Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-26
BILL FOR POLISH AUTONOMY
Measure Introduced in Lower House Of the
Russian Parliament
CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRATS OPPOSE IT
On Test vote Poles show COnstitu-
tiOnnlists that They Can DO
Nothing without Their
support.


providing for Polish autonomy introduced
in the lower house OF Parliament by the
Polish delegation. is being opposed by the
constitutional democrats. An article In the
Rech criticizes the project as based on
the principle Of federation instead Of pro-
vincal automy and says II has no chance
for adoption in it's present form. The
project establishes for Poland a separate
diet and an administration headed by a
viceroy. a judicial system, an independent
treasury and a budget The competence Of
the diet would extend to all legislation
affecting Poland not specifically reserved to
the central government among the reser-
vations being the emperor's civil list, the
orthodox church, the army, and navy
strategic railways, military service the
currency, customs and excise duties, and
the criminal code so far as treason and
revolution are concerned The ~det would
be convened, prorogued and dissolved by
the emperor, would sit annually for at
least three months and its decision swould
be presented to the emperor through a
Polish secretary of state who would have
a seat in the council Of ministers.
Viceroy of Polish Birth.
The bill also provides that the first diet
would be elected by universal, direct equal
and secret ballot; establishes the relations
between the diet and the viceroy, who
must be of Polish birth, and outlines the
judicial system, method Of local self-gov-
eminent, etc The Polish treasury would
collect all the revenues in the government
of Poland and bear a proportionate share
Of the civil list and in the payment Of
the interest on the national debt, except
the expenditures on railways outside Of
Poland. The proportions to be paid by
Poland Of the expenses of the national leg
islature, cabinet and the army and navy
would be fixed on the basis Of the decen-
NAL censu sof the empire. Poland would
retain representation in the lower house
of Parliament and questions of competence
of the Polish diet would be decided by a
joint commission of members of the lower
house of Parliament.
The Rech points out that the adoption
OF the bill would entail the dissolution of
Parliament and international complica-
tIons
Opposition to the Polish desires had been
expected from the conservatives, but not
from the constitutional democrats, who
several times have included the autonomy
Of Poland in their program. The latter,
however. found that though autonomy was
a Hbbu bdAAltCIN dbdlust Aht government
its realization would not be popular with
the Russian masses.
Poles show Their strength.
j. G. Tzereteli, social democrat. today
submitted to Parliament interpretations
concerning the oppressive measures adopted
by General Dracheffshi. project of St.
Petersburg. against the professional or
CARNATIONS and the sympathetic strike
which broke out April "a in the Cheshire
factory at Viborg, a suburb of St. Peters
burg.
The social democrats vehemently de-
nounced General Dracheffski, saying that
his indiscreet proceedings were calculated
to create an intolerable situation for the
workmen and might cause further sangui-
nary encounters between the police and
the laborites. The social democrats OF
all sections voted solidly against the con-
stitutional democrats, the members of the
right thus securing the adoption Of the
urgency proposal and finally the sanction
ing OF the Interpolation The deciding
votes were cast by the Poles who hither-
to had voted consistently with the consti-
tutional democrats, but supported the rad
icals solidly in this instance In revenge for
the attitude Of the constitutional democrats
on the question of Polish autonomy. This
indicates that the constitutional democrats
are powerless in Parliament without the
assistance of the Poles.