Page:The Spirit of Russia by T G Masaryk, volume 1.pdf/207

Rh The social revolutionaries were subdivided into the moderate folk-socialists (also termed young narodniki or neo-narodniki) and the terrorist "maximalists"; there was also a centre group in this party with indeterminate trends.

The first duma had two leading tasks to perform. It was necessary to solve the agrarian problem. Not merely must political liberties be legislatively secured, but the control and the reform of the administration must be placed upon a sound basis. In the address submitted in response to the speech from the throne, both these demands were voiced. An agrarian program was sketched, aiming in principle at the abolition of private property in land; legal and administrative guarantees were demanded for the fundamental rights; there was to be an amnesty for political offenders.

After the elections Witte was replaced by Goremykin. The address was answered by a declaration of war, and the duma was dissolved on July 10th. The agrarian program was the immediate cause of the dissolution. The government having reiterated in decisive terms its dissent from the duma's proposals, the duma issued a manifesto to the people, and was dissolved on that account.

Goremykin's cabinet came to an end with the disappearance of the duma, and Stolypin, who had been minister for home affairs under Goremykin, now became premier.

At this juncture one hundred and eighty members of the duma met in Viborg, and resolved to issue a manifesto to the people, urging them to refuse the payment of taxes and to resist enrolment in the army. This manifesto was not signed by the duma as such, but by the individual members who issued it. Proceedings were instituted by the government against the signatories, and these were consequently excluded from the second duma.