The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-21
THE sTRIKE SPREADING.
Ministerial Crisis May Be the Out
 come of the Trouble.

come of the Trouble.
 Madrid, Feb. 21.-In the Chamber of Deputies yesterday the Minister of the Interior, Senor Gonzales. replying to an interpolation on the Barcelona riots, ac- cepted full responsibility therefor, but asked for the adjournment of the dis- cussion.
 Romero Robledo said the government did not have enough guns and rifles to suppress . souiai revolution If one broke out everywhere. Senor Robledo de- news from Barcelona.
 In the Senate yesterday General Wey- Ter, the Minister of War. said while the situation at Barcelona had not yet im- proved, it had not grown worse. He said the street car service there was partially in operation and that the bakeries and groceries were open in spite of the strike. There had been no disturbance at Sara gossa and Rets. At Castellon de Plana, the War Minister said, the gendarmes had dispersed groups of strikers and that if 1t became necessary he would call out the first reserves.
 The papers this morning report many persons killed and wounded during Thurs days conflicts at Barcelona.
 The Heraldo says that the captain general of Catalonia has asked for more troops as the rioters are getting out of hand.
 According to telegrams received here late last night from Barcelona the street fighting there continues. The heavy rain which fell during the day helped to dis perse the rioters, and the authorities are taking severe measures.
 A proclamation has been issued order ing all private individuals to surrender any weapons they may possess, under pain of severe penalties. The sale Of arms has also been prohibited.
 Forty workmen's associations have been dissolved and the members of their com mittees arrested. The dwellings of the strike leaders and of anarchists are being registered and put under guard.
 The battleship Pelayo has been ordered to Barcelona
 The military engineers have assumed control of the stret car service ana a few cars. half filled with soldiers. are running. Even the funeral coaches have to be protected by police. No letters have been delivered in Barcelona in three days and in some distant parts of the town business is completely paralyzed.
 A pitched battle occurred in the out skirts of the city between the strikers and the military escort attached to sev- eral wagons that were bringing in pro- visions. The contents of the wagons were dragged out and barricades were built across the road The rails have been torn up to prevent trains from entering the city.
 The strike movement has begun 10 spread seriously. At Castellon de la Plana, taking advantage or the night ana of the absence of the police, the strikers set fire to two factories with the aid or
 burned. At a womans meeting. held at Castellon de la Plana, a general strike was voted.
 A strike commenced at Valencia but owing to the refusal of the dock laborers to participate, 1t did not become general. Martial law, 1t Is learned late tonight, has been proclaimed at Manresa (about thirty miles northwest of Barcelona) and at Saragossa. At the latter place the troops have occupied a strategic position in order to check the disturbances.
 Official telegrams received here de- scribe a slight improvement in the situa- tion at Barcelona and of1cials last night seemed more hopeful
 Owing to the strict censorship over news from Barcelona, it is d fficult to ascer- tain the real state of affairs there. It is quite certain, however, that all the ef- forts of the authorities to persuade the labor leaders into a conciliatory attitude. have so far failed. and the extension Of the strike movement is more likely than its restriction.
 In addition to the labor movement, the ever-present Catalonian home rule agl- tation Is likely to prove serious 1actor in the situation. One hopeful sign IS the fact that almost alone among the hliis- ters and the governing authorities Heh- eral Weyler Is in sympathy with the Ca'a lonian demands, and Is inclined to study their grievances. He has held military commands in Catalonia, speaks the cat alan language and thoroughly under stands that situation.
 The Government declines to publish fg- ures of the casualties in the riots or Tuesday and Wednesday. It IS inferred from private. information reeelVco here