The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-02-15
PROMISES AID TO WORKNEN
Gar ProcIaims Plan For Shorter
Work Day and Other Reforms.
DESIRESALL TO RETURN T0WORK

~ 20 sN
Good Of the Country az to Themselves
- Proclamation Issued by Personal
Order Of the Emperor-Thrsat of De.
portation Made by General TrepoH.
st. Petersburg, Russia.-Governor.
General Trepoff and Minister of Fl.
nance Kokovsof issued a proclamation
which reveals the Governments plap
for breaking the strike. not only here
but throughout Russia.
The proclamation is conceived in g
paternal tone, and points out that hon
est workmen, who want to better theiI
condition, should have brought theiI
demands to the Government instead OF
being misled by agitators into afiliat'
ing with u movement which is not
confined to economic aspirations.
1t invites them to return to work,
promising them in the Emperor's name
a revision Of the general law so as tt
restrict the hours of labor, the institu
ton of a plan for State insurance, and
otherwise to meet their demands sc
far as the law will permit. and guar.
antees them protection against inter
ference by agitators. It says:
"Workmen should assist the Govern.
ment in it's tranquilizing task on behalf
Of the betterments of their conditions.
This can be accomplished in a single
manner-namely, by holding them
selves aloof from fomenters Of disturb.
ance, who are alien to the workmen's
true interest and to the country's wei
fare.
LET them return to their ordinary
labor, which is as needful for the coun
try as for themselves, for without it,
they, their wives, and children must
suffer distress; and, returning to work
let he people be assured that their
needs are as near the Emperor's heart
as those OF all his Majesty's true sub
iects; that only recently, of his OWL
free will, the Emperor commanded that
the question Of workmen'S insurance
be taken up with the object Of secur'
ing them against diSablement or sick
ness, and that this Measure does not
exhaust his Majesty's anxiety for the
w%eII-being Of the working classes, for
at the same time the Emperor sent an
order %instructing the Minister Of FL
nance to draft q law, shortening the
hours of labor and for the elaboration
of such measures as will legaliZe work
mems discussions of their needs"
The proclamation which, it is an
nounccd, was issued by the Emperor's
order, in its preamble %recounts the orr.
gin of the recent events, and declares
that evil-disposed persons used the
worknen as their tools, leading them
astray by false and impossible prom
Uses. It says:
THE result of this criminal agitation
has been breaches Of the peace, involV-
ing the inevitable Intervention of armed
forces. These eviT-wishers have not
been restrained even by the difficulties
in which the fatherland is involved in q
time Of trying war. while the workmen,
their blind tools, have disregarded the
fact that demands were being made IN
their name which had nothing in COM
mon with their needs, besides forget
ting that the Government always has
shown and ever shows itself consider
ate of their needs, and is now ready to-
listen attentively to their just desires
and satisfy them wherever possible"
This document will be followed either
by an imperial manifesto along the
same lines, in the hope Of preventing
the spread Of the strike, or by specific
proclamations by the local authorities
wherever strikes are in progress. By
promising to yield the question Of the
hours Of labor, which are now legally
eleven in Russia, the authorities be-
lieve they will meet the main grieV-
snce Of the Workmen.