Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-17
THE POLISH QUESTION.

The disorders I'm Poland prove suf-
nciently that The people there would
rise and strike for independence, Il
they had a leader capable Of organ
i2lng the dissatisfied elements for "a
regular conflict. But IN Poland. as
elsewhere throughout the vast em-
pire. there seems 20 be a lack OF
leadership Al is chaos Here and
there a bomb IS fired. and riot IS pro-
yoked, but apparently To no purpose
Poland was crushed and partitioued
ln 1894. after a long period Of in-
tornal strife and disorder caused
chiefly by the Unsuitable ambition Of
the mobiles w 1912 the European
powers assembled IN congress at Wen
ga for the purpose Of rcadjusting the
affairs Of the continent after the Ma
poleonic wars. gave 10 Russian Po'
land a constitution and recognized
Car Alexander as king OF that king
dom. hut the tyranny Of Russian Of
fcials caused dissatisfaction and ~
1880 the Poles revolted. They gained
some victories, but these were fruit
less The Instruction was put down
and the constitution abolished Rus
sian brutality ragged unchecked FOR
long time.
Alexander II was benevolent mon-
arch and instituted some reforms IN
Poland. but his father had on his
deathbed exact d the promise from
him never to give Poland a oonslitu-
ton. He did not and the reforms
llanted were insufficient for the res
tpratlon Of peace. In 1868 another
revolution broke out. with disastrous
results. The leaders were slaughter
ID. or exiled 20 Siberia. and gloom
settled over the country. Alexander
was bounded by nihilists who. finally.
murdered him, and that crime caused
a reaction In Russia against liberal
reforms. which has had its effects TO
the present ,ime. Poland has felt
this reaction heavily The policy Of
Tho Cars has been 10 obliterate both
the name and the language OF that
country Russian was made the lam
puage OF the schools and the courts.
Men Of intelligence were generally
bounded until they preferred exile.
The young men were seized for the
army Misery has been the common
lot of Polish patriots since the melan-
choly struggle for liberty IN 1858. At
this time, the Poles ask not for au-
tcnomy but for local government
under the Car. They ask for a status
similar To- that Of Finland. But they
will, no doubt, ask In vain. II Russia
can withhold the boom Finland was
deprived every vestige Of liberty only
a few years ago. The spoil, however
was restored because It became neces-
sary to reconcile the Films lest they
should join the general revolutionary
movement n the autocrat succeeds
IN restoring tranquility Finland will
again be deprived Of her constitution.
n this conclusion Is correct Russia
cannot be expected 10 be willing to
grant liberty 20 Poland.
At present there seems TO be an
expectation among the educated
classes Of the country that Providence
viii interfere in behalf 81 the OPP
pressed nation Polish poets. We arc
told. represent Poland as elected ~
God 90 preach to the peoples, not by
words. but by deeds. the great and
holy principle Of terrestrial nationals
ties. namely. that only by being pre-
served iuviolablc and holy can they
al length unite 90 forming a humanity
AT once harmonious and universal"
France. these modern seers declare,
breaches the love ~ men, philan-
ihropy and Poland breaches the love
of God. This would indicate that
me Spirit of the Lord Is moving 90 a
peculiar manner upon the Polish peo-
pie. 90 the present time. and who can
say that their time Of deliyerance
may not be near. On spite ~ the plans
~ autocrats? The Polish question
IS one VI those inherited from an age
of barbarism, which must be- per-
mancntly settled before peace on earth
can become universal