OCR Text |
Show lng and directing everything. His dictum dic-tum is that the meeting shall take place on the palace square, no matter If It results in a massacre of the men. He says they must be resolved to do or die. It is noteworthy that the leaders are going back to the French revolution for their parallels. The deputation sent to Tsarkoe-Selo was the march of the mob to Versailles. The assemblage planned for tomorrow is likened to the march of the multitude wearing red caps of liberty to the Tulllerles to present pre-sent their demands to Louis XVI. While their is much talk that the troops may be overawed by the mob, the authorities do not manifest the slightest apprehension on this score. The Cossacks and the guard regiments, they declare, can be relied upon. Two regiments of Infantry have also been brought here from Riga. Nevertheless. SOME OF THE CAUSES LEADING TO REVOLUTION "We must first show we are peaceful. We have appealed in vain to the employers em-ployers and to the bureaucracy. Our last hope Is the Emperor himself. If he refuses to see us and orders them to disperse us then we must fight." Father Gopon has had a guard of 400 sworn workmen formed to protect the Emperor from harm if he will come to the palace square tomorrow. Among the rumors afloat Is one to the effect that the famous Preprlojensky guarding regiment has declared it would refuse to fire on the mob, but this, like many other sensational reports re-ports pertaining to widespread disaffection disaf-fection In the army. Is not confirmed. Father Gopon sent a letter to Minister of the Interior Prince Sviatopolk-Mirsky today begging that Emperor Nicholas appear ap-pear at the Winter 'palace Sunday. The text of the letter follows: "Your Excellency: Workmen of all classes In St. Petersburg wish to see the Emperor at 2 o'clock p. m.. January 22. In the square at the Winter palace. In order or-der to personally express to him the need of all the Russian iieople. I am assured by all workmen, my co-laborers and comrades, com-rades, and even by alleged revolutionaries, revolution-aries, that his Majesty has nothing to fear. His personal snfety is assured. Let him come as the true Emperor, with courageous cour-ageous heart, to his people to receive the Setltion from our hands, that is demanded y regard for his own welfare as well as for that of the Inhabitants of St. Petersburg Peters-burg and of Russia. Otherwise the moral bond hitherto existing between the Emperor Em-peror and the people may he broken. "It Is your excellency's high duty to the Emperor and to the entire people of Russia Rus-sia to communicate the foregoing to his Majesty, the Emperor, today, without delay, de-lay, and also the contents of our petition attached hereto. Say to the Emperor that I. together with many workmen and thousands thou-sands of people of Russia, am irrevocably resolved, with my faith In him, to pro- ' ceed to the Winter palace. In order that ! he may show his faith by deeds and not by manifestoes." The document is signed by Father Gopon Go-pon and eleven representatives of sections sec-tions of the workmen's union. Father Gopon had a long Interview with Minister of Justice Muravleff today and' the Minister took formal comlxance of the demands of the strikers. He said that every one must do his duty and act according ac-cording to him convictions. tne autnoruies are extremely nervous, realizing that blood once spilled in the present temper of the excited men, spurred on by Socialist agitators, It Is Impossible to predict the end. The Emperor's advisers, however, declare de-clare he must put down the agitation with a Arm hand, and that if he yields, as Louis XVI. at Versailles, all may be lost. The present resolution of the Government Gov-ernment Is not to give way. While many drunken rows have occurred oc-curred and a number of men have been injured, no serious collisions have been reported up to. this morning. An enormous enor-mous number of arrests of known revolutionaries revo-lutionaries took place during the night. An attempt will be made to close all the bakers In order to threaten the city with famine. The workmen are also reported re-ported to have decided to cut the telephone tele-phone and telegraph wires and cut off St. Petersburg altogether from communication commu-nication with the outside world. Altogether the situation is most critical. Father Gopon, when apprised that the Government proposed to prevent pre-vent the demonstration tomorrow, issued is-sued Instructions to the men that they must go to the palace square with their wives and children, "but the men must be armed," he la reported to have said. ST- PETERSBURG, Jan. Si. The strikers are continuing their agitation with unabated activity. Throughout . the morning they have been parading the main streets in the center of the city and closing every industrial establishment- The agitation hitherto has been car-v car-v ried on with remarkable absence of ao-tnal ao-tnal violence, the committee of the union having issued instructions that everything be done as quietly as possi- (ble and that no personal violence be offered of-fered the police. Street traffic in the , leading thoroughfares is hardly inter-'fered inter-'fered with, the demonstrators fining I the streets politely making way for passing sledges. A list Of the 174 works closed as the result of yesterday's coercive measures shows that every Industry is involved, including railway construction and electrical engineering. In view of the probable failure of the electric supply for stores and offices, householders are laying in large stocks of candles. The public Is nervous and excited and the opinion is freely expresses that the Government will be forced 'to concede the demands of the men. Father Gopon, who was reported to have been kidnaped during the night, is understood to be at large this morning, morn-ing, going from place to place organUj |