New-York tribune., 1905-11-14
POLAND.

1b, FIRST reaI interrupton of the work of re-
form in Russia proceeds from Poland lhat
unhappy country is involved in state OF prac-
tical civil war The people largely REJECT the
Cars offer of constitution Iney refuse 10
coonerate with the rest Of the empire in the
establishment of National Assembly. They
demand that Poland shall have its ancient CON
stitution and separate administration restored,
as Finland has had. and they declare they Will
he satisfied with nothing less. In reply the
Car tells them he will tolerate no attacks upon
the integrity of the empire. and he withdraws
from them all benefits of his recent reform mani
festoes until they show more peaceful and rea-
sonabe disposition.
The incident will cause much regret; hui
sympathy. save from q purely sentimental
source will chiefly be with the Gar. There is
a great and radical difference between the
cases of Finland and Poland. The formers in
dependence was not attacked until six years
90. and then for fault whatever of the
Finns while the constitution Of the latter was
abolished seventy-five years ago in consequence
of its insurrecton its separate administration
was abolished forty-one years ago because of
another rebellion. and as much as thirty seven
years ago Poland completely incorporated
into Russia Theoretically, lapse of time can
not make a wrong right. Practically, there is
much more reason for undong a recent wrong
and to which they have not become habtuated
than for undorg one of ancient date, in which
there has been much acquescence and to which
the people and their institutions have long been
accustomed.
There has long been. and doubtless will long
be- vast amount of sympathy with Poland on
sentimental and romantic grounds. The char
acters ard careers of some Polish patriots espe-
caliy appeal TO Americans. and the undoubted
expressions which the Polish people have at
times suffered have shocked humanity. The
partition of Poland" viii probably always be
regarded as one OF history's monumental
crimes. From THAI judgment we may not dis
sent. and of course we must earnestly dep"ecate
any oppression o. the Poies-as of any other
people. Historically however. we must als1
remember that the Poles at one time invaded
spoliated and oppressed Russia, thqt the Polish
kingdom was for many years one Of the worst
troublers of Europe and that the fall of Po-
land was not materially dssmilar from that
of various other European states concerning
which little or nothing is said Practt-
cally. at the present time. insuperahle OBJ
stacle to Polish rehabilitation lies in the fact
that portions of the old kingdom belong to
Prussia and Austria. and these have as good
right to restored independence as the Russian
part; wherefore the restoration of the kingdom
would involve the remaking of the maps of the
other two empires as well as of Russia, step
which of course they will not take.
1t would be highly agreeable to peace
contentment and prosperity restored TO the
Polish people and to see the blessings of q
free popular government conferred upon them
But from q practical point of view those ends
seem far more likely to be attained through CO.
operation with the Russian people in the i'm
provement of the opportunities of emancpa
ton now opening before them than through
stubborn turning back toward the things that
were lost three-quarters of a century ago.