The Minneapolis journal. [volume], December 06, 1905, Image 1

About The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
OPIE READ
Will Be One of the Contributors
to The Journal's Sunday
Magazine.
1
PRICE TWO CENTS,
SAILROAD PEOPL E
SHIFT IN NIGHT
Sadden Drift Toward President
on the Part of Former
Foes.
REFORM MEASURE IS
SAID TO BE CHOSEN
Interstate Commerce Commission
Bill Declared to Be Favored
by Both Houses.
By W W Jermane.
Washington Dec. 6.'Over night
there seems to have been a more or less
complete surrender of the forces in the
senate which have ee opposing the
president's railroad policvif not a
surrender, such a modification of posi
tion as to suggest ultimately the presi
dent's complete triumph. At no time
since the iate agitation was begun hag
the situation been so promising to
those -vho stand with the president.
Thus far the chief outward sign of
thi-, surrender is found in the interview
given out by Senator Elkms, in which
he appears to come over to the presi
dent's position. Bu under the sur
face there are signs of equal signifi
cance that all point in the one general
directionthe enactment of legislation
such as the,public is demanding and the
president is urging.
These signs may all be misleading.
Tho fight may yet come on in the senate
with all the tremendous force which it
has been accumulating for a vear past,
and the enactment of.desired legislation
may be secured, if at all, with exceeding
difficulty.
Battle Nearly Won.
But the fact still remains that with
in the past twenty-four hours the presi
dent has made a decided advance in
position, and now feels, as do all his
friends, that the battle is a good deal
more than half won, and that ultimate
victory, possibly without serious oppo
sition, is certain.
I is entirely possible that the senate
committee, or a large majority of it,
including Elkins, chairman, may report
the interstate commerce commission's
bill. This bill embodies the president's
plan, and in many respects is the best
bill that has been presented.
What Olapp Says.
The general drift toward the presi
dent is today so noticeable as to cause
widespread comment. Said Senator
Clapp of Minnesota today:
'The legislation recommended by the
president is certain to be enacted and
Without serious difficulty or loss of
time. I do not want to prophesy as
to a date, but I will say that the bill
will go to the president for his approval
at a comparatively early period in the
session. I regard the fight as being
already won, and am very sure that our
strength will increase as the days
go by."
The house committee on interstate
and foreign commerce will probably
Support the interstate commerce com
mission bill, discarding all the others
as not being equal to it in simplicity
and directness.
President's Preferences.
The president, while he has not said
that any particular bill is the admin
istration bill, is entirely willing that
this be done, for he regards the inter
state commerce commission bill as pre
senting a satisfactory statement of his
position. If this bill is reported from
the house committee, it will pass that
body and go to the senate. The house
having thus selected that bill as the
one best calculated to accomplish the
desired results, it will be taken up by
the senate committee and reported to
the senate by a majority vote.
I is said today 'that it is doubtful
if more than about three senators on
that committee oppose itAldrich,
Kean and Forakerand they will^ be
in such a small minority as to give
their position relatively small weight.
Three Against Many.
With a gjeat majority of the senate
in favor ot the legislation, as is now
said to be the case, it will be quite
out of the question for these three sen
ators, even when joined by their fol
lowers on the floor, to filibuster to the
extent of preventing a vote. So the
whole house, the president's friends
the house and his friends in the sen
ate, now believe that the battle is going
their way, and that the desired legis
lation is as good as secured.
I may be that the senate commit
tee, if it should turn out that the presi
dent has won his fight, will anticipate
action in the house and itself report
the interstate commerce commission
bill, placing it on the senate calendar
in advance of action in the house. This
might be good strategy.
1 President Stands Pat
There has been no change in the pres
ident's position. He is standing pat''
and is not considering any compromise.
He is standing for a definite principle
and comprise is not possible, for to
compromise would be to surrender. All
the talk of compromise continues to
come from the other side, and when
analyzed, it, too, takes the form of sur
render.
Senator Clapp said today:
%-'^^m& TODAY'S SPORTING NEWS WILL E FOUND ON PAGE 8.|siJfeffr^"^l^^^',#(?!i^^T4^V-iS|
VICTORY IN SIGHT IN
RATE REFORM FIGHT
'In de?
manding that a rate fixed by the com
mission go into effect at once, we arc
demanding the recognition of a univer
sal principle of common law. The deance.
cision of any tribunal is, in common
law, prima facie evidence of the cor
rectness of that decision. I so hap
pens that most of ttie actions brought
before our courts involve pecuniary
considerations, and so the practice has
grown up of oermitting appeals, the
interests of the litigants meanwhile be
ing protected by bonds. Bonds cou^d
not be given on an appeal from a rate
decision because of the complication
the operation involves, -uul besides,
bonds are only given to insure the pay
ment of the disputed claims, if in the
end the courts say payment is neces
sary. Nobody ever had disputed the
ability of the railroads to pay these
claims, hence the bond proposition does
not apply with full force. We are thus
brought back to the common law prop
osition that the decision of any tri
bunal is prima facie evidence of the
soundness of that decisicn. We want
the interstate commerce commission to
have the power to name a rate and put
it into effect at once, and that it what
will set." "pt^W-v.
w*
ENEMIE S O RATE
LA W CAPITULATE
Interests Hostile to President's
Ideas Surrender on Hearing
Message.
Roosevelt's Message Delights His
Friends with Its Answer to
His Critics.
Journal Special Service.
Washington, Dec. 6.The interests
hostile to President Koosevelt's solu
tion of the railroad rate question have
capitulated. There will be legisla
tion of a sound, comprehensive charac
ter, embodying the principles which the
president sharply defined in his mes
sage:
Leaders of the two houses have de
cided there should be rate legislation
during this session. Further confer
ences ratified this decision with a
unanimity which showed public ^opinion1
at last had produced the effect the presi
dent sought when he first opened the
rate campaign.
Senator Elkins told the senate com
mittee on interstate commerce yester
day that the president's views had ap
pealed to him from the start that he
had been given as authority for state
ments which he never made an'd he is
confident a bill would be agreed upon
within the time the country would con
sider reasonable. I this way Elkins
mounted the band wagon.
Aldrich's Righteous Air.
Aldrich of Ehode Island assumed a
righteous air when he said congress
must give expression to public opinion.
Senator Gorman found time to ex
press hearty indorsement of the presi
dent's railioad rate message, adding
that it is useless to combat universal
public sentiment.
Even Senator Foraker found some
thing in the president's message to
appiove, butwhether he places himself
beside Elkins or not, there is not the
slightest doubt now that rate legislation
will be passed, which will be satisfac
tory to the president and the people.
His Enemies Astonished.
Theodore Eoosevelt 's first message de
livered in his own right as president of
the United States EaB astonished his
enemies, if he has any, and delighted his
friends.
The opinion was generally expressed
abojt the capitol that one might easily
study similar state papers during the
whole history of the republic without
Costumed on 2d Page, 3d Column.
,BARSlNSlAlE
CASH I N POLITICS
Bill in Senate Forbids Use
Policyholders' Money in
Campaign.
of
Washington, Dec 6.A bill prohibit
ing the use of money from tho insur
ance companies in federal elections was
introduced today by Senator Culbertson.
The offense is made a felony and. pun
ishment is fixed at from two to twenty
years' imprisonment.
Senator Frye presented the first bill
of the session. I was a private pen
sion measure.
Senator Heyburn introduced a reso
lution providing for the annexation of
San Domingo and Haiti to the United
States.
The merchant marine commission bill
was introduced by Senator Gallinger.
He also presented the final report of
that commission.
The pure food bill was among the
earliest introduced. I was presented
by Senator Heyburn.
Senator Scott introduced bills provid.
ing for service pensions and for the is
suance of bonds for the erection of pub
lic buildings in towns of 5,000 popula
tion and more.
Senator Foraker introduced his rail
road-rate regulation bill, which he had
heretofore presented to the senate com
mittee on interstate commerce.
Senator Dolliver reintroduced the
Dolliver-Hepburn bill relating to inter
state traffic in liquors.
Senator Fulton presented bills for a
United States district court in China
and prohibiting aliens from fishing in
Alaskan waters. He also presented a
bill to prohibit the misbranding of
salmon.
Among the resolutions presented was
one by Mr. Newlands, directing the
interstate commerce commission to
frame an act for the incorporation of
interstate railroads. Mr. Spooner ex
pressed surprise that an outside body
should be directed to frame a bill for
the senate, saying that such a course
was unprecedented. Mr. Newlands
said his only desire was that the senate
should avail itself of the knowledge
and skill of the commission but he
wanted to secure such a bill and ex
pressed indifference as to its author
ship. He gave notice that he would
speak on the resolution next Monday.
The senate adopted without debate a
resolution directing the committee on
the judiciary to inauire into and re- J*
port to the senate whether under the
constitution congress has authority to
supervise marine, fire and life insur
The senate then, at 1:56, went
into executive session.
Senator Lodge today introduced a
maximum and minimum tariff bill.
QUEBEC MOB THROWS
EGGS AT BERNHARDT 2
Journal Special Service.
Quebec, Dec. 6.Mme. Sara Bern
hardt and her company left Quebec last
night under police escort, after a mob
had made a vicious attack upon the
French players, throwing rotten eggs
and other missiles. The attack was the
result of uncomplimentary remarks
made by Sara Bernhardt about French
Canadians and the influence of the
clergy.
BTJYEB. FOE CANAL ARRIVES.
New York. Dec. 6.D. W. Ross, purchasing
pgent for the itl-Kian canal, arrived here today
on the steairer Advance from Colon.
vv
CANA FIGHT IS
O N I N TH E HOUS E
Appropriation Bill, Providing
$16,500,000 for the Ditch, Is
Under Discussion.
Washington, Dec. 6.Unanimous con
sent was given in the house today for
consideration of the bill appropriating
$16,500,000 for the Panama canal. Mr.
Williams claimed there should have
been an itemized account of the expen
ditures. Mr. Hepburn made a speech on
the canal and progress of the work
thus far.
Answering a question as to salaries
Mr. Hepburn said he could make the
general statement that there were twen
ty-six salaries over $5,000: six between
$4,000 and $5,000 fifty-five between'
$3,000 and $4,000 and 136 between $2,-
000 and $3,000. These included engi
neers of high skill.
Mr. Fitzgerald (JST. Y.) said he had
been informed that $10,000 a year was
being paid to a press agent, but Mr.
Hepburn said he Knew nothing about
that.
Mr. Williams declared the canal a
Won-partisan undertaking and said no
one could claim credit for it. in
tended to offer an amendment to re
duce the sum of $16,500,000 to an
amount actually necessary to carry'on
the work to Jan. 1 next.
Mr. Williams said he would object to
the issuance of bonds as long as there
were $40,000,000 on deposit in 'National
banks without interest.
Mr. Mann said two employees of the
commission were receiving $10,000 a
year salary, one was Mr. Eoss, purchas
ing agent and the other was Mr. Biship,
secretary. WOMANISHKEN
FRO CA FOR
Mrs. Berry Overcome by Am
monia Fumes After Holding
Fort Four Days.
Girard, Kan., D*c. 6.Mrs. In a Ber
ry, who since Friday last had held the
town officials at bay from her fort in
the toilet-room of a Frisco railway
coach on the tracks here, was removed
today shortly before noon, after she
had been partially overcome by the
fumes of ammonia. A bundle ot rags
saturated with the drug had been
pushed thru the window of the toilet
room. Before surrendering, Mrs. Berry
fired one shot at her captors, but with
out effect.
Before she could shoot again Mrs.
Berry was overpowered by two officers.
After being reassured that the officers
and the people of Girard were her
friends and that the officers had come
to protect her, the woman made only
feeble resistance. She was removed to
the jail and placed under the care of
the city physician. Once inside the
jail, Mrs. Berry quieted down and
talked rationally.
Emaciated by her long fast and
weakened from loss of sleep and from
exposure, the woman presented a pitia
ble appearance. Her clothes were torn,
her face and hands badly soiled and
her hair disheveled.
