Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-09
COUNT WITTE WOULD QUIT
Report that He Tenders His Resignation
and that i. is BE used.
SITUATION SAID TO Be IMPROVING
strike of photographers and Postal
CIerks May End sOOn-EditOrs
VIII Fieht New Press
Law.

| BERLIN. Dec s.-5:22 p. ma dispatch
to the Tageblatt from 81. Petersburg dated
yesterday and received here today by way
OF Eydtkuhnen, East Prussia. says Premier
White has given his resignation to the em-
peror who refused to accept f..
dispatch to the Lokai Anzeiger from
Lode, Russian Poland. says the soldiers in
the barracks there are excited and arc
holding meetings and discussing the stua-
ton
Continental travellers employed by whole
sale houses of Berlin who are arriving here
| from southern Russia aver that the greater
part OF the country is quiet. They add
that detached disturbances here and there
give the impression TO an outsider that the
country is everywhere in a ferment but
they say such Is not the case. Business is
progressing as usual in most of the towns
and cities. though the interruption Of tele-
graphic communication is giving rise 20 APP
prehension.
Prospects Are Brighter.
ST. PETERSBURG. Thursday, Dec. =
Evenlng-via Eydtkuhnen, East Prussia,
Dec. IA much more optimistic feeling
prevails in government circles at the pros
pect of a complete collapse of the postal
/
of the danger, but 1t might be complicated
by an immediate general strike throughout
the empire. The Workmen's council and
the railroad mems AFFILIATED organizations
this afternoon came to a final decision that
IL would not be wise to employ the SUI
preme fighting tool except to achieve the
highest political aims and to reserve all
their strength for the greatest struggle
projected for the middle of January. In
the meantime they will devote their ener-
gies tc perfecting and extending their or
CARNATIONS and to the accumulation of
their resources. without the support of
= allies, with the meager fund of $4,000 eX-
hausted and with many reluctant and pow
erty-strickcn members returning to work,
the leaders Of the strike realize they can
not hold out much longer.
period Of comparative calm, lasting a
few weeks. may now supervene and both
sides will use it in preparations for the
January struggle. In a fortnight heavy
SHOWS are likely to put an end to the reign
= OF pillage, arson and murder in the coun-
t try and the lull will give the government
e a chance to accomplish something tangible
and the sober-mnded an opportunity to
y reflect. The latter. however, will hardly
enter into the equation.
Editors Fight Press Law.
The radical editors are already organic
ing a movement to defy the new press law,
" even before II is issued. This law abolishes
the censorship in cities but not in the
l. country. While 1t is based on the principle
d of the responsibility of editors before the
: courts it includes besides the usual inhibl.
tions against lese majestic, penalties, fines
i and imprisonment for incitations to strikes
u which threaten the safety of the state and
which may cause mutinies in the army and
y the navy. Such incitations, II is said ar,
punishable with exile. AS the publishers
I, have agreed to act together there Ger
b tainly will be another struggle.
D. With an eye to the future the govern
% ment is making a great effort to relieve
the discomfort in the army by removing
0, the causes OF complaint, The sum of IS,
900 roubles has been added to the mill
1t tary budget for the Improvement of tn
soldiers food and clothing.
Says witte should Retire.
Though the Moscow zemstvoists seem 4
already support Premier WHITE on the con
ditions laid down in the resolutions of tn
congress. M Petrunkevitch believes tina
the idea of cooperation is now too late an
that the only salvation for the government
is the retirement of the whole witte min
istry and its replacement by a "ministr
having the confidence of the people,"
NJ. Petrunkeyitch, who himself Is cred
tied with harboring the ambition to sue
6 coed Count WHITE as premier, declined I
suggest successor saying that was tn
prerogative OF the sovereign. Bat he eni
;" phatically expressed the opinion that
real liberal ministry would instantly chang
tho situation and rally to it's support no
only the zemstvoists but the constitution
oIf
n derby disposed people who have not allie
or themselves with the socialistic revolution,
w Many OF his colleagues might be ready I
WI accept a compromise suffrage on an ind
a rect basis for the country, although pei
al sonally Mr.. Petrunkevitch was of the opir
he ion that the peoples hopes were so fixe
on universal direct and secret suffrage tina
j. 1t was doubtful whether the elections coul
IS be held under any other system. Beside
x NJ. Petrunkevitch was skeptical as
NJ whether Whites government would acceT
ed the proposed offer. He believed the reat
IN tionary influences might refuse to go b,
ce yond the plan for the extension of the SUI
m rage to the workmen of the cities the edl
Is Gated classes, merchants and persons pa,
ee. ing $40 rent annually.
IT. Peasants May Cause Trouble.
oh M Petrunkevitch was much alarmed ,
the successful propagation of the socialist
doctrine among the peasantry. He said:
A single agitator promising the socializi
ton of state and private lands can inocI
late a thousand mujiks with a blind passic
10 appropriate land without regard to Il
: rights of others, and accomplish har
~ which a generation OF good goVerftnei
could not counterfeit. The crying need I
the hour Is a liberal ministry TO begin q
realization of the social reforms towaI
the betterment of the conditions OF ii
peasants and workmen, but drawing fir
line between readable reforms and s.
cialistic dreams, and thus gradually wea
the people away from the paths OF agit
ton and discomfort.
NJ Petrunkevitch concluded with praisir
the work OF Father Gapin, who, he sal
was preaching the right doctrine to Il
workmen.
ReRctiOnRries Organize.
The union of all the Russian peop