New-York tribune., 1909-09-02

OFFERS TO PAY FOR A CONSTITUTION
Grand Duke Adolphus Frederick Of Aecklenburg-
Streltz has offered make free gift Of l0o9l"g'
marks tnat is TO say, about S2,5olcJl, to the nd
tIOual treasury of has grand duchy II the mobiles who
now constitute the Overwhelming majority Of the
Diet viii abandon their opposition to Ais grant 20
the people Of constitution similar to that OF the
other sovereign states OF the confederation known
as the German Empire
At tie present rsomeut legislative power IN the
grand duchies II MeclenburE-S Strelitz and Of Meek
ieubu-R- -SchVeriI is restricted exclusively TO the
mobiles and TO the owners OF so-csed RI;terguter,
that Is 10 say Of estates which invest their owners
with the prerogatives Of a lord OF the manor. The
hureonlasters mayors OF some OF the larger
towns and cities have oficio, seats in the Diet
But the masses Of the people, that is 20 say the
l0urgeolsio. the mercantile and manufacturing
classes the peasantrv and the laboring element,
have no representation at all in the Diet, and AL
though they furnish the bulk ~ the annual reve-
nue. through direct and indirect taxation, they
have uo voice whatsoever I'm the enactment of
these taxes In the expenditure of the revenue or,
ir6eed ln the administration Of the government
For several wears past. ever since the acoes-
sion rhp throne of the present grand dukes ~
EfockcurgrF-Schu and Necklenburg-St -Strelitz,
they have been eudeavoriuG I'm vain 20 bring about
p change of this condition 81 affairs. which has
become all the more ir5olorablc since the masses
har. vote in Tic election of Representatives iu
the ReiclstsE. Imperial Parliament, at Berlin.
and voice therefore in the government of the ON
pi-e thoug not In that Of their own grand ducni"s.
But the two grand dukes have found themselves
confronted hy The most bitter opposition tho
par' ot tl.o uohes who insist that Tho grand dukes
are pnvre.Iass 70 modify the existing condition "f
arairs without fheir legislative consent and that
the' not disposed 10 surrender one iota of their
Trerogatives, whion date from medieval times and
from the eighteen h century. when the privileges
Cf The mobiles were carried % such ipordinate
lengths as 10 precpitate popular revolutions which
found their most notable expression IN France IN
1853 7 need hardly add that the diets ~ the two
grand duchies. composed as they are place almost
tle whole burden ~ the t8Nation upon the people.
while rol ewing their own caste of tho weight 10
'Ha roIut ~ almost entire immunity.
Ir Russia we have witnessed within the last four
-esrs fhc spectacle of the Emperor carrying
through hs determination ~ endow his people
with = parliamentary form ~ government. in tho
fare ~ most bitter opposition. which would have
Discouraged and defeated p Jess earnest and weaker
man. Thoro tho opposition came almