Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-10
PREMIER NN|E
SCORES LIBERALS
Declares Their Lack of Support
of the Government Brought
Harsh Measures
DETERMINED TO SAVE RUSSIA
e.rmi.sion to Hold Meetings Trans
lated into License to Cause Street
Disturbances and Plot Against the
eovernment--strons Address by the
Premier.

ST. Petersburg, Jan. 10.-Premier
Witte today, in statement to the del
egation headed by the mayor of the
city, which requested the relaxation OF
the orders of the prefect of police
against meetings in the interest of the
Electoral campaign, said he could not
promise to do anything until after jan
uary %. While personally, he did not
sympathize with the harsh measures
Of Interior Minister Durnovo, he re-
garded them as essential. The premier
could not assume the responsibility for
the course, which if 1t resulted In
bloodshed, would make him scape-
goat. He spoke bitterly of the failure
of the moderates to give the govern
ment support, saying that upon their
shoulders largely rests the burden OF
compelling the government to resort to
repression.
He added: ''The emperor in the
granted the people more rights than
Auy IQOHdTSH udu 0NSI pCaOlS 6iNSAts
but you know the attitude which Rus
sian society assumed. The govern
ment's appeals for confidence were re-
jected, and every liberty granted was
sUbused by the revolutionists. Permis-
sion to hold meetings was transacted
into q license for street disturbances,
and assemblages to plot against the
life Of the government, for industrial
ruin of the country. have always
been opposed to repression. but the at
titude of the moderates compelled NE
to adopt harsh measures. am deter
Snined to save Russia"
81 While the emperor wanted the na-
tional assembly to meet as early as
POSSIBLE, Witte said that those charged
with the election feared it would be
Impossible for it to assemble before
April 49, Speaking Of the innumerable
difficulties with which the government
was confronted the premier openly
stated many of the provincial authors
\ ties continued to act independently, in
stancing Moscow where before the re-
volt neither the governor general. COVER
nor nor prefect informed him of the con-
Gftions prevailing ahere. He said the
Moscow revolt was more serious than
the people generally believed. Re-
counting a remarkable incident that
heretofore had escaped notice, the pre-
mier said: "At one time all the sta
tions except Nicholas depot were i'll
the hands of revolutionists. The lat
ter, in. desperation, started train
hauling two cars loaded with dynamite,
at full speed for the station with the
Intention of blowing it up. The
frightful disaster was averted by time
~ warning of the plot, which enabled
the authorities to have q military
train with steam up ready on par
allel track As the dynamite train ar
rived the soldiers from the military
train running alongside fired at the en-
gine and managed to pierce the boiler
of the locomotive, stopping the train
before it reached it's destination" 1t
ST. Petersburg the premier further re-
marked enough dynamite had been
captured to destroy the entire city. In
conclusion he stated that two laws
were being prepared to define the rela-
tions of the council of the empire and
national assembly.