The Czar and his advisers have disappointed the hopes of
their friends. Last Saturday M. Goreinykin, the Premier, read to the Duma the Ministerial reply to the Address. It traverses directly nearly all the recommendations of the House, unconditionally rejecting their solution of the agrarian difficulty, ignoring the question of amnesty, and declining to allow the Duma any right to deal with the matter of Ministerial responsibility. The reply was received in silence, and then speaker after speaker denounced the Government's action, a Resolution being ultimately adopted demanding the resignation of Ministers. During the rest of the week little has happened. The Government introduced a few unim- portant reforms, and the peasant Deputies showed signs of forming a Coalition with certain Labour Members, which will keep itself wholly distinct from the Socialists. The peasants, to whom the agrarian question is a matter of life and death, have so far shown admirable restraint. At present the situa- tion is a deadlock. The Duna will not rebel, neither will it be dissolved by force. In the absence of violent methods nothing can happen unless M. Goremykin resigns, for there is small chance of the representatives giving way. One result of the Government's action has been to force the various sections together, and, in the event of the Premier's resigna- tion, there seems every chance of all parties uniting, with a few exceptions, under the flag of a moderate leader, such as M. Shipoff.
