Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1905-01-13
IDENTIFIED PEACE
CONFERENCE
Russia Will ProIong the
Fight Against
Japan.
RUSSIA is MUCH CONFUSED
Her Interior Affairs Are In Very BAD
Condition - General State Of Dis.
trust Responsible for Shaken Con.
fidence in Governments Affairs.

st. Petersburg, Jan. 13.--The gov
crnment seemingly is about to make
the irrevocable decision that the
situation at home necessitates the con-
tinuation of the war till peace with
dignity IL possible. Beyond this
point, however, confusion exists, es-
pecially regarding the immediate de-.
velopment Of the interior situation.
Emperor Nicholas is still apparently
vaciliating as to whether he shall al.
low NJ. White full sway, In the mean.
time declining to permit Prince Svia.
topolkMirsky to retire. The latter
persists in the view that the conf.
dence Of the people in the manner In
which the reform manifesto is to be
worked out Is vital, and that this Is
impossible IL the work is to be left
completely in the hands of the bu'
reaucrats. Direct consultation with
the representative classes interested
he considers essential
1t has now been definitely estab.
tudL lHc lllll CtClIou VI lliS
manifesto as it was originally drafted
by Minister Sviatopolk-Mirasky pro
vides for representation of the Zem.
stvos in the councils of the empire.
and that it was stricken out against
his earnest protest.
Prince Sviatorolk Mirskv's retire.
ment from the ministry Of the interior
conf inues to be considered as only
matter of short time, although there
is seeming evidence that the emperor
hopes by telnporizing to avoid the ne
cessity of concentrating the reins OF
power In the hands of NJ White.
Should real storm break, however,
no one doubts that NJ. Witte is the
one strong man in sight who can be
c.Hled to the bridge.
The lack Of cohesion and alignment
state Of things and mutual distrust Of
each others programme seems to
make anything approaching actual
revolution at the present time I'M
worthy of serious consideration. So
cialists. revolutionlsts and other ex-
IRENE elements, as well as the sub
ject CT races on the borders Of Rus.
STA. all have different detectives, with
which the conservative liberals whom
the government really hopes to ap-
pease have little in common: and
above all Russia's unnumbered mil.
lions Of peasants, although thew have
manifested an adherence of war,
principally for economic reasons and
because it takes their loved ones
away, have given almost no evidence
of having been stirred by the prevail
ing political agitation. Demonstra-
tions are regarded by the authorities
as possible, accompanied by recur-
renee of terrorism by those who be.
lieve the tomb is the only weapon
with which they can fight abso.
lutism.
This last is really considered the
hkeliest and most deplorable posi-
bility in the near future. For the
moment, however, all Is quiet in the
interior, the people seemingly being
absorbed with the Christmas holidays.
No further disorders have occurred in
connection with mobilization, the only
active movement of any sort noted
being demonstrations at Mini Nov
gorod and Moscow both confined to
meetings of school professors. who
took advantage of the occasion to pro-
test against the difficulties under
which. they declared, the stats of the
universities labored, and adopted
resolutions in favor Of reforms on the
line of the recent zemstvo memorial
but going further than the emperors
manifesto. The meeting at Mini Nov
gorod was dispersed by the police and
several persons outside the hall were
injured, but none seriously