Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-11-02


COUNT WHITE border provinces,
and ST Petersburg
Moscow and other large cities are al
most as closely beleagured as If they
were invested by besieging armies.
Even the Car in his palace at Peter
hOf is cut off from train service and
the commerce of the empire is par
alyzed.
At the same time the Industrial
strike has assumed large dimensions
and the turbulent elements in several
localities are Offering open resistance
to the troops.
An encounter took place Wednesday
evening between strikers and engine
drivers who were preparing TO take out
trains. Revolver shots were eXchang-
ed, and number of persons were
killed or wounded. The striking rail
road men are being enforced by the
workers in other branches
Hold Authorities Helpless.
With the railroads at standstill
and the wires inactive the social DEM
ocrats believe they have the govern
nent at their mercy, since the authori
ties are unable to move troops to quell
uprisingS in the various cities and
provinces. and, in fact, with the mails
and the telegraph useless, no informa
ton of even the most serious disorders
could get out This situation is rem
dered all the more serious by reports
Of bloody collisions already reported
from Ekaterinoslav and other places,
has broken out in the government OF
Samara, across the Volga. The
strength displayed by the social demo-
Gratis has amazed the authorities, who
were taken quite as much by surprise
at the evidence of their power as they
were at the time Of the Gopon re-
bellion.
Famine already has reared a threat
ening hand, as the relief work in the
unfortunate districts has been stopped
through the railroad strike. The price
of food is increasing rapidly even in
St Petersburg, where meat was one
third higher Wednesday, and the peo-
pie are alarmed.
That the officials have become
aroused to the seriousness Of the situa-
ton was shown when the special meet
ing of the committee Of ministers was
called late in the afternoon under the
presidency of Count Witte to consider
the situation. The meeting was the
result of a request by Prince Hilkoff
that the council of the empire assem-
Bile under the presidency Of the Gar
himself to take action. The Emperor
approved the request, but announced
that he had chosen Count Witte to
preside The ministers continued their
deliberations until long after midnight
Prince Hilkoff believes that the
strike cannot be prolonged, as the men
are without funds. Besides this, he
declares that 1t is impossible for the
men to realize their dream of tying up
all the railroads simultaneously. With
the assistance of the railroad battal
ions some trains will be run, he says.
Nevertheless the leaders of the 400
600 railway employees In the empire
are planning further trouble. They
have arranged big meeting, when
the grievances of the men, who get an
average wage Of $40 a year, will be
thoroughly gone over.
Summary of Situation.
Reports received in st. Petersburg
summed up the results of the strike In
several localities as follows:
St. Petersburg is practically cut of
from the world, except through Fin
land and Sweden.
Trains In the Baltic provinces are
not running and the situation is report
ed to be very bad at Riga and Libau.
All the lines in Poland are tied up
and strike has been begun on the
Great Southwestern system, covering
the territory southwark from Kieff to-
ward Odessa.
The workmen Of the Obukhoff, Putfl.
off, Nevski, Alexandrovski and Kol
pino works are out, as are the en-
ployes Of the factories on the SchlEs
selburg Chaussee and the cotton mills
and other factories on the banks Of the