Mrs. Berry will be delivered into the
custody of the probate court, before
whom the town marshal had, last night,
been ordered to produce her at 3 o'clock
this afternoon.
RUNNING FIGHT WITH BOBBERS.
Falkland, Ina. Dec. 6.The safe In Robert
Smith store was blown eaily today by four
rcbbers. The explosion aroused citizens, who
alert by rearon of a recent robberv here, ran
to the street armed with guns and revolvers
The four robbeis jumped from the building and
escaped after a running fleht in nhich twenty
shots nere flied. No one -was hit so far as is
known The safe was empty.
CODY AS BALLOON INSTRUCTOR.
London, Dec. 6Colonel William F. Cody
has been officially appointed instructor to the
balloon companies of the Royal Engineers at
Alder shot.
*5^3^tr'
*$t*^
X&
1J-L%**?-
WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 6,* 1905.
NAUGH BUT HOM E
RUL E FO IRELAND
.4
Irish Nationalists Meet in Con-Central
vention Under Presidency
of Redmond.
"c^.ttfiraistfjAca^^^
JOHN REDMOND,
President of Irisn National Convention,
an Session Ttday
S
Dublin, Deo. 6.The Irish national
convention was opened at the Mansion
House this morning -under the presi
dency of John Redmond. There was a
good gathering of members of parlia
ment and delegates from all parts of
the country.
Neither Williarii O'Brien nor Timo
thy M. Healey were present, but their
absence did not seem to affect the
cheerfulness of Mr. Redmond as he
congratulated the convention on the
death of the unionist anti-homerule
government, whieh he attributed to
the blows of the Irish representatives
in parliament. Continuing, Mr. Red
mond painted the -prospects of the Irish
in roseate hues and said the .realiza
tion of their hopes depended almost
entirely on themselves.
The lord mayor moved a homerule
resolution condemning the present sys
tem of governing Ireland, and con
cluding:
"We solemnly assent that no new
system of government in Ireland will
be accepted as satisfactory except a
legislative assembly freely elected and
representative of the people with
power to make laws for Ireland and an
executive government responsible to
that assembly, and this convention de
clares that the Irish national party can
not enter into an alliance with or five
permanent support to any English
party- or government which does not
make the question- of .granting such an
assembly aaft ^fe&WeHfo Ireland the
cardinal point OfLlts progra,M
The resolution Was. carried by accla
mation, i
KOREAN MAY COMMIT
SUICIDE IN NEW YORK
Journal Special Service.
Washington, Dec. 6.Officials of the
Korean government here are much con
cerned over the arrival in New York
on Thursday of Min Yuen Tehang, until
recently minister from Korea to France,
who will not know until he reaches New
York of the death of Prince Min Yueng
Whan, who committed suicide as a re
sult of the establishment by the Japan
ese government of a protectorate over
Korea against the will of the emperor,
Prince Min and all of the emperor's
advisers. The Korean custom is that
if a person's brother commits suicide
he also must do so. If Min follows this
custom there will be a tragedy in New
York following the arrival' of? the
Kaiser Wilhelm II on Thursday.
aMMMMi
~?&n&
SOL DIAMON IN
SAC O POPCOR N
Avenue Confectioner Grave
Someone a Real Prize Pack
age by Mistake,
A large, handsome diamond of the
first water for 5 cents.
This is the bargain secured last
night by somebody who purchased a
sack of popcorn at Clint Webster's
confectionery store, 34 Central avenue.
Mr. Webster had an unusually busy
evening, and just before the Tush began
he took his diamond ring from his lin
ger, and placing it in a sack, laid it
away on a shelf. paid no more at
tention to the jewel until closing time,
when he decided to put it on again and
go home.
Search where he would, he could find
no trace of the ring, and as the sack
was gone trom the shelf he knew it
would be useless to look further. No
one but he had been near the shelf and
he was convinced that in 6 moment of
forgetfulness ho had filled the sack
with popcorn and handed it to some
purchaser.
Unless the lucky customer swallowed
the diamond unknowingly, he probably
thinks he was the winner in some prize
package contest. Mr. Webster hag
taken a day off, calling on his ac
quaintances who purchased popcorn of
him last night.
