The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-27

st. Petersburg, January 23.-The most
startling feature in the situation to-
night is the new that several factories
in Moscow have closed and thai the
workmen in the old capital OF Russia
are repeating the ways of their fellow
men of the new capital, marching from
!. shop to shop and mill to mill, demand
ing that the establishments be shut
down. The whole city is reported to be
in a state of great excitement over
the news of the bloodshed here yesteT-
day, which precipitated Immediately
the strike that a been planned for
Wednesday. .
HEART OF THE LIBERAL MOVE
MENT.
Moscow has more workmen and less
troops than st. Petersburg, and be-
sides is just now the heart of the liberal
movement, and the danger Of bloodier
occurrences there than ave been wit
messed here, are prOportionately greater.
A rising at Moscow is also likely to
have greater publicity than in ST. Pc
~tersburg. According to private advices
WOrkmen in several other big cities, no.
tabIy Khardoff, where large locomotive
works are located, already nave COM
pleted plans for a general suspension
of work. Moreover, reports are current
that the Workmen, who otherwise would
soon be forced back into the shops or
starVe, have assurance of support from
the sources which have furnished the
sinews of war to the liberal party but
have not before been in touch with the
labor movement.
NAY FORCE PEACE WITH JAPAN.
If the strikes become general all
over Russia, and especially if the rail-
roads are drawn in, it might immedi-
ately force Russia to make peace with
Japan. The situation appears grave
from every standpoint, but the authorl-
ties, although apparently be-
wildered, declare their purpose to stand
firm, maintaining that it is their first
duty to preserve order, scouting the idea
of actual evolution. Seemingly the
ministers are most concerned over the
effect of the present situation abroad,
where, they declare, exaggerated re-
ports create a false impression.
What if any steps have beer taken
to meet the general situation however,
have not yet been disclosed, but there
are extremely significant evidences that
Emperor Nicholas, in making the de-
cision at the extraordinary meeting OF
the counsel of the empire at Tsarskoe
Selo today to declare ST. Petersburg IN
a state of siege, announced that he had
resolved to issue a manifesto to the
people with a view to calming them.
promising to create a mixed commission
of workmen and to investigate n de-
eide the questions of the strikers.
The representatives of the workmen,
according to this report, are not to be
appointed, but selected by the laboring
men themselves. This would be the
first concession to the representative
principle.
According to reports the emperor will
also promise to investigate yesterdays
ent at st. Petersburg.
Today saw no repetition of yester-
days deplorable events. The military
everywhere had a firm grip on the situ-
alton and the police used every pre-
caution such as forbidding the sale Of
petroleum and advising people to re-
main indoors.
HALF THE CITY IN UTTER DARK
NESS.
The tension which was somewhat re-
laxed in the morning continued to de-
crease during the day. Conditions ap-
peared to be ominous when shortly after
dsr<. the workmen in two electric lights
walked out, refusing triple IA
l~remain. and plunged half he city
into utter darkness, including the New
sky Prospect, which is in the fashion
able residence quarter. The water sup
ply also was cut off and a veritable
panic ensued Tales that dynamite
was in the possession of strikers and
that it was their purpose to sack n
burn the town had been in circulation
and many people were terror-stricken.