New-York tribune., 1886-01-31
RisvIRCK AND THE POLES.


r. :, ,,.II anouob known that Bismarck has
1;4tI. Ii,,iro for constitutional and representa-
five government, but even his marked prefer
cpce for an absolutlSt system was ho''' %
frankly exhibited as in his remarkable speech
before the Prussian Landtag on the eXpu'sion
of the Poles from East Prussia. haC nc Pu'S
forward "a the explanation of that hlgh-hahueu
measure will not indeed bear to DE regarueo
from liberal point Of view. The Poles, says
tbo Chonc,lIor. have not been loyal to the EN-
ri,o Ce,toinly there is no reason why they
sbould be. The Empire simply stands Tor the
brnte force which in defiance OF every piihc'pic
of ustjce and equity dismembered thcif cou.-
fry. parcclled them out like cattle among greeuS
robber-kings. and ever since has Dcen oOihE us
utmost to destroy their nationality, even guns
50 far in more than one instance as 10 Ioi oIu
thom to sneak their own language. IL Is not
much more than a century since this great crime
vas committed, and the Poles are people
tenacious of life and with tho instructive
passion for liberty strong in their blood. lhat
as German subjects they should prefer the
Doljtics of tho l. bcrals to the feudal absolatism
Of p,iuco Bismarcl is natural. But this choice,
ocrordiur to the Chancellor, is the excuse lof
treating them only less nhumaniy thah aou''
the Fourteenth treated the inhabitants Oh the
Palatinate. ,,...
1t seems scarcely credible that the Mllll"'oi
of the German Empire should entertain 80
cynical a contempt for the whole modern ueih"
cratic movement rs 10 enforce, WIN u'h'"'
hordihood. Il line of action which according 10
his own showing is a rcvcraon to meuieE'i
rothods. and is moreover in violation OF the
iuprrial constitution. But Bismarck has rot
heen coutcnt with avowinS policy such rs
would hay G comportcd with the insane saVaEeIy
~ Frederic William the First of Prussia; he mas
nrocecded to threaten the Rcichstag with what
may o,sily b, construed to mean either
radical derivation of fuLctiops ora dissolution.
OF coursc his prctcnce Of unique PATRIOTISM II
merely cover for the prosecution OF scHeHl'S
90 opposcd 10 nil constitutional doctrines 'h".
the consent of the Rcich-taG cannot be OD'aiieu
for them. lie has expelled the Poles to reduce
the Liberal majority, and he declares that ne Is
prcpared to % much further " in the delepcc
Of his country" that in fact he Will not he''''o
- (cttrr. cmasculatc or break up the heIchS'aS
itself. if no other way remains by Whlch nc
can obtain his will.
The Chancellor certainly has the courage oil
his opinions, ana noJ it'N C'' 'l"'"'' '' =. -,
tcnance in these days requires courage. Moth
ing stops him either in carrying OUT MS nle's,
urcs. II is not enough tha; the P0Ies shou'u
BE- expelled The possibility OF their return
must be guarded against by icr1hdlhS INC
German colonists put in their places 10 marry
women of the doomed nationality. PIinco
! Bismarck may have had 4 double motive IN inc
exploitation of his patent method OF reducing
th, Liberal majority. lie may have wished TO
show his Tory friends in England how hc would
settle the Irish question if it came IN his way
II is very evident that Parncllisn would not De
tolerated in the Rrichstag, even II II was
necessary to destroy the institution to eliminate
the intruder That is the absolutist way ot
doing things. 1t must he admitted that 1t mas
in this stage of tie worlds progress an ante
dIluvian flavor