Another Sparkler Gone.
Another Minneapolitan to lose a dia
mond yesterday by an odd mischance
was C. L. Cory, who rooms at 23 Wash
ington avenue S.
A clever young thief who sells news
papers as a"blind, entered Cory's room
while he was dressing yesterday after
noon and ran away with a diamond
ring valued at $50.
Mr. Cory was but partly clad, and
could not follow the thief.
The boy entered the room ostensibly
to sell a' paper. Mr. Cory refused to
buy and the newsboy, seeing the dia
mond on the dresser, snatched it and
ran downstairs. The owner followed
the boy to the hallway, but was com-'
pelled to stop there.
GUAR AGAINST
SHORTAG E O CARS
One of Three Bills Introduced at
Wisconsin Assembly Affects
Railroad Freights.
Madison, Wis., Dec. 6.Three bills
were introduced into the assembly to
day, one providing for the repeal of
the law establishing flatways in dams,
another*, for repealing the law provid
ing for a pocket ballot and coupon vot
ing system, and one to compel rail
roads to furnish cars when needed and
to make prompt connections, and also
to give livestock precedence in freight.
A bill for a new capitol building
came into the senate. I provides hat
the floor space mentioned in the old
bill shall apply to the interior of the
building alone.
The assembled committee on elec
tions will report bills tonight along the
lines of the governor's suggestion, pro
viding for a cumulative voting system
in primary elections and for the adop
tion of the Minnesota form of ballot,
doing away with the circle at the top
of party columns.
SHOPLIFTER IS CAUGHT.
Special to The Journal.
Madison, Wis Dec. 6.The first of the
holiday shoplifting cases here developed
today when Mrs. Anna Adler was fined
$10 and costs. When arrested she hadcott,
secreted beneath her cape a fur boa and
a boy's sweater. She attributes her
downfall to drink.
^v&Lff&t
How happy he'd be with either, & i^MtdM^^riilX^h
"Were t'other dear charmer away.
jtv.s^ wvevvwwtjtw tvvt't twit tew t-wwww* ,**!&* rr rrr TT CTTTTV
Miss Wilda Johnson of Havana,
Minnesota, Is Charged with
Serious Crime.
Accused of Poisoning Pump to
Kill Mrs. Gertrude, Lund
strom, a Schoolteacher.
Special to The Journal.
Owatonna, Minn., Dec. 6.Miss
Wilda Johnson was today indicted by
the grand jury on the charge of at
temptingto poison Mrs. Gertrude Lund
strom. The history of this case is un
usually interesting. Jealousy is sup
posed to have been the taotive for the
alleged crime.
Both young women were reared and
have lived nearly all their lives in the
township of Havana in this county.
Mrs. Lundstrom is an attractive young
widow, who since the death of her hus
band a few years ago in Wisconsin,
has been teaching the country school
near the home of her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. L. Johnson. Wilda Johnson is
a young woman of frail physique. Her
face is pallid and she shows every evi
dence of the strain under which she is
laboring.
Before the alleged attempted poison
ing, Wilda Johnson was receiving the
attentions of a prominent young man
living near her home. That she liked
the man there was no doubt and it was
not until he was seen in the company
of Mrs. Lundstrom that trouble crossed
her path. On one occasion he was
known to have taken Mrs. Lundstrom
to the theater in Owatonna. Later he
was frequently at the home of Mrs.the
Lundstrom and the Sunday before the
alleged attempted crime, the young
man accompanied Mrs. Lundstrom and
her parents homes from the country
church.
Paris Green in Well.
The following Tuesday night was
marked by a severe rainstorm and the
next morning at 5:30 o'clock, when
Mrs. Lundstrom was preparing the
morning meal, she went to the pump
to draw a pail of water. While en
gaged in this act, her attention was
called to the pronounced and unusual
greenish color of the water and realiz
ing that something was wrong she went
to the barn at once to summon her
father. When they returned there was
a heavy sediment oif greeno itna the bot-
tomCof
-theC
JaTland
to decide that the color was induced by S
Name Not Mentioned in Brown's
Talk with President on
Chinese Boycott.
