New-York tribune., 1906-07-31
STORM ABOUT TO BREAK
RUSSIANS URGED TO RISE.
Workmen's Leaders Unite = MoUe
against Douma Members.

St Petersburg, July SO.-The Public Prosecu-
tor has started proceedings against the members
of the lower house Of parliament who signed the
viborg manifesto.
The charge under which the signers Of the
manifesto will be brought to trial is violation OF
Article 129 of the criminal CODE which provides
for attempts 20 overthrow the existing govern
ment" This is 'rtually high treason. the maxi
mum penalty for which is hard labor in the
mines
No arrests yet have been reported, and the
Constitutional Democrats do not anticipate any
thing approaching punishment Of their repre-
sentatives. II is understood that arrested mem
bers will be admitted TO bail pending trial The
Constitutional Democrats are chiefly appre-
kensive that the possibility OF prosecution held
over the heads Of their leaders will render them
ineligible for reelection in the same manner that
NM Milukoff and Hessen and others were ex-
cluded from the last lower house
Socialist and Radical members of the former
house may have TO cool their heels in cells for
a long time. and thus be prevented from con-
tinuing the revolutionary agitation upon which
they are now embarked. Many Of these eX-
members are now living under cover in the
houses Of friends in st. Petersburg or have gone
into hiding in the provinces. correspondent
to-day met two prominent peasant deputies. who
had cut off their luXuriant hair and boards, and
could scarcely be recognized.
The motive Of the government in abandoning
its intention not to prosecute the signers Of the
Viborg manifesto is not given Evidently the
autocrats were influenced by the need Of doing
something to counteract the effect of the ad-
dress which has attained an enormous circula-
tion in the provinces, in spite of the greatest
efforts the part of the administration to pre-
vent it's publication. The government doubtless
also desired to check the flood of other mani
festoes which the radical members of the former
house are putting forth
The seizure of the Boussel printing plant here
by armed revoIutionists for the purpose of get
ting out copies Of the Viborg address was du-
picated to-day in Ekaterinoslav. but it is be-
lieved that this forcible occupation of printing
Offices has been arranged between the proprie-
tors of the establishments and the revolution
lists to save the former from responsibility.
A manifesto to the peasants of Russia has
been issued in the joint names of all the various
labor socialist and revolutionary organizations
including the representatives of these organiza-
tions in the lower house. This manifesto says
that the hopes reposed in the lower house OF
parliament have been blasted by the diaboiical
designs of the crowd Of grand dukes. courtiers
and wealthy landed propretors assembled
around the Emperor. whose only purpose is the
maintenance of their power over the people. By
dispensing the elected representatives of the
people and arresting and imprisoning them, the
government has declared war on the nation. and
a struggle is beginning in which rivers Of blood
will flow, for which the criminal government is
responsible The people must not spare the
government.
This manifesto further accuses the govern
ment of betraying the fatherland by invoking the
aid Of German and Austrian troops. The people
are therefore urged to remove the local author
ity everywhere, to replace it with men elected by
themselves and to confscate all state funds
The troops also must conform to the orders Of
those elected by the people. The workmen in
the towns, the peasantry and all toilers must,
in conjunction with the troops, seize the liberty
and take the land which the government has
denied them. The land thus possessed must be
handed over to the popularity elected local au-
thorities pending the elaboration Of a new land
law
The manifesto calls for elections on the basis
of general suffrage and concludes with the
Down with the government and the EN-
peror. Long live the dear and free Russian
people,"