The record-union., 1897-06-26

sentiment the national religion and |
the love for the national traditions are
too deeply rooted in the hearts of the
people for that, and all attempts in that
direction have lamentably failed, the
only result having been still further to
accentuate the difference between the
two races by reducing the Poles to the
condition of political pariahs, that is
to say, a caste apart, deprived Of the
civic rights and provileges of the Rus
sian-born subjects of the Car. But
while Poland cannot be Russianized, it
can be transformed into an invaluable
ally, and if any doubt prevailed in the
mind of the present Car it must have
been set at rest by the phenomenal
success which has attended the policy
in this direction pursued in Austrian
Poland by Emperor Francis Joseph.
THE AUSTRIAN TACTICS.
Austria's tactics toward her Polish
provinces have been entirely different
from those of Russia and of Prussia
While the two latter have endeavored
to crush the national sentiment, the
Viennese authorities have fostered it.
and Francis Joseph has made point
of conceding as much autonomy as he
possibly could toward his Polish lieges.
The result is that to-day there are no
more devoted adherents, no more chiv-
alrously loyal supporters of the Haps-
burg dynasty than the Polish aristoc-
racy and the peasantry of Galicia. They
hail Francis Joseph, not as their EN-
peror but as their King" and are now
engaged in raising by popular subscrip-
ton a national fund to be used in the
restoration of the former glories of the
old Polish Kings palace on the Mount
Wavel, at Cracow, which is to be pre-
sented to Francis Joseph on the forth
coming fiftieth anniversary of his ac-
cession to the throne. The Galician peas
antry make magnificent cavalry SOL
diers, and the Polish nobility the most
dashing and brilliant of cavalry officers.
Moreover, the Polish aristocracy pos
sess so much intuitive shrewdness ana
innate diplomacy that from their ranks
have been recruited many of the most
responsible and valuable servants of the
Austro- Hungarian crown. Thus, the
Prime Minister of Austria at the pres
ent moment is Polish noble, Count Ba-
deni, while Emperor Francis Joseph en-
the occasion of his recent State visit to
the Court of st. Petersburg was ac-
companied by another great dignatary
of Polish nationality, Count GolouchoW-
ski, popularity known as "'Golou," who
fills the office of Minister of Foreign Al
fairs for the dual empire, and likewise
the duties of Minister and Chancellor Of
what is known as the imperial house of
Austria
Without recommending the Car to
intrust the destinies of Russia to Polish
mobiles, as has been done in the case Of
Austria by the Emperor Francis Jo-
seph who has never made the mistake
of attempting to AustrianiZe his Polish
subjects, there is no reason whatsoever
why Nicholas if he continues in his
present enlightened course of policy,
should not convert the Poles into just
as loyal and as devoted vaSsals and
supporters of his throne as are the Gal
icians in connection with the crown OF
Austria Hungary. And it may be added
that no happier time could have been
chosen for the beginning of new pol
lev of this kind in Russian Poland. For
if comedies with a renewal of Emperor
Williams singularly ill-advised en-
deavors to Prussianize Posen; that is to
saw. that portion of the former Kingdom
of Poland which at the time of its par
+ition in the last century was awarded
to Prussia.
People in the past have been so much
accustomed to look for despotism and
tyranny on the part of Russia that no.
bodv has paid much attention to Prus-
sia's persecution of her Polish subjects.
True. there have been times when the
persecution has abated for a period,
faT. ha hPRn
nature to reflect no credit on the au-
thorities at Berlin. 1t has been 1nVa-
riably due, not to any sense of justice,
nor to any consideration Of statecraft,
but merely in consequence of the inf1u-
ence exercised at Court by some Pol
ish noblewoman possessed of the beau
ty and captivating charms of her race.
AS long as Bismarck remained at the
head of affairs this served to intensity
his hatred of the POLES, and the latter,
| looking upon him as one of the bitter
| est foes of their race, naturally TOOK
| conspicuous part in every court cabal
| against him, for which, it is true, he
lost no opportunity of revenging him
self. When the old Emperor died and
the influence which the princely house
| of Badziwill had exercised upon him
| came to an end. Bismarck had free
hand and oppressed the Poles, mobiles
as we'll as the peasants, to his heart S
content.
EMPEROR WILLIAMS CAPTIVITY.
This continued until his disgrace
Shortly afterward the young Emperor
became subjugated by the grace and
beauty of Baroness Kosciol- -Koscielski
wife of one of the leaders of the Pol
ish party in the Prussian House of
| Lords, and perhaps the most popular
among his countrymen of all their ma
tional poets and playwrights. The
mastery which the Baroness, by quite
! legitimate means, obtained over the
young Emperor was so great that it led
to his majesty's complete reversal of
the Bismarckian policy toward the
| Poles whereupon the ex-Chancellor, in
| the course of a public speech declared
| that :" the Polish influence *augments to
| the detriment of Prussia always in the
measure that some Polish family OBJ
| tains more or less influence at court.
need not mention that of the Radziwills
and to-day we have exactly the same
state of affairs Bismarcks allusion
TO the Radziwills was a reference to
the old Emperors -grande passion"
for that lovely Princess Elizabeth Rad
twill. whom he was al one moment on
the point Of marrying and to whom he
remained devoted throughout her life
time.
This, however. did not stay young
| Emperor William. On the contrary, it
served merely to incite him to show
more and more favor to the Kosciols,
and in Difference to their entreaties he