The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-03
Demand Of Russian People and
of the Soldiers
Is for Entire Change in the
Form Of Government.
ARMED RESISTANCE
Is Looked for at Any Time by
the Authorities.
Attitude OF the Army 8 MattOr
Of Much Concern.


st. Petersburg, Dec. "a crash Is
expected momentarily. The military
surgeons, gunners, tcehnicists and
artiIlerists have struck The revolu-
tonaries, unwilling to give the govern
ment an excuse for employing violent
repression, are themselves sustaining
from violence. except that discharged
workmen are burning factories. The
strike of the postal and telegraph em-
ployes is q severe test of the govern
ment's strength. Russian telegraph
operators are educated men. but the
hardest worked and poorest paid skill
ed workers in Europe. Therefore they
have popular sympathy in their present
strike. Minister Durnove's severity in
dealing with them is blamed for the
present difficulty, but the law against
organization into unions is on his side,
SO Premier Witte must support him.
The public, which is the victim Of
the strikes, is responding to an appeal
from Prof. Martens for volunteers to
take the places of strikers. Many
persons fear this win cause the strik-
ers to change from passive to armed
resistance. In any open battle with
the labor forces the attitude of the
army would be uncertain. It is re-
garded as significant that whenever
soldiers or sailors during recent weeks
have presented petitions reeiting grew
ances, they have headed the list with
demand for a constituent assembly
with powers so broad as practically to
change the empire into a republic.
Panic Was Expected.
An influential member of the govern
ment said;
I'VE expected a panic on the bourse.
so we are not disturbed by the develop
ments there. A further. slump n values
/ is probable, since there can be 40 rally
/ until normal conditions in the empire
have been re-estabIished. Count Wltte
opposes neither a constituent Lssembly
nor universal suffrage, because worse
conditions than prevail at present Wo1ld
be impossible to bring about. We ex-
I uected that the manifesto would I'M
nediately bring peace and order, but
I experience has proved that even the
| civilized and wealthy classes Of the pop
ulatiOn are nine-tenths unwilling 10
support a conservative government. It
/ is not surprising. therefore, that the
/ pauperized worzmen, the peasants, the
/ Poles and the Jews have Joined with
the revo1Huoharies.
q believe that whatever Hussia's form
of government is to be in the future,
even if it be republican, the nations
obligations will be paid, because us re
sources will not be reduced and the
Count Whites program is not definitely
settled. He welcomes the support OF the
1 ze1nstvos but he win not offer them
! cabinet portfolios again.
Grand Dukes Plotting.
While the gravity Of the situation has
4 brought liberal support to Count Witte,
the grand ducal party, headed by Prince
/ SchtcherbatOff and Counts ScherenetoIL
! and ADraxine. enormously wealthy noples
/ and large land owners, has held a meet
] ing in Moscow and formed q poWferIu1I, , Or
/ fganfzation to oppose a constitution. Iney
/ wish to retain the old order X possible,
/ because the chiefs of the bureaucracy are
/ mainly their relatives or n1reln8s.
/ Definite reports are circulated or the dls-
/ cove1.v of a grand ducal conspiracy at
I Tsarlloe-Selo. where powerful persons
| nIotted 4 palace revolution IN Whlch the
ear was to have played the part OF EN-
peror Paul, who was assassinated one
hundred years ago .. -.
Jewish leaders have Informed Count
! Witte they do not want him to grant
rights to them before the dou1na assem-
I'VE want to get our rights from the
Russian nation, not through ukaSes
fhev say Minister Cremieux OF Francs
gave rights to the Jews Of that country
ana now the French adti-seinites say It
was done by stealth. We do not desire
Count Witte to repeat the error OF Gre
Lewis Nixon, the American ship builder
who Yves received by the car yesterday
"STbe car is in splendid physical con-
difiou He is cheerful and knows the sit
nation in Russia thoroughly. He considers
the outlook bright.