River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-02-23
EDUCATORS Voice
Open rebellion
PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS IN
ST. PETERSBURG UNIVER-
SITY IN MASS MEETING.
FIERY SPEECHES ARE
DELIVERED BY ORATORS
Demands for Liberty Expressed in
Vigorous Terms-Institution to Be
Closed Until Fall - Funeral of
Grand Duke.


Grand Duke.
St Petersburg, Feb. 21.-The spirit of
revolution had complete possession Of
the great meeting of professors. stu
dents and directors Of the St. Petersburg
university which assembled Monday %
discuss the question of Joining in the
general strike inaugurated by similar
institutions in Russia and decided TO
close the university till fall. In antici-
patton of possible trouble when the
| meeting broke up squaGrOns of Cos
sacks again paraded the streets, espc-
cially the Nevsky Prospect and the
neighborhood of the KaZan cathedral,
which is always a point for student dem
| onstrations.
Meet in Auditorium.
1t was the first joint meeting of stu
dents and professors ever authorized,
but in view of the gravity of the situa-
ton it was hoped the presence of the
professors, most OF whom are in COM
plete sympathy with the liberal move
ment, would exercise a restraining infiu-
ence. The meeting was held in the audi
tOrium of the university, a sprawling
pile of yellow buildings on the Basil
island, Neva hall being comparatively
small and incapable Of holding one-tifth
of the 1000 students assembled. The
auditorium was packed to suffocation
with earnest-looling young men and
women and the doorways and window
embrasures were banked with students
who held others on their shoulders. 1t
was a strange gathering. Most of the
students were poorly clad and all were
in a state of intense excitement, their
very eyes burning with zeal. A small
rOstrum in corner was occupied by
the speakers. A bell with which the
student who presided tried to stop the
! thunders of applause with which the or
ators were greeted was completely un-
availing.
All Ahame for Liberty.
From the outset student orators set the
Imagination Of their auditors atlame
| with the spirit Of liberty, unsparingly
denouncing the course of the govern
ment, declaring that promises could no
longer avail and that the only satisfac-
ton would be freedom of speech, con-
science and the press and the convoca-
ton of a national assembly. The ma
jOrity coupled with this demand for
ending the war. Almost every orator
went back to the French revolution for
parallels Again and again was Russia
declared to be on the eve OF revolution.
With burning words one of the students
described the affair Of January p, which,
he said, had at last S0lidified the inter
ests of the liberals and those OF the work
ingman.
Duty to Spread Agitation.
Amid a storm of cheers he announced
that a continuation of study was i'm
possible while such a struggle was in
progress and said it was the duty Of the
young men there assembled, and others
like them, to return TO their homes in
the provinces and spread the agi >ation.
Some of the professors tried to stem the
tide with moderate cOunsels advising the
students to go back to their studies, but
their advice was hOWled down.
But the speeches in the auditorium
were mild and temperate compared with
those delivered at the overflow meet
ings in the class rooms, where even the
murder of Grand Duke Sergius was glOri-
fed An attempt of a few reactiOnary
students to hold an opposition meeting
ended in a dismal failure. Less than 50
students responded to the call and the
meeting was abandoned.
The few foreign newspaper CORE
spondents who were admitted to the
university were amazed at the incen-
diary character OF the meeting and the
absolute freedom with which the stu
dents. knowing that the auditorium. was
filled with government spies, boldly
made themselves liable TO the charge of
treason. 1t seemed strange with the
soldiers outside ready to crush anything
in the nature Of a street demonstration
that such a meeting was allowed. 1t is
necessary to explain, however, that I'M
der the law once meeting is authorized
the police cannot stop it unless the uni
versity directors call them in.
Sing Russian ''Marseillaise."
When shortly after three O'Clock a
body began singing the Russian Mar
seillaise" which begins: You fell vic
tins of love of your country"
A wild scene followed. The students
unfurled a red flag on which was writ
ten: Hail to the constituent assem-
bly,"
With this flag the students began
parading the auditorium and adjoining
corridors. 4 portrait of Emperor Mich
olas was also taken down from the wall
and carried in the procession. The
| portrait was torn in a slight skirmish,
but this called forth protest from the
vast majority of those present who were
careful to avoid even the appearance OF
b disrespeCt to the emperor. Many
proclamations were distributed
When the meeting reconvened it was
| decided to divide on the question of
| Joining in the general strike and vote
| first on the resolutions explaining the
motives of the action of the students
and afterwards vote on the question Of
the strike. At the conclusion OF the
meeting, after the adoption of set OF
strong resolutions, the student body al
most by unanimous vote decided to sus-