Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-28
IST. PETERSBURG ISOLATED
Last Railway Link Connecting City with
o. side World ia Broken.
GENERAL STRIKE PROCLAIMED IN RUSSIA
Police Make No. Attempt 10 Interfere
with Great Mass Meeting at Uni-
versity-strikcrs Are
Confident.

night, when the Finland railroad suspended
| service between st. Petersburg and the
: Finnish border. Telegraphic communica-
/ tion is still open, but there is a possibility
/ that the cable operators may be compelled
( to join the general strike of telegraphers
today. Up TO the present there IS total
absence of disorder.
That the present situation cannot end
! without bloodshed is the conviction prevail
ing in the higher government circles, which
/ from moment to moment are expecting a
conflict between the troops and revolu-
/ tiOnists in st. Petersburg, and news Of
/ trouble in the provinces, especially at
Kharkoff, which has been declared in a
state OF war. The governor Of Flieff has
been instructed to take oil necessary mea-
sures to restore order which the local gov
ernment and the commander OF troops are
unable to maintain.
BIoOdshed is Probable.
! One Of the most prominent members Of
the emperors coLlcn received the Asso-
ciated Press today and said, with every
evidence of deep emotion
The situation is a grievous and a painful
one, and | see no way out of II except by
the employment of armed force. Please do
not misunderstand me, / look upon the
prospect with tears, but it is becoming
more and more evident that the troops will
be compelled to fire. 1 can see no other
possible outcome. The revolutionists and
terTitOrists are absolutely bent on forcing
will satisfy them. The extension of the
Suffrage and the right Of assembly will be
have bloodshed and we cannot avoid the
issue. 1t is a frightful disease from which
Russia is suffering, and sad and painful
force. WIZ"
The minister said that the law creating a
responsible cabinet will probably be promul-
gated and Count Wittc's nomination rs pre-
mier announced tomorrow Under the
statute the premier may or may not hold a
special portfolio Count witte spent all
most the entire day with the emperor at
Peterhof, and he has not confided to his
! colleagues whether he intends to take the
ministry of the interior or the ministry of
finance, or no portfolio at all
The whole of the min ,erial body is aIso
in ignorance as to whether they will retain
their places under the new leader
Right of Assembly Conceded.
! Realizing that any attempt 10 intarfere
with the monster meeting at the university
would inevitably lead to a bloody outbreak
General Trepof. who announced during the
afternoon that he intended to prevent the
assembly. instructed the police. IN close
/ their eyes to the fact and the rneeti,s
which was attended by between $1,000 ana
10000 persons, passed off without a. con7ict
The troops stationed around the building
We're withdrawn. but in the court. the CITY
noprse and other nearby buildings half
oosen companies OF Cossacks and strong
lorces OF infantry and dragons were in
! readiness to sally forth If necessary. Rir
meetings were held in the TecbnoIoeIcaI
and Art institutes and in two enrineeri,.,
schools The students at nona 90 +ha-s
meetings took a prominent part in tbs dn-
iperauons, yielding the hospitality OF the
! cohege buildings without attemptine IN
cloak the meetings with the guise NJ SIN,
dent assemblies. With the hope OF avotd
ing further meetings at the university CEN
eral Trepon later placed halls in three dIf-
! ferent parts Of the city at the disnos,tio,
or the people for. meetings, thereby nrao.
ucally conceding the demands OF the pita-
tors or the right of assembly.
Great Meeting in University.
Inc scene inside the university berears
description. In the great open court yvitb
no light except few nickering candles an
d nasthy constructed tribune. from 1900 10
o'VW "orknen' students and professional
men stood wedged together in the cold ana
wet snowfall, listening to revolutionar,,
harangues. Another great meeting vas
held IN the central hall OF the university
ana scores OF smaller meetings of the
separate trades and professions were beId
In the other rooms of The building. Haus
were set aside for teachers. nbvsicians
bank clerks, chinovinks. pharn,acIs.s
women, engineers, lawyers. taiIors .nd
persons OF other callings and trades. and
room was even set aside for noncommis-
stoned officers of the army. but onIv a
hah dozen Of these were present
General strike Proclaimed.
In all the sections a strong minority
urged conservatism, but these were carrisj7
from their feet by the general enthusiasm
ana resolutions for a general strike In
every branch OF social democracy were
adopted with hurrah. Even the chine
vinks in the government service, whose
meeting was largely attended vgsre
possessed OF the same spirit and nassed
resolutions to stop all work in the govern
ment departments tomorrow. This probablv
will include the government telegram
agents and may put the telegraph and cahls
service out Of commission.
Another resolution which was renera,Iv
adopted notified the authorities that the
assize court building in Litania street must
be opened for a universal meeting of all
classes at noon tomorrow, at which meas
ures will be adopted against any person not
adhering 10 the general strike.
StFAkerH COnudent of Success
A remarkable feature OF all the sneecbss
was the spirit Of complete confidence thar
the success OF the movement was at hand
and the manifest intention, as the minister
quoted in the first part Of this dispatcb
said, to form an armed conflict upon the
government The meetings continued far
into the night.
In the city in spite Of the absence Of
disorders there is a condition of actual
panic. Half OF the population is compelled
TO rely on candles or kerosene lamps for
light, while the street lamps in large mart
OF the city have been extinguished.
The streets practically are deserted AK
cept for the squads Of infantry and cavalry
on guard at principal points
The shops began 70 close in the altar
noon even in the Morskaia, Nevslxv and
other central streets. Many of the in
habitants shut themselves in their houses
scarcely venturing out to make necessary
purchases Of food, which has mounted TO
famine prices.
Alarmed in south Russin.
The most alarming reports are circulating
about affairs in the south Of Russia.
Private reports received here are said To
confirm the stories Of the mutiny on board
the. battleship Catherine II and the de-
struction by incendiaries Of the battlesbin
Patelemino, formerly the Kniax Poternlrfns