Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-14
REVOLUTION IN LIvONlA
Insurgents Have Possession Of Fort Gem.
handing Harbor Of Riga.
NEW LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE CHOSEN
Provisional Government Declares the
separation of the Lithuanian
People from Russian
EmSirc.

ST. PETERSBURG. Dec. l2-(Evening)-
Via Helsngfors. Finland and Berlin, Dee
1.-TWO messengers who arrived here from
Riga today, having walked about 100 miles
to catch train at Flock not only confirm
the report that a provisional government
has been set up In Lvonia. b 1t they say
that many of the troops have gone over "a
the insurreotionists
Dwina fort, commanding Riga harbor is
In their possession and the governor and
other Russian officials are prisoners The
messengers added that the provisional gov
eminent exercises authority throughout
Livonia and part of Courtland; that the
government has declared the separation OF
the Lithuanian people from the Russian
empire. They have chosen new local Off
Gals and have decreed the closing of the
spirit shops and breweries and the annul-
ment OF the contracts between the peasants
and the land owners. There is a general
uprising OF the native peasants who are
travelling in armed bands, attacking the
estates and driving off or killing their
owners
Some of tho land owners have organized
volunteer battalions TO protect their prop
erty as the authorities are powerless to
AFFORD aid. but the majority are fleeing in
terror The peasants forbid the owners
10 sell grain or lumber and formally de-
clare that the forests and estates of those
VINO nave departed will be confiscated.
me position Of the peasants in these
provinces has been the most deplorable of
any in the entire empire. Conditions al
most approaching those Of the feudal sys-
tenn have been continued down to the
present time. They practically have kept
the peasants In a. state of vassaage pla-
Gins them at the mercy of the German
oarons from whom they rent land and pur-
chase the right to cut wood, and fish in
the waters Of the gulf.
Russian officials Expelled.
The Russian officials are being expelled
from the provinces and many of them have
been killed in the streets of the towns
There is a reign OF terror at Riga. Women
and children are living In the upper stories
of housese and foreign merchants are wind
ing up their business or abandoning every
thing to escape. ''- r.'
1t is doubtful whether the promise of
local self government contained in to-
days imperial ukase viii have much eff
feet, at least for the present, but it fur
nishes ample proof that the government
realizes it is helpless to restore order
without granting heavy concessions The
partial concessions granted to the people
of the Baltic provinces are bound to en-
courage the Poles, Georgians and other
border peoples.
Little is known of General SoIogub. who,
1t is reported. will be appointed governor
general Of the Baltic provinces. but he
is said to be man of energy with fairly
Bourse again weakens.
The Bourse again weakened on reports
of commercial failures everywhere in the
provinces and also In sympathy with the
extreme panicky condition of the Moscow
exchange. Runs on the savings banks con-
tinue. The League OF, Leagues has issued
an address declaring That the recent acts
OF, the government proved It was attempt
ing to suppress thee emancipation move
ment and demonstrated that political free
dom could only be obtained by an armed
struggle. In which adj the progressive ele-
ments were invited to join. T.- - ."'
The Nasha shinshu claims to be in pos
session of information to the effect that
at a conference OF grand dukes and court
officials held at Tsarskoe Selo it was de-
cided that Count White had proved a fall
ure and that the time had arrived for the
adoption of Arm measures which could be
employed with less opposition under a man
like Prince Sviatopolk- Mirsky, former min
lister of the interior, The paper declares
that further conference will be held
tomorrow. at which Count White will not
he present. Pr '---.
1t Is reported that Prince John Obeden-
sky, former governor general OF Finland.
will succeed NJ. Durnovo as minister of the
interior.
Cables Are Again Silent.
ST. PETERSBURG. Dec I2.-Morning.-
Via Eydkuhnen, East Prussia, Dec. ia
The restoration Of cable communication
with points abroad yesterday lasted only
few hours Before midnight 1t was re-
ported that the cable was cut and that
dispa tches must again be forwarded by
courier via the German frontier Never
theless, the outlook is clea ring The gov
eminent is breathing freer, with fighting
chance that Premier Witte will yet be abb
to steer his way through the rocks which
beset his path. The threat of a general
strike in the immediate future has dis
appeared and the telegraph strike not be-
ing supported, is going to pieces in spite Of