Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-03-02
.PEASANTRY IN
AN UGLY MOOD
BEGINNINGS OF VERY DANGER
Gus MOVEMENT OBSERVED
IN RUSSIA.
AGITAT0RS STIR THEN UP
CIRCULATE ABSURD STORIES
ABOUT NEW ALLOTMENT
OF LANDS.
JAPs FORCE RUSSIANS OUT
OF AN IMPORTANT
NATURE ARE ON AT THE
SEAT OF WAR.

st. Petersburg, Feb 26-The begin
nings of q very dangerous movement
have been observed among the peas
antry of some of the Southern prov
inces, where revolutionary agitators
are circulating reports that the en-
peror will on March 4, issue o mani
festo providing for general division
of lands A new allotment has been
the dream of the moujiks ever since
emancipation, and, according to prl-
vate reports, these stories have
spread like wildfre and are implicitly
believed. In the government of Tula
a large proprietor went to his estate
last week and found the peasants at
work measuring off and stalking their
shares. In response to his demands
for an explanation they told him of
the coming manifesto. Refusing to
listen to his declaration that
The Report Was Absurd,
they would only say: "We have heard
the little father has decided When
the proprietor asked what would be-
come of him, they replied, ooh, we
will leave you the buildings and forty
acres"
Once the peasantry become pos
sessed of the idea that the emperor
has willed division of land it will be
exceedingly difficult to disabuse their
minds and agrarian troubles on
large scale are feared The moujiks,
are likely to turn upon the proprietors
as they did several years ago in the
provinces of Saratoff and Pooltava,
when almost complete anarchy
reigned for some time.
Among the reservists agitators are
spreading the story that the war is
over. A case is cited which occurred
a fortnight ago at Riazan, where 200
reservists who had been called in
fatty told the officer they did not in
tend to serve.
s'The war is over" said the leader.
1--WE know you simply want to make
money out of contract for feeding us.
We Will Not Serve"
and off they marched. An instance is
also given of reservists who actually
left a railway train after they had
started for the front.
Private reports also leave no room
for doubt that the strikes in the whole
region below Moscow are, almost en-
tirely political in character. The sit
uation generally in the South of Rus
STA Is becoming worse instead of bet
ter. and contains many factors which
are causing the authorities the great
est alarm. The possibility of the ne
cessity for the dispatch of additional
troops to the Caucasus is already be-
ing considered.
Another factor that is causing grave
concern is the actual, difficulty of
transporting enough commissary sup
plies for feeding the army at the front.
Those constantly increasing difficult
ties are strengthening the peace
party.
Russians Driven Out.
A dispatch from Sachetsen, dated
Feb. %, says:
"The Japanese in superior numbers
forced the Russian detachment at
Tsinkhetchen to abandon their base at
Bersnef Hill. The battle has been
desperate on both sides. The result is
not ye known"
Oflcial dispatches given out yester-
day dispose Of the rumor of Gen. Ku-
ropatkin's retirement from the
Shakhe river, but, taken in connection
with the Associated Press Tsinkhetch-
en- dispatch, show that operations OF
an important nature are in progress
In the mountain region to the east
ward.
Says 800 Died In Riots.
New York. Feb. 26. After the riots
ut Baku 900 corpses were counted in
the streets, according to Times dis
patch from Paris. The dead are said
to have been largely Armenians.