By W. W. Jermane.
Washington, Dec. 6.An authorita
tive statement is made at the state de
1artmen that H. Brown, of Port
and, Ore., who saw the president yes
terday and discussed the Chinese boy
has not made any charges against
Jbhn Goodnqw, former consul general at
Shanghai, as being a promoter of or In
other ways connected with, the boycott
to the disadvantage of American in
terests.
A further statement is made that if
Brown had made such charges they
would not have been considered, as
Mr. Goodnow is not now connected
with the government in any way. I
this connection, it was said today, that
at the time the boycott was in full
swing, unofficial charges were made to
the state department that Mr. Good
now was one of those who conceived
it and that he was energetic ij^pushmg
it among the Chinese. I cannot be saia
that the department took cognizance of
these charges, but the story is that Mr.
Goodnow replied to them, denying that
he had anything to do with them, and
presenting documentary evidence of his
connection with certain American busi
ness houses, doing business in China,
and showing that if the boycott were
enforced it would mean the total loss
of business to himself. This statement
could not be verified, and, in fact,
officers of the department, who were
asked about it, declared they had not
heard it.
Department officials, with whom Mr.
Brown has talked, say that he is urging
reforms in the consular service in
China, particularly with reference to
consular courts and the imposition of
certain fees.
Take in }4a Chinese Boycott under fol
lowing D.
DEPEW QUITS A JOB,
MITCHELL ANOTHER
Washington, Dec. 6."Vice President
Fairbanks today received a telegram
from Senator Mitchell of Oregon, re
signing the chairmanship of the senate
committee on interoceanic canals.
Senator Chauncey M. Depew of New
York has tendered his resignation as a
director of the Equitable Life Assur
ance society. I will be presented to
the board of directors at its next meet
ing. i
ROOSEYELT APPOINTS
vBULLOCK MARSHAL
Journal Special Service.
Washington, Dee. 6.Among the
pointments sent to the senate by the
president yesterday was that of Cap
tain Seth Bullock, sheriff of Deadwood,
to be marshal of South Dakota,
Bullock led the cowboys in the in
augural parade and is a picturesque
character. was bitterly opposed by
part of the South Dakota delegation.
The president also appointed his
bodyguard, Rrank Tyre of the secret
service, mashal for West Virginia/
Appointments of rural carriers commenclns
Dec. 15: MinnesotaWarren, John S. Mc
Arthur, route Mo. 1 Hawler, Hans H. Astans
carrt. rmitp Vo s,
fAI$ TONIGHT AND THUBSDAY WARMER THURSDAY.
RUSSIANS ARE ARMING
DAY OF FATE IS NEA
8
GIR INDICTE
AS A POISONE
iOVER THE FIELD
in Minneapolis by using
The Journal. Most adver-
tisexs do.
20 PAGESFIVE O'CLOCK.
SUPREM E CRISISti
CLOS E AT HAND
Forces of Order and
About to Struggle for Con
trol or Chaos.
WITTE STRIVING TO
HOLD PEOPLE BAG
People Secretly Arm as for Gigan
tic Conflict in Czar's
Capital.
Washington, Dee. 6.State depart
ment advices just received are to the
effect that St. Petersburg was quiet yes
terday, but that the people were secret
ly arming themselves. All mail an
telegraph service out of the city has
been stopped, but the trains between
Berlin and St. Petersburg continue to
run. Some mail matter is being car
ried out of St. Petersburg on torpedo
boats.
Odessa Still Quiet.
London, Dec. 6.Altho public tele
graphic communication between London
and Odtessa has entirely stopped, the
foreign operators are still at their keys
in^ the Odessa office and inform their
friends in London daily that they are
perfectly safe and that BO far no dis
turbances have occurred. This morn
ing a report said the conditions were
unchanged and made no mention of the
alleged massacre reported by some of
the Jfienna correspondents.
The foreign office has not heard from
British embassy at St. Petersburg
since. Nov. 30. The last communication
relative to British subjects in Russia
said that most of those still in that
country were business men who pro
posed to remain there.
