The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-24
Long Expected Struggle in Full
Swing in Russia.
1t Means Freedom or Slavery to
the Cars People.
FIRES OF REBELLION
Are KindIed From End to End
of the Country.
AutOcratfC Power Already Multi
fed in Many Places.

st. Petersburg, Dec. 23.-The great
struggle for life Is on in Russia, ac-
companied by all the horror that such
a conflict can arouse.
The conflict between autocracy and
the people is essentially one of life
and death. It must decide whether
the present dynasty shall live, or
whether the masses will gain the right
to live and not merely exist.
From one end of the country to the
other, the revolutionists have kindled
the fires of rebellion. In the Baltic
provinces on the north, the people are
thoroughly aroused and already have
succeeded so well that the authority
of the car has been practically multi
fed. In the southern provinces the
peasants have Joined with the revolu-
tionists of the cities in the anti-govern-
ment propaganda. Land owners have
been their victims and SO thorough
has been the devastating work OF the
peasants that few estates remain I'M
damaged while the former owners
are fugitives.
In the east, the Khakon region, the
peasants for weeks have been engaged
i'm a similar warfare against the no
bilitv. and the autocracy, everything
which stands for governmental author
ity in their sight. They too have sue
ceeded in thoroughly terrorizing the
land owners and in devastating the
country, despite the efforts of General
Maxim ovitch with his cOSsacks, who
have INDUCED in all sorts of brutalities
in a hopeless attempt to subdue the
peasantry.
Martial Law in Poland.
To the west, in Poland, it has been
necessary to declare martial law in the
hope of keeping the insurrectlonary
forces in check
This does not take into consideration
the new general strike which has been
inaugurated by the revolutonists, and
which the leaders OF the movement de-
clare Is certain to end in the overthrow
of the government and incidentally the
dynasty It is this strike which the
government has feared The W0rlzmen
demonstrated their great power during
the last strike, when by tieing up all
industry they wrung from the car his
manifesto Of October 80. The present
strike is to bring about a new govern
ment in the opinion Of the strikers. The
revOlutionists do not expect this victory
without paying heavily for It. They are
prepared for blOOdshed and for the ex-
ercise of all kinds of repressive meas
ures by the government. But they do
not finch from the dangers they face
The counsel of WOrknen in St Peters,
burg openly voted for armed insurrec-
ton and the laboring organizations else
where have sustained them in this
stand.
A civil war has actually begun. Mos
COW to which all Russians look for the
real leader of any movement affecting
the country because it is the ancient
capital of the country, is even at the
present moment the scene of bloody
conflicts between armed revOlutiOnists
and the troops which remain loyal
In many of the principal streets bar
rlcades have been erected and they are
bravely defended by the insurrection-
lists. Behind their improvised shelters
they have faced the troops even in the
fire of the machine guns and while they
have suffered heavily thew swear to re-
pay the debt with interest
COssaczs Heavy Losers.
Nor has the bloOdshed been confined
TO the revolutionists. The soldiers. too,
nave suffered. The COssacks have lost
many men. In every attack on a bar
ricade the soldiers have suffered al
most as heavily as the defenders of the
stTOnghOlds
The revolutiOnfsts have resorted to
other tactics, too, in their fight to make
their purpose felt Dispatches which
are given full credence announce that
they have resOrted to that most dread
ed weapon, the bomb. The prefecture
at Moscow, according to late advices
received yesterday afternoon has been
destroyed by bombs. The project es-
capped death by being absent at the
hfemHn- The soldiers retaliated for
this outrage and conflict occurred
at the adjacent barracks in which the
fighting
The strikers at Moscow are said to
number 100000 men. The marked
indifference being shown by the trooDs
ior the lives of the revolutionists who
nave been shot down bV scores has
aroused all the working men to the
point where they are wild for an on
poftunlty for reprisal. When the turn
comes, as the revOlutionists predict 1T
Will 1t is probable that a terrible re
Fenge vii be taken.
The example of the Moscow work
men i'm striking and the attitude of
tne reVOluuOnists who have shown
themselves willing to risk their lives
I0f Inc cause they believe holy, is GER
tam to have a great effect in other
cities throughout the empire. Wbeo
me news of the stirring events Of the
last TWO days becomes known over the
country the cause Of the revolution
Venge will be taken.
Tie-Up Only Partial
In St Petersburg the strike has not
proved as successful as the leaders
nad hoped. Many of the factories
We're able to operate yesterday be
cause their empluyes did not obey the
strike order. The car service was NOT
intertered with and even the gas and
eeleetrie lighting plants were in opera
Tie government has been able to
prevent the revolutionary strike from
becoming complete as well. The trains
winch were run, however, have been
operated under strong military guard.
So that the keeping open of the lines
has been rather an empty victory for
tQe government If the vorlynoen
really determine to make the move
ment effective the roads Will be tied
up as completely as they were in the
October strike.
Stories current yesterday and today
failure Of the strike in this city which