The news from the Baltic provinces continues ominous, four trains
having been wrecked by the insurgents; a general strike began on Christmas Day in Kharkoff ; and Odessa is reported to be at the mercy of the terrorists. On the other hand, the strikers in Poland and elsewhere show signs of wavering. Meantime, to add a touch of farce to the tragedy,. the Czar has promulgated an Imperial Ukase ordering the elections for the Duma to be proceeded with immediately. The one bright spot in a black picture is presented by Finland, where the Diet of the Finnish Estates was opened on Friday week to hear a message from the Czar which practically restores to the Diet the full legislative power possessed by it previous to the Bobrikoff-Plelive regime. The Senate has appointed a Commission drawn from all parties to prepare the first draft of the Representation Bill on the basis of universal franchise, and as there is a majority of Constitutionalists in all four Houses, the acceptance of the proposed reforms—which involve the abolition of the Four Estates system—may be regarded as a foregone conclusion.
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