CRISIS DRAWING NEAB
Struggle Between Forces of Anarchy
and Order Is at Hand. -r
SFntie long th'e S^JJ^f^
a liberal amount of paris green. An earn,
examination the pump revealed a
Continued on 2d Page, 2d Column.
N O CHARG E HAD E
AGAINST G00DN0W
ea
apthan
4
Journal Special Service.
London, Dec. 6.The St. Petersburg
correspondent of the Daily Telegraph
wires under date of Sunday by way of
Eydtkuhnen, Prussia:
"The decisive struggle between the
forces. of anarchy an a the elements of
order is drawing near. On the one
hanyd:rt,ear revolutionists,S lacking' funds,
hU
affluent men by threat
"On the other hand, the soldiers, im
Cossacks and rabble are anxious to
punish the enemies of God. and th czar,
and with difficulty are restrained for a
moment. Bankruptcy looming on the
horizon may precipitate events which
no minister, no cabinet, can any longer
control. SHJ
The Fateful Question.
"The fateful question with which
Eussia is now confronted is whether
the nation will await the election of
the legislative assembly or help anar
chy to victory. The cabinet was formed
for the purpose of putting the power
in the hands of the national assembly,
and if it cannot accomplish this, will
resign.
"The aim of the revolutionists is to
compel the cabinet to create a series
of accomplished facts modifying the
manifesto of Oct. 80, which the douma
shall then"be unable to alter. Thus they
demand a set of temporary measures
snch as equal rights for all citizens,
which if granted would by their very
nature be not temporary, tut definitive
and immutable. If the Jewish disabil
ities are thus removed by a new minis
terial act, anti-Jewish riots accompanied
by awful massacres would inevitably
follow, because the people would resent
any usurpation by ministers of the
power belonging only to nation and
czar. Hen'ce the government is extreme
ly desirous of bringing the douma to
gether and great haste is how being
made to frame an electoral law.
Appeal for Strike.
"Cleverly worded leaflets are being
distributed broadcast among the troops
urging them not to rise against the czar
but to strike for better material con
ditions, more abundant food, higher pay
and less work.
"Personally, I am disposed to believe*
the present deadlock will terminate in
violence, but without very serious loss"
of life.
"Hungry strikers may attempt to
5
loot shops, which will be protected by* -m
Cossacks and guardsmen who, feeling
no love for the black-coated agitators,*,
may repeat the terrible scenes of three
years ago. If revolvers be fired or*
bombs thrown against the troops .the^
bitterness will become intense.
"It is improbable that the teleg
raphers' strike will last longer thanr
Tuesday without provoking bloodshed.
Dictatorship as Check.
In another message of the same date
the same correspondent says:
"The masses and classes of Russia
are being driven and drawn into an
archy, which can be checked only by
a military dictatorship. Nihilism, pure
and simple, not any practical political
program, is the goal aimed at by an
insignificant minority, to whom the
rule not merely of the autocracy, aris-'-J
tocracy and the middle classes, out of
the entire nation, seems the one thing*
necessary.
I am informed that the German so
cialists sought to dissuade their Rus
sian colleagues from a purely nihilistiei^
line of action, but the latter, who are^
more in need of cash than advice, scorn
fully refused to be advised. The in-w*
telhgent classes, nerveless, gritless, arel?*
continuously hypnotized by the revo-r^l
lutionists, who are resolved to pull
down the whole social and political
fabric, altho not knowing what to put
in its place."
Witte Ministry Doomed.
The correspondent of the Times at
St. Petersburg, under date of Dec. 4*
says:
I well-informed circles it is believed
the strike will prove fatal to the
ministry of Count Witte. I hear that
M. Guchkoff or Professor Migoulin.
the latter an avowed opponent of the
premieris likely to take over the gov
ernment, with a program including the
distribution of the state domain among
the peasants and old-age pensions for
workmen. Reports are current that ft
is the intention of the government to
mortgage the brandy monopoly to Ger
man Danks.
St. Petersburg, Tuesday, Dec. 5, "via
Eydtkuhnen, East Prussia, Dec 6.A
Continued og 2d PF Tmt Column.
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