The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-02-23
RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY
JOINS THE STRIKE
Remarkable Convocation Held
by Students and Profess
sors of ST. Petersburg.
TAKE NO MORE PROMISES
Fiery Orators Declare Nothing Less
Than Liberty Will Suffice and
Tell Hearers They Stand on
Revolutions Brink.

st. Petersburg. Feb. 22.-The spirit
of revolution had complete possession
Iof the great meeting of professors, stu
dents and directors of the st. Peters.
burg university, which assembled to-
day to discuss the question of joining
in the general strike inaugurated by
similar Institutions in Russia, and
which decided to close the university
TIL fall.
In anticipation of possible trouble
when the meeting broke up squadrons
of Cossacks again paraded the streets.
1T was the first joint meeting of stu
dents and professors ever authorized,
but in view of the gravity of the situa-
tion 1t was hoped the presence of the
professors, most of whom are in com
:plete sympathy with the liberal move
ment, YOU exercise IA restraining in
iuence.
A Remarkable Gathering.
The meeting was held in the audi
forum of the university. which was
packed to suffocation with earnest
looking men and one The doorways
and window embrassures were banked
with students, who held others on
their shoulders.
1t was a strange gathering. Most of
the students We're poorly clad and all
We're in a state of intense excitement.
From the outset The student orators
set the imagination of their auditors
af1ame with the spirit of liberty, I'M
sparlngly denouncing the course of the
government, and declaring that prom
Uses could no longer avail, and that the
only satisfaction would be freedom of
II SijS&Sh.= Of conscience and 0f tho praSS
md the convocation of n national as
sembly The majority coupled this with
a demand for ending the war. Again
and again was Russia declared to be on
the of revolution.
Duty Was to Leave Books.
With burning words one OF the stu
dents described the affair of January
y, which he said had at last solidifed
the interests of the liberals and those
of the workingmen. Amid a storm of
cheers he announced that continuation
of study was impossible While such a
struggle was in progress, and said it
was the duty of the young men there
assembled. and of 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 c~ounsels, ad-
@vising the students to go back to their
studies; but their advice was howled
down.
When Professor Spearanz revealed
the TT that Governor General Trepoff
had threatened not to permit any stu
dent who o left his studies to re-en-
ter n of the big universities, the
statement was received with a verit-
able howl OF rag s
Still FiercerS Oratory.
But~ttie speeches in the auditorium
We're mild n temperate compared
with those delivered at the overflow
meetings in the classrooms, where even
the murNer of Sergius was glorified.
me attempt of a few reactionary stu
dents to hold an opposition meeting
ended in a dismal failure. Less than
fifty students responded to the call.
A few foreign newspaper correspond
tents who We're admitted to the uni
versity We're amazed at the incendiary
character of the meeting and the abso-
lutte freedom with which the students.
knowing the auditorium was filed with
government spies, boldly made them
selves liable to the charge of treason.
Sang the Marseillaise.
Shortly after 8 o'clock a recess was
taken n the whole student body be-
gan singing the Russian .'Marsellaise, !"
which begins; You fell victims of love
of you country" A wild scene fol-
lowed. The students unfurled a red
flag on which was written, HAL to the
constituent assembly,
With this flag the students began pa
rading the auditorium and the adioin-
ing corridors. A portrait of Emperor
Nicholas was also taken down from the
wall and carried in the procession. The
portrait was torn in a slight skirmish.
but this called forth a protest from the
vast majority of those students pres
lent, who We're careful to ayoid even
II ap~pearancesof disrespect to the en-
peror. Many proclamations were dis
stributed.
Voted for a Strike.
When the meeting reconvened it was
decided to divide on the questions of
Joining the general strike and to vote
first on the resolutions explaining h
motives of the action of the students
and afterwards to vote on the question
tof a strike.
At the conclusion of the meeting. af-
ter the adoption of strong resolutions,
the student body by an limos unani-
gefsity work until September. The
meeting
After the meeting broke up IA band
iof the more violent students tore UP
the emperor's portrait and stripped the
demolished frame and carried Off bits
tof the canvas and gliding as souvenirs.
Commission OF Inquiry.
st. Petersburg. Feb. 20s-Senator
5..shidlovskf. president of the commits
sion appointed by the emperor TO as
certain the causes of discomfort among
the working classes of st. Petersburg,
in a note issued today, invites the en-
8aployers and workmen to elect repre-
~sentatives to sit on the commission,
guarantees the personal safety OF
THE delegates.
ENasNH%%s %&ga
sToEssELA COWARD.
Russian Officers Declare a Woman Was
the Hero Of the Defense.
Victoria. B. G.. Feb. 21.-Aboard the
steaInerTartar, which arrived, were Lieu