Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-15
BISMARCK FOE TO FREEDOM
Constitution for Russia Defeated by the
Iron Chancellor.
CHARGES MADE IN SECRET HISTORY
Polish Patriots Aroused by Recent
Publication and Enthused
by Prospects for the
Coming DOumR,


some time that the emperor Of Germany
would be pleased to add all Of Poland to
his domain is given greater interest by the
recent publication Of a chapter of the
secret history" Of Russia, which has been
discovered at St. Petersburg. According
TO this account, which bears all evidences
Of truth. Alexander H. with the advice and
assistance OF his minister OF state, Count
Loris Meilkon, had prepared an act grant
ing constitution TO the Russian empire,
including Poland This fact has been gen.
orally believed. but until now no one out
side of governmental circles knew why
the act was never promulgated.
In the present revelation we are again
shown that all measures for the relief Of
the Russian people have heretofore been
passed upon by the emperor Of Germany.
In the case in point. the PRONUNCIATION Of
the decree was checked by William I, by
aid of his dark spirit, Otto Won Bismarck.
Statement of the History.
Freely translated the secret history
recounts:
"On March 20, 1884, at a special meeting
Of the Russian ministers the principal
question presented was the Loris Melikoff
program for a constitutional and repre-
sentative assembly of the Russian people
The first word on the subject was spoken
by the minister of war, Melutin, known as
a man of liberal ideas. He said:
" our late emperor, Alexander II, upon
assuming the throne, planned many pro-
gressive measures. He, by reforms started
at the beginning Of his reign, intended to
reorganize the whole system of the gov
eminent of the fatherand. His unfortu-
nate assassination by Korokozoff ended the
great plans of the liberal monarch. Since
he Of 81 ntb
forms have been slowly brought about and
many of them have been misconstrued by
the subordinate oficeholders.
" Naturally, in such a state of affairs
the best and most liberal intentions of
monarchs would fail, and really from the
day of the death of Alexander II, the pro-
gressive life of Russia languished. Dis
satisfaction was apparent, but progress
was unknown. Later the community's
spirits began to revive; the people breathed
easier and the actions of the government
recalled to them the best times in the
reigns Of the best emperors.
AT the close of the reign Of Alexander
| IT plans were prepared for those great
reforms which we hope to soon realize.
The good news was made public and all
right-minded people rejoiced. All neigh
boring nations applauded the idea
Emperor williams Part.
at this point Alexander stopped the
| speaker and said:
"'That is all true with one exception.
| When Emperor william heard that my
| father intended to give a constitution TO
| Russia he beseeohed him, in his own
| handwriting, not to do IL. He also adj
| vised my father, i'm case it should be
| found impossible to prevent the meeting
of representatives of the people, to limit
its power to minimum by keeping the
imperial power above that of any as
sembly'
After these words from the emperor
| the strongest opponent of progressive
measures was the chief procurator OF the
orthodox synod. NJ. Pobiedononzeoff."
The following shows plainly that. as
/ Metternieh acted in 1890, so Bismarck
acted in 1881, both working against re-
forms in the Russian empire. Now the
Russian nation, as well the Polish
| people, who are historically closely bound
! with each other, win keep in mind the
fact that the hope of twenty-five years
! ago was dashed through the activity of
the crowned head of Prussia.
strength of ReactIOnarIes.
At the present time things are assuming
an interesting phase Reaction is strong
in st. Petersburg and by aid of Office
holders in the provinces wonders can be
| performed. This point can best be illus
trated by an incident:
| Alexander Ledwicki, Polish attorney
at law. has just returned from Moscow,
! where, as a probable candidate for the
! Duma. he had intended to deliver an ad-
dress outlining his political creed particu-
! larly his idea on the Polish question. The
chief of police of Moscow prohibited the
meeting.
At the time of his return several of us
called on him, and on being questioned as
to our political horoscope he said:
1.-THE best reply to these questions Is
that made by friend. Her majesty, the
revolution for II the revolutionary move
ment refuses 10 be crushed; If the political
pendulum swings TO its extreme, It will
bring social changes with It; but the fu-
ture is so dark that only faith in the
genius of the Polish people and the final
triumph of its culture points to the bright
future at the end of thorny path
Depends on the Dana.
| But TO get a more direct answer we
must take into consideration the question
Of whether the Duma based on suffrage
| so free as that outlined in the proclama-
ton, will even meet. The main character
| Of the elections 20 the proposed Duma is
the class representation by which voters
must vote in their own social class. By
this method conservatives hope that peas
ants will aid the forces OF reaction, anc
thus. should the liberal or revolutionary
party make gains In some quarters, it
would be drowned In the flood of votes
from representatives of the peasants,
guided by the adopts Of legal rights
who can say which side is right between
those who claim that the government will
surely win and those who insist that in
such crisis as this despotsm must
always fall? In the majority of cases
among all national parties thought Of the
platform is lost in the personality of the
men raised up 10 fight despotism In this
fact may lie surprise and discontinue for
the government; for the great middle class
voters. excepting those Of st. Petersburg,
will send men 10 the Duma, 70 stand by
the guarantee OF the constitution. OF the
people really faithful 20 the present system
some desiring slight notifications, are
FIRST, the ONCE holders, who are the real
'standpatters OF Russia; second, the large