The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-17
DOwNFALh OF GOVERNMENT.
It Expected at an Early Day by Many
Russians.

Chicago, Dec. 16.-The Daily News
correspondent sends the following
from t. Petersburg, via. Eydtkuhnen:
Expectation of the downfall of the
government at an carry cay con-
tfnues to grow in this city. Insurg-
ents- still hold Riga, Reval and other
Baltic towns. The garrisons IN those
provinces are insufficient to put down
the armed rebels, and the artillery
men refuse to fire at the striking rail-
way workers and crews of steamships,
preventing the forwarding of troops
and ammunition to the reYolted prov
inces.
Though the government has dis
patched a fleet to the Baltic ports,
Admiral Birilef hesitates to make any
join the rebellion. Meantime armed
workingmen patrol the towns while
peasants from the surrounding dis
tricts bring in and distribute provi-
sions to the revolutionists- Stores
and government buildings have been
looted and burned.
Dispatches received from Man
churia today report the situation of
the army as desperate. Many of the
officers are in hiding from their own
troops, fearing for their lives. The
men are burning and pillaging every
thing within their reach, while the
civil population has ned. Revolu-
tionary proclamations have been post
RQ ABOUT IN the DdIIdChS ana III the
streets. Discussions among the chief
officers seriously complicate matters.
The soldiers accuse the commissariat
of stealing large quantities of supplies
and have burned their houses. Three
generals in this department have
been Killed by the men, General
Linevitch and General Rffstchenko
are afraid to show themselves
Runs on the banks continue. Four
banks IN Moscow failed yesterday.
Everybody demands gold in withdraw
ing money. Under the pretext Of ship
! ping gold abroad in order to pay the
interest on its bonds. the government
/ is planning to transfer the gold reserve
to foreign countries, fearing that a
sudden outbreak will cause its loss
Count Witte hopes to render a revo-
/ lutionary government impossible while
assuring himself of European support.
Count Tolstoi said today to your cor
respondent:
know him to be capable of all kinds
Of treason, yet we hoped his common
sense and his fear of the judgment of
history would make him do right His
laws as to the press and strikes, his op-
position to universal suffrage and his
ignoring of the zemstvoist delegates
clearly show that Witte never meant
to provide a constitution. The result
of his duplicity is apparent in the pres
ent state Of Russia.
1--WE liberals and zemstvoists, to-
gether with the Poles and Jews.
though dissatisfied, had decided to wait
in the hope of avoiding a revolution
Now we have all Joined the revolution
lists.
ssWitte's hope to tame the revolu-
tionists by starvation is now futile for
the whole middle class of Russia has
gone over to their side.
s'The Russian people knew by ex-
perience the worth of the govern
ment's word in financial matters. Dur
ing one century Russia became bank
rupt on three different occasions, yet
each time it declared previous to its
failure that its reserve fund was dou-
BILE it's outstanding bills. Despite
Whites assurance the people are with
drawing their money from the savings
banks. Witte is now transferring the
gold reserve abroad and very likely in
tends to transfer the funds of the saw
ings banks to foreign countries also"
Prince Seherbatoff, who has been in
communication with the car on the
condition of the empire said today:
'sThe car tells me he knows all
about Count Witte, but he must keep
him, at least for the present"