Nakhichivan demands raising a state of siege to allow religious teaching in the Armenian language in the refugee schools. LONDON, January 3. “The Times” publishes a letter from Tolstoi addressed to the Czar in 1902, when the writer believed himself to be dying, advocating the abolition of private property and land, and the granting to the people of absolute freedom to make known their desires. ST. PETERSBURG, January 4. The Czar, who was away inspecting departing troops, has suddenly returned to St. Petersburg. PARIS, January 4. St. Petersburg correspondents of French newspapers declare tbe Czar is in a state of mystic indecision, partly as a result of his faith in spiritualism. His Majesty, the correspondents state, is swayed by conflicting influences. WARNINGS BY A PRINCE. BLOODY REVOLUTION MAY BE AVERTED. ST. PETERSBURG, January 5. Prince Trubetzkoi, who presided at a recent congress of zemstvos at Moscow, has warned Prince Mirski that Russia is in a state of anarchy. The revolutionary movement, he declares, is very dangerous, and the results threaten to be terrible for the people and the Emperor. A bloody revolution may be averted, says Prince Trubetzkoi, if the Czar will show confidence in the people. Prince Trubetzkoi has also personally warned tbe Czar. INCREASING DEMAND FOR REFORMS. LONDON, January 4. Many more Russian municipalities are demanding reforms. A protest against the brutality of tbe St. Petersburg police and bouse porters affiliated with the police in suppressing a demonstration on December 11th, signed by 200 representatives of liberal, legal, and social reviews and newspapers, laas been communicated to the Paris newspaper “Humanite,” owned by M. Jaures, Socialist leader in the Chamber of Deputies. The protest emphasises the fact that it is hopeless to expect the most elementary guarantees of individual liberty under the present regime. COMMENTS ON JAPAN’S SUCCESS. LIBERAL PAPERS SUPPRESSED. ST. PETERSBURG, January 5. The newspaper “Russ” declares that if the press had not been gagged a national agitatlion would have compelled the despatch of the Baltic fleet in time to relieve Port Arthur. The country, says the ‘Huss,” is panting for tbe truth—not for bureaucratic deceptions. A new Liberal St. Petersburg journal, “Our Land,” publishes a remarkable article, in which it denounces the bureaucratic war, and invites the people to propose peace, believing that

Japan would accord terms acceptable to the true dignity and interests of Russia.

Other journals attribute tbe Russian defeats to her historic sins and faults. They also declare that Japan is successful because she possesses freedom and indpendence. Reservists in the Lithuania district pillaged several churches. “Nashidni,” a new St. Petersburg Liberal paper, and the “Russ” have been suspended from public sale.