The San Francisco call., 1906-05-30

feet; Tor though the reports OF his speech
were eonfiscated by the Russian authori-
ties, it was not until thousands Of copies
had been sent into the country districts
and the provincial towns, Henry Sienkie-
fwicz's electoral speech will long be treas
ured by his fellow countrymen. The gift
ed author, like many OF his kind, shows
to far better advantage in print than upon
the platform, His shy. retiring nature.
little fitted for public speaking, shrinks
from crowds. His voice. though melo-
dious, does not carry far; and 1t is. there
fore, more profita BILE to read his speeches
than TO listen to them, In fact, Henry
Sienkiewicz is never so happy as in the
teclusion of his country house. a gift of
the Polish nation to the man who has
made Poland's hopes and Poland's history
famous throughout the world. There.
dressed in a. green shooting suit and fol-
lowed by his favorfte dogs, he wanders
about in absolute security from the prying
gaze of the curious, for 1t Is half-day's S
journey over the worst roads in the land
from the nearest railway station at Oblen-
gorek. He sees few friends, and In mo-
ments of expansion 1t is his boast that
the most daring interviewer has not yet
succeeded in gaining admittance to his
presence. Even in Warsaw, he leads the
life Of a hermit. Society has no charms
for him and his face is rarely seen at a
play or a concert. 1t is only upon occa-
sions of national need that he emerges
from his retirement and shows himself to
the people who admire him so much. 1t
was one of these cases which led to the
composition of this speech, whose value
apart from its literary worth, cannot be
overrated,' for there Is not the least
doubt that it did much to save the cause
of the Polish patriots who have already
gained victory which they are certain of
retaining throughout the elections for the
Douma, upon which so many hopes are
centered throughout the Russian empire.
The speech, the principal extracts of
which are here given, begins with the
following words:
siENkiEWlcz's SPEECH.
Citizens--I stand up among you today to per-
form citizens duty and to say few words
in copnection with the great and serious business
we have now engaged upon. win not speak
of the necessity of participating In the eee-
tions even those who declared they were i'm
possible while martial law Is still in force ad-
nit their necessity today. Those who threat
ened, frightened. who wesned our people away
from us--and who have. alas. kept many of
them, now rush to the hustings. as If 10 mock
deceived. We. therefore. cannot present such an
unbroken front as we would wIsh-a fact by
need to speak of that here, for You all under-
stand what mean But for this very reason,
",
order TO be able to choose such delegates as
win really represent the spirit of the Polish peO-
pie and who win be ready to nght to their last
breath for the rights we must acquire. rights
which belong to every great nation, and, there
fore. TO ours.
May these delegates not lean too much to the
Russian side. May they remember who they are
and who sent them. May they ever keep the
have played in our hearts! or our fame! OF our
national indiv duality May they know, not
how to fawn and bow, but to demand with dig
10 hOrrlA he rTr.-
| indeed a gigantic one. For instance: we hear
evergrowing rumors that certain districts of the
on from the kingdom of Poland--of some pro-
jects and propositions which are to be placed be-
are being discussed by the Council Of Ministers.
SOIL BELONGS TO POLAND.
Citizens! That is soil which has belonged to
Poland and been soaked with Pelands blood for
a thousand years! All that is life. labor. cui-
Pofands hands. Therefore. the delegates '' who
consent to its dismemberment. who will not, like
Reytau. lay their bodies across the threshold Of
] the House rather than let it be done, will be
no patriotic delegates. but treacherpus delegates
and the eleetor who giYes his vote to such. to
of the same word. So it is Our representa-
tiyes have gigantic and two-fold tasS to per.
form form for they must both attack and defend
eminent which win not give US all we under
stand by the word autonomy" Ii is but one
means Diet in Warsaw: with the power of
passing laws which shall govern the whole corn-
try; 1t means Polish tribunal: 1t means Polish
Administration from top to bottom; it means
Polish schools; ii means the uhfettering OF hands
to work In country that has been squeezed
and cheated denied the cultural influence Of raii-
ways OF roads, OF bridges or canals. of schools
of hospitals. of sanitation, of asylurns OF or.
phanases, of societies, of labor organizations of
care for the working classts. of ednca tion of an
in Il word which guarantees the progress develop,
ment and culture of the future.
We committed no crime In the course of our
independent history; we were only guilty of huge
mistakes But our fathers before us and we
who live today, have suffered for all times and
for all mistakes-aye bitterly, sufficiently and
out Of measure. At least may our children at
| least may the generations that are to come be
happier than and breathe at last the
breath Of freedom! Therefore, we must. win
autonomy; for without 1t there will be no life
Tor them. But the task seems so immense that
we invountarily ark ourselves: rs il not a
mere dream OF our wise men? Are our vet fet-
| tered hands equal to the task - No. citizens
/ 1t Is no myth. Whether the demand made openly
and at once will be immediately granted; wheth-
| er we shall hsss to climb tn autonomy as up the
| rHngs of siesing ladder, time alone can show
But we must remember that strong political
| party In Russia is advocating our cause, The
members of this party understand that the bond
! age which crashes them depends to great ex.
/ tent on the bondage which crrshes us.
! Their own souls yearn for freedom. therefore