The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-20
TREASON CHARGES
BRAVED BY 1900
Strange Mass Meeting Held in
Russian Capital, Seemingly
Without Restraint.
REVOLUTIONS TORCH
BRANDISHED AT WILL
Demand for Constitution Will Be
One of the Results of This
Meeting.

Meeting.
49, st. Petersburg, Feb. 2O.-The spirit
Of revolution had complete possession Of |
the great meeting Of professors,
students and directors of the St. Pet
ersburg university, which assembled to-
day to discuss the question of joining in /
the general strike inaugurated by SINH
lar institutions in Russia, and decided to
close the university till fall.
In expectation of possible trouble
when the meeting broke up, squadrons
Of Cossacks again Paraded the streets,
nei ghborhood of the Kazan cathedral,
which is ways point for student |
demonstrations.
First Of It's Kind.
" was the first joint meeting of |
lied, but in view Of the gravity of
the situation it was hoped the pres
ence of the professors, most Of whom
are in complete sympathy with the
liberal movement, would exercise a re-
Straining influence.
The meeting was. held in the auditori-
nm of the university, g. sprawling pile
Of yellow buildings on Basil island,
Neva hall being comparatively small
and incapable of holding one-ffth of
the 1000 students assembled. The
auditorium was packed to suffocation
with earnest looking young men and
women and the doorways and window
embrasures were banked with students,
who held others on their shoulders.
Strange Gathering.
It was strange gathering. Most of
the students were poorly clad and all
were in state of intense excitement,
their very eyes burning with zeal. A
small rostrum in corner was occupied
hy the speakers. A bell with which the
student who presided trie ed to stop the
thunders Of applause with which the
orators were greeted was completely un-
availing.
. From the outset student orators set
the imagination of their auditors afame
with the spirit of liberty, unsparingly
denouncing the course of the govern
inent, declaring that promises could no
longer avail and that the only satisfae5
tion would be freedom Of speech, !
conscience and the press and thb convo-
cation Of a national assembly.
On Eve Of Revolt.
The majority, coupled with these
every orator went back to the French
revolution for parallels; Again and an
eve Of revolution.
With burning words one Of the stu"
dents described the affair Of Jan; 90,
which he said had at last solidifed the
interests of the liberals and those Of the
he announced that a continuation OF
study was impossible while such a
struggle was in progress, and said it
was the duty Of the young men there as
sembled and others like them, to return
to their homes in the provinces, and
spread the agitation.
Some Of the professors tried to stem
the tide with moderate counsels advis-
- ing the students to 20 back to their
studies, but their advice was howled
Howls OF Rage.
When Professor speranzi, one of the
speakers, revealed the fact that Govern
or General Trepoff had threatened not
to permit any student who left his
studies to re-enter any Of the big uni,
WITH Sertabe SeW Of r %s
The speeches in the auditorium were
mild and temperate compared with
those delivered at the overflow meetings
in the classrooms, where even the muir
der of Grand Duke Sergius was glori-
fed. An attempt of few reactionary
students to hold an opposition meeting
ended in a dismal failure. Less than
fifty students responded to the call and
the meeting was Abandoned.
Faced Treason Charge.
The few foreign newspaper CORE
| spondents who were admitted to the uni
versity were amazed at the incendiary
CHARACTER Of tn? meeting and the abso
knowing that the auditorium was fillec
with government spies, boldly made
themselves liable to the charge of trea
son. In the minds eye one could al
most pick out the Mirabeaus and Des
Robespierres of the future.
It seemed strange that, with thu
soldiers outside ready to crush anything
in the nature of a street demonstration
such meeting was allowed. 1t Il
necessary to explain, however, tina
under the law once a meeting is author
IN lied the police cannot stop 1t unless thu
university directors call them in.
The speeches grew more and more ex
cited An address from italian student
was read denouncing the tragedy 0,
Jan. % and the general tyranny Of tn
pathy with the Russians aspiration
for liberty.
Russian Marseillaise.
When shortly after 8 clock a re
cess was taken, the whole student bod,
began singing the Russian "Marseill
aise,' which begins:
"fYou fell victims of love Of you
country.'
A wild scene followed. The student
unfurled red flag on which was writ
ten;
s'Hail to the constituent assembly. ,
With this the students began parad
ing the auditorium and adjoining CORR
doris.
A portrait Of Emperor Nicholas wa
also taken down from the wall and cal
ried in the procession. =
The portrait was torn in a Sigh
skirmish, but this called forth protes
from the vast majority'of those presen
49, who were careful to avoid even the ar
pearance of disrespect to the emperor
Many proclamations were distributed
When the meeting reconvened it wa
decided to divide on the question 0
joining in the general strike and vot
first on the resolutions explaining tn
motives of the action of the student