The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-02-24
RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY
JOINS the STRIKE
Remarkable Convocation Held
by Students and Profess
sors OF ST. Petersburg.
TAKE NO MORE PROMISES
Fiery Orators Declare Nothing Les.
Than Liberty Will Suffice and
Tell Hearers They Stand on
Revolutions Brink.

ST. Petersburg, Feb. 2a-lhe spirit
of revolution had complete possession
of the great meeting of professors. stu
dents and directors of the ST. Peters
burg university, which assembled to-
in the general strike inaugurated by
similar Institutions in Russia, and
which decided TO close the university
tin fall.
In anticipation of possible trouble
when the meeting broke up. %squadrons
OF Cossacks again paraded the streets.
1t was the first joint meeting OF stu
dents and professors ever authorized,
but in view OF the gravity of the situa-
tion 1t was hoped the presence of the
professors, most OF whom are in CON-
plete sympathy with the liberal move
ment, would exercise a restraining In
ffuenCe.
A Remarkable Gathering.
The meeting was held in the audi
forum of the university, which was
packed to suffocation with arnes
and window emhrassures were banked
with students. who held others on
their shoulders.
1t was a strange gathering. Most OF
the We're poorly clad and all
were In a state of intense excitement.
From the outset the student orators
set the Imagination OF their auditors
,atiame with the spirit of liberty, UNI
sparingly ~denouncing the course of the
government, and declaring that prom
Uses could no longer avail, and that the
only satisfaction would be freedom of
speech, OF conscience and of the press,
and the convocation of a national as
sembly. The majority coupled this with
a demand for ending the war. Again
and again was Russia declared to be on
the v of revolution.
Duty Was to Leave Books.
With burning words one of the stu
dents described the AFFAIR of January
%. which he said had at last solidified
the interests of the liberals and those
of the w~orkingmen. Amid a storm of
cheers he that continuation
of study was impossible while such n
struggle "a in progress. and said it
was the duty of the young men there
assembled. and of others like them. to
return to their homes in the provinces
and spread the agitation.
Some OF the professors tried to s.ey2
the tide With moderate %counsels. ad-
NisinS the students to go back to their
studies; but their advice was howled
doan.
When Professor Spearanz revealed
Che f>ct that Governor General Trepoff
had threatened not to permit any stu
dent who now left his studies to re-en-
ter any of the big universities. the
statement was received with a verit-
able howl of rage.
Still Fiercer Oratory.
But the speeches in the auditorium,
now ,,,t1I n,I tar,ro-ot@
with those delivered at the overflow
meetings in the classroon1s, where even
the murder of Sergius was glorified.
The attempt of a few rcactionary stu
dents to hold an opposition meeting
ended in a dismal failure. Less than
fifty students responded to the call.
A few foreign newspaper correspond
ents who We're admitted to the u.;.
versity We're amazed at the %incendiary
character Of the meeting and the abso-
lutte freedom with which the students,
knowing the auditorium was filled with
government spies. boldly made them
selves liable to the charge of treason.
Sang the Marseillaise.
Shortly after 3 O'Clock a recess was
taken and the whole student body be-
gan singing the Russian "Marseilaise.'
Of your country" A wild scene fol-
lowed. The students unfurled a red
flag on which was written, Hail to the
constituent assembly,"
With his flag the students began pa
rading the auditorium and the adioin-
ing corridors. A portrait of Emperor
Nicholas was also taken down from the
wall and carried in the procession. The
portrait was torn in a slight skirmish,
but this called forth a protest from the
vast majority OF those students pres
'ent, who We're careful to avoid even
the appearance of disrespect to the en-
,peror. Many proclamations We're dis.
tributed.
Voted for = Strike.
When the meeting r%econvened il was
decided to divide on the questions OF
joining the general strike and to vote
first on the resolutions explaining the
motives of the action of the student
and afterwards to vote on the question
OF a strike.
AT the conclusion Of the meeting. af.
ter the adoption of strong resolutions
the student body by an almost unani-
nous vote decided to suspend all uni
iversity work until September. Tn.
meeting dispersed without incident.
After the meeting broke up a bant
of the more violent students tore w
the ernperor's portrait and stripped tn.
demolished frame and carried off bit!
of the canvas and gliding as souvenirs
Commission of Inquiry.
st. Petersburg, Feb. 20.-Senato,
S%hidlovski. president of the commits
sion appointed by the emperor to as
certain the causes of discomfort among
the working classes of st. Petersburg
in a note issued today. invites the EN-
ployers and workmen to elect repre-
sentatives to sit on the commission
and guarantees the personal safety o