The San Francisco call., 1905-01-22
GopoN WILL NOT YIELD.

Father Gopon. at the request of Min
lister of Justice Muravieff, went TO the
Ministry of Justice yesterday ana nad
a long interview with Muravien, When
the Minister tried to dissuade MIN from
his programme for to-day. Father
Gopon. however, could not be budged,
and at the end of the. interview left,
saying:
I'VE must each do our duty accord
ing TO the light given us"
The plan of the work1nen is to as
semble at three points-the PoutllofI
and Oubokoff works and the island OF
Vassili Ostrova-and march to the Pal
ace square They are fully convinced
that the Emperor will be there TO re-
ceive their petition.
A representative of the press went
among many groups OF Workmen anu
found no one who expressed DOUBT as
-lo the Emperor meeting them. All spoke
OF him most preTersntlg, and they In
sisted that he was kept in Ignorance
of the truth and that once he had
heard of their grievances they would
receive Justice. They said that just
what was wanted was shorter hours,
more pay and more liberty;s but the
ideas of most of the men on the latter
point are rudimentary. They declared
their peaceful intentions and said they
did not want TO fight. They seemed
to entertain little fear of being shot
down.
"The soldiers are on our side.' said
one of the leaders. They may nre on
the palace, but not on us.
While not one of the workmen raised
a voice against the Emperor, they did
not spare some of the imperial family
especially Grand Duke Alexis, who'
with others, they charged with being
responsible for Russia's defeat In, the
war in the Far East, saying that tney
kept the Emperor in ignorance OF the
true situation. Some OF them repeated
current gossip about Grand Duke
Alexis and the Russian fleet.
1--WE know what happened in thea-
ter some time ago, when his mistress
came on the stage covered with jew
els.' said one of the men, the gal
leries hissed her and the people cried
Take them off; they are not diamonds,
but drops of Russian blood.
Late tonight it was reported strike
has been declared in the paper mills In
Finland and rumors are that ii blood
is shed here to-day there will be many
serious risings throughout the land.
The rumors, however, probably belong
to the crop of sensational stories with
which the city is filled.
Father Gopon sent letter to Minis
ter of the Interior Prince Sviatopolk-
MirSky to-day, begging that emperor
Nicholas appear at the Winter Palace
on Sunday The text of the letter fol-
lows:
Your Excellency: Workmen of all
classes in ST. Petersburg wish to see
the Emperor at o'clock p. m, January
%, in the square at the Winter Palace,
in order to personally express to him
the needs of all the Russian people.
am assured by all workmen, my CO.
laborers and comrades, and even by al
legged revolutionaries, that his Majesty
has nothing to fear. His personal safe
ty Is assured. Let him come as the
true Emperor, with courage in his
heart to his people to receive the petit
tion from our hands. Otherwise the
moral bond hitherto existing between
the Emperor and the people may be
broken
'It is your Excellency's high duty to
the Emperor and to the entire people pf
Russia to communicate the foregoing
to his Majesty the Emperor to-day
without delay, and also the contents OF
our petition attached hereto. Say tc
the Emperor that l. together with
many workmen and thousands of peo-
pie of Russia. am irrevocably resolved
i with my faith in him, to proceed to the
| Winter Palace In order that he may
show his faith by deeds and not BY
ma nifestos'
The document is signed by Father
Gopon and eleven representatives o1
sections of the workmen's union.