Stelepin and the Western Zemstva Bill

The bill was meant to elevate russian voices and interests in the administration of polish provinces. But opposition coalesced around a much more particular and petty idea. And if his enemies could torpedo the western zemstva, they might just be able to torpedo stolepin along with it. When he came down to the state council on march fourth to witness the final vote on one of the key provisions, he was stunned. He stormed out in an angry huff, under the entirely correct assumption that this was a direct attack on his authority. It was a vote of no confidence engineered by his enemies at court.