Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-14

IMPERIAL ul<AsE is ISSUED
Baltic Provinces Are Given Concession
in the Way ef Local Self Govern
mont, But the Enemies Of Witte Are
Gaining Ground With the Emperor
Who is Reported Waverins.

st1 81. sHeberSOuTE,, DSC.s IL iiS CIV
sernment is making little headway In
crushing the telegraph strike. The
wires Of few lines, over which the
service has been temporarily restored,
are constantly cut, and not a single
wire was working out Of st. Peters
burg this morning. At the present
rate, weeks viii elapse before the
service can be really restored. News
from the Baltic provinces today is to
the effect that rnany German landlords
VINO have NOT lied. are, establishing q
net work Of ysms II forts. and are stand
ing q regular siege. There has been
much killing ami burning. The inhab-
ttants OF the Baltic provinces now re-
SIDING in st. Petersburg were immense
/ " gratitied at the publication yester-
uay OF an imperial ukase promising
local self COVER n1nent, which they say
means abandona ent of the Russiflca-
tion policy begin in 1867, to destroy
1 the unity of the old provinces of Lith-
uaria. The ukase practically insures
restoration OF sssstatus quo ante, cre-
ating a deliberative assembly for the
solution of burning questions of re-
form o. peasant conditions. institution
OF local SELF, government and schools
and governor general as the office
existing before 1876.
The papers generally regard the
ulSase as opening the door to decentral-
ization and as sn end Of the policy un-
der which the bureaucracy absorbed
all power and stified the ambitions
{ of the border people. Cries for q
strong policy & to end the tyranny OF
4 the reYol1tiontiry organs are openly
taken up by such men as Charles
Won Schwaneb;ich, former minister of
agriculture. III an Interview he de-
nounces Witte's policy as fatal; and
declares the strike law will be as use-
less as the press law and says: The
only sane method is to answer by force
the threats OF organisat tions which are
calling on the people to make armed
resistance" Such interviews increase
the feeling that Whites position Is all
most lost and the rumors OF the ems
speror's intention to establish dicta-
2torship persist On the other hand II
is insisted the premier still enjoys the
confidence Of the emperor. despite the
Camarilla WHICH is fighting him. The
cabinet has decided to prosecute In
court all violations of the new press
law. Il.
Z The governments advices today from
the Baltic provinces forwarded part
OF way from Riga by courier, are OF
the most alarming character. Bands
Of thousands Of Lettish peasants are
roaming the country in the vicinity OF
Riga, putting the torch to houses on
All estates ana even threatening the
iown Of Riga itself. The districts OF
Riga and venien are entirely In the
hands Of insurgents. The revolt Il
spreading to all parts of Courland.
1 All railway Communication with Riga
il, cut The Insurgents have seized a
number of stations on the three rail-
roads leading, from that city ana are
advancing against others. The govern
ment is informed that all sailors from
commercial STEAMERS in the harbor OF
Riga have Joined the strike. The Sit
.uation Is bad at Mita1l.