The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-21
: luoHiaHus VI sg1hIS7 II - 49,.
workmen Barrsdn6m City.
RUSSIAN woRKMEN THREATEN
Their Petition to the Gear Contains
o. X. Menacing Words. { -, I { -
Workmen to 90 Armed

st. Petersburg, Jan.s 81 The follow
ing is the text of the strikers ':petition
to the emperor:
Sire: We, workmen, inhabitants Of st.
Petersburg, of all classes, our wives, chill
dren and INDECENT parents, come to you,
our sovereign, asking for protection. We
are poor prosecuted, burdened with labor
beyond our strength, 2 We are insulted,
treated not as men, but as slaves who
ought to bear theira cruel fate in silence.
We have suffered, but we are being
plunged deeper in the miro, and, deprived
Of our rights. Unrestricted, stif1ed: by
restitution and injustice, we are perish
ing. We have no strength aeft. Sire, we
have arrived at the 4xtreme II limits CT en-
durance; we. have reached the terrible
moment when dea tn is to be preferred TO
"a. continuation Of our int lerable suffer-
ings.. We have left our w orks and informed
our employers thats4we wilt not resume
until our demands are conceded. We have
not asked much; We have asked but for
means Of livelihood, without which life is
a burden and labor continued torture
Our first request is that our masters
should investigate our case. They have
refused, We have been denied the right to
put forward our claim, it being held that
such right is not recognized by law.
After referring to the eight-hour. day
apd other points in their case, the petit
TONERS say: s.,,<-- -, -, =
Any one Of us who dared raise his
voice in the interests Of the people OF the
working classes has been thrown into prl-
son or transported, Kindness and good
feeling has been treated as aTcrime. -.
"God Look to-. Capitalists
The bureaucracy has brought the coun-
try to the verge Of ruin by shameful
war. 1t is Turing it to it's downfall. we
| have no voice in the heavy burdens i'm
| posed; we do not know for whom or why
| this money is wrung from an impover
ished people, and we do not know how !
is expended This state Of things, con
trary to divine laws, renders life tmpos
sible. It were better that we should al
Eperish,' we workers, and all Russia. Thel
God look to capitalists and explotters ant
poor, corrupt officials, robbers Of the Rus
! sian people.
/ Assembled before thy palace, we pleat
salvation. Refuse not thine aid, and rails
thy people from their tomb. Give then
means Of working out their own destiny
/ Rescue them from intolerable onicedom
I Throw down the wall that separates; FREE
thy people; order that they may rule tn
country with thee; create for thy peopl
/ the happiness wrenched from us, leaving
l.
we pray your majesty graciously to re
ceive our demands, which are inspired b.
desire for your majesty's and our wei
fare and the consciousness of the neces
sity Of escape from an intolerable stu
alton. Russia is too great and her need
are too varied for officials only to rule.
National Representation Urged.
National representation is indispensable
as only the people themselves know tn
country's real needs. Refuse not thy aid
but order convocation of representative
Of all classes, including workmen.. Let al
be free and equal in the elections and t
/ this end permit the election of a con
stituent assembly by general secret ballot
/ That is our chief demand in which a.
i else centers. 1t is the sole balm for on
wounds, which will otherwise speedil
1 bring us to. death. IL !, Is