The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-19

In order to bring out the significance
Of the Car rescript to the Poles, it may
be we'll to recall that when in May, 1854
the last Polish insurrection was sup
pressed, ukase OF ALEXANDER II. an
nounced that the Kingdom of Poland
had ceased TO exist, that thenceforth 1t
would be parceled ont into six govern
ments, and that no effort would be spared
to make it an indistinguishable part OF
Russia To that end orders were given
that the Russian language should be used
in all public documents instead of Polish,
that the University of Warsaw should be
Russified, and that the last vestige OF
local self-government should be wiped
out. Since then the assimilative policy
has been carried further in the educa-
tonal and religious as well as in the
political field. The Poles and Lithuanians
were prohibited from teaching their
native languages even in primary and
secondary schools, and in order to force
the members Of the Catholic Church to
become at least ostensibly Orthodox it
was decreed that Catholic Poles could
only acquire lands by inheritance or
descent, and not by purchase, or even
by testamentary disposition. The vexa-
ton and the hardship caused by this
regulation were almost uncomfortable, and
a large number Of perfunctory CONVEX
sions to Orthodoxy took place. Should
the present rescript be permanently en-
forced many of these converts would
doubtless embrace the opportunity OF
resuming their former faith.
1t is we'll known that the Hapeburg
Emperor has had no more loyal subjects
than are the Poles Of Galicia since he
has granted them complete local auton-
omy, together with proportionate repre-
eentation in the Cisleithan Parliament.
That loyalty has proved not irreconcila-
BILE with the devotion to the Polish ma
ttonalty of which Lemherg and Cracow
have been the foci for the last thirty
years. The Poles Of Posen and West
Prussia, who are represented in the
German Reichstag and the Prussian
Landtag, would be equally Jealous up
holders of the Emperor WILLIAM III.
had there not been persistent attempt
to Germanize those provinces. For
forty years there has been no doubt in
the minds of a large majority OF the Cars
subjects that Russian Poland would be
reconciled to political association with
Russia il it were placed on the footing
of Galicia, that is to say, if religious
federation were practised, if local SELL
government were guaranteed, and if on
the establishment of Russian Parlia-
ment the Poles should be represented
therein on equal terms with the Russians.
Nor would the Russian Poles, although
better fitted for representative institu-
tions than are the Muscovites, have de-
manded peremptorily at the outset the
adoption of a Constitution throughout
the Cars European dominions. For a
considerable period they would doubt
less have been contented with the priv
ilege of using their native tongue in
schools, with thorough religious liberty
and with such autonomy as was pledged
to them by ALEXANDER |.
The friends of liberty throughout the
world will rejoice to learn that hope has
dawned once more for gallant, SYM
pathetic and unfortunate people. Too
much reliance should not be placed, how
ever, upon the promises OF we'll mean
ing but weak and unstable sovereign. The
very rescript here outlined gives reac-
tonary bureaucratic six months in which
to frame the regulations needed to make
it operative. Six months hence the Car
may be relieved from the pressure now
exerted by the war in the Far East. Mean
while, it is an ominous indication Of what
may happen when the Grand Ducal
coterie no longer breads instruction
that liberal minded advisers are being
fast weeded out of the Emperors councils,
NJ. YERMoIoFF, the Minister of Agricul-
ture and the most outspoken advocate
of Parliament, having been constrained
the other day to resign his Office and
follow NJ. DE WITTE into virtual retire.
ment.