The Topeka state journal., 1905-11-17
Pretext Of Economic Demands
Abandoned by WOrkmen.
Russian Proletariat Boldly Pro-
claim a Revolution.
SCORN AND lRIDICULE
MingIe in the Reply to Count
Whites Address.
Outlook for Collapse of Strike
Decidedly Gloomy.

st. Petersburg, Nov. 17.-2 p. NJ
The outlook for an early collapse Of
the strike is more gloomy today The
situation is distinctly more menacing.
The council of workmen's delegates,
or strike committee. are manifestly
encouraged by the extension of the
strike in st. Petersburg, various or
ganizations including the bank clerks,
telephone girls and some of the pro-
fessfonaI leagues having voted to join
in the movement. Moreover. it is GER
tain that the workmen's council have
received mysterious supplies of funds
and consequently they present bold
er front Practically all the pretexts
based on economic demands have
been abandoned although the elght
hour day figures in the oratory at
meetings in order to hold the work
men who have no thought except i'm
provement in their material condition
The Workmen'S council returned
scornful reply to Count Witte's per
soual appeal to his "brOther work
profession of solicitude for the work
men and renewing their demands for
the immediate abolition Of martial law
in Poland, etc.
Count Witte's attempt to negotiate
directly with the strike leaders has
come to naught although he offered
concessions in the case of the Cron-
stadt mutineers in the event of their
being condemned to death. But the
leaders refused all COMPROMISE All
or nothing" was their response.
The imperial ukase on the imperial
land question issued today, although 1t
wipes out about $4,000. GOO OF the
peasants arrearageS OF debt Which
under ordinary circumstances might
have been received with joy, is an
other disappointment. The promises
of additional lands are too vague to
calm the agitated, starving peasants
who in the valleys of the Don and
Wolga are again marching, pillag1ng
and numbering.
No confirmation has been obtained
of yesterdays report Of false eTn-
peFor leading the peasants of Penza.
The mill and factory owners at
meeting just held while offering TO
make some concessions in the matter
OF hours of labor, generally to ten
hours took a final decision that unless
the men resumed work Monday they
must close down Indefinitely. Should
the men be locked out in the face OF
winter it would only make the situa-
tion more desperate.
The news from the provinces snow
that practically no movement has
been started there in support of the
general strike, but there is a deep
suspicion that this simply may be the
Hull of preparation.
The social democrats and reVOlu-
tionists are keeping their plans dark.
Their organizations have ramldcations
through out the country and at
signal they might again be able to
bring the industries OF the country to
a standstiI-
Bourse Is steadier.
st. Petersburg, Nov. 1.-THE tone
on the bourse today was steadter and
improved owing to the belief that
tn here are dissensiOus among the strik-
ia faf saF q r41a fr
extend through the provinces indicates
that it must soon end. Lotteries inn
proved to 40 and imperial As closed
at 83%.
Eigbty-four Towns ARected.
New York, Nov 17.-Jacob c.
Schiff OF this city today received the
following cablegram from Lord Roths-
child in London:
Russian catastrophe, according to
details from Russia of today far
greater than expected; outrages, muir
der and wholesale robbery and incen-
diarism in 81 towns, so relief fund has
huge task to grapple with"
Troops to Operate Railroads.
St Petersburg, Nov 17.-4:55 p. m.
Troops have taken possession of the
Moscow railroad station and the road
viii be reopened by means of railroad
battalions- The resumption of traffic
on this road insures supplies for the
capital
ETOIOuuQ depression over the Sltua-
tion exists in the liberal camp. Many
of the strikers believe they made a
fatal blunder in rejecting Count
Witteis request for their cooperation
with the government in working out
the reforms, as they thereby practical
~ surrendered the leadership of the
nti-government movement to the
radicals with whom the liberals have
as little sympathy as they had with
the old regime. The result is that the
radicals intoxicated by their taste of
power are trying to drive the country
into anarchy. Public sympathy is
rapidly alternating itself from them and
rather than the present state of de-
moralization, a large portion of the
better classes would almost prefer re-
pressions.