Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-04-15
WoRkMEN IN CITIES AND PEAS.
ANTS IN COUNTRY THREATEN
GREAT UPRISING.
BLOODsHED is FEARED
Appeals for Military Assistance Have
Come In to st. Petersburg But the
Government Pays Little Attention
Hope for Mlrsky's Return.

st. Petersburg, April 14-Develop-
ments all point to q crisis in the pres
ent agitation among the workmen In
the cities and the peasants in the
country on May day, and appeals are
pouring In from all quarters for mill
tary protection. Arms and bombs IN
large quantities have been smuggled
In and bloodshed on large scale is
feared. The government has taken
few measures to meet the situation,
evidently relying on the troops and
police to guard the capital
viii Not Try oorky.
On account Of the present condition
Of his health and the fact that the evi-
dence Is not strong, It Is understood
that the government has abandoned
Its intention OF bringing Maxim Gorky,
the author to trial.
Peasant Trouble Spreads.
The wave Of revolution is spreading
quickly and widely throughout the Cau-
casus and the government is showing
signs Of alarm, In that 1t is making
elaborate preparations for immediate
reforms. In the meantime peasant
bands are pillaging and burning the
estates of land owners, destroying
schools and public buildings and fore
ing recruits to their ranks.
Among residents of the cities of the
Caucasus a renewal Of the ugly feeling
between Armenians and Tartars is be-
ing manifested, and Armenians in sew
eral instances have been attacked in
revenge for alleged assaults on the po-
lice.
To Call WomeHs Congress.
Movements are on foot to call apan-
Russian congress OF women for the
discussion of political and industrial
questions. A number of Russian wo:
men are among the leaders Of ad-
vanced thought and the congress, II
held, undoubtedly will voice reform
sentiment
An informal rescript addressed to
the minister Of the interior creates a
special commission to discuss ques-
tions relating to peasant tenure of
land which is described by the rescript
as the main foundation of national
welfare
Measures will be elaborated, first, to
afford peasants better means of work.
ing their lands to good advantage;
second, to assist emigration between
districts, helping peasants to increase
their holdings through the medium OF
a peasants bank; third, to devise
measures for fixing the boundaries OF
all holdings, and to instill more con.
scientious views on the subject Of pri
vate property.
Hope for MIrsly's Return.
| Prho ,.a,,o,& 4Io& for,,,or N6sr3c{nr ~
the Interior Prince Sviatopo polk-M Mirsky
will return to public life as president
of the rescript commission, although
not officially confirmed, creates much
satisfaction, as his sympathy with
the principle of popular representation
| is well known.
Numberless stories are being printed
abroad giving details of the character
composition and date of convocation
of the coming parliament. They are
premature, but the favorite plan is fol
a parliament composed of an upper
house of 120 members, half of them tc
/ be nominated by the emperor and hall
to be elected by the nobility, and 8
/ lower house of 625 members elected by
various classes in all parts of Russia
But the commission has not reached
any decision, and 1t is this delay that
has destroyed popular confidence In
the sincerity of the government.
The special commission of the acad
emy of science has pronounced in favor
of the abrogation of the restrictions
placed upon the use Of the Little Rus
sian language in schools, books an6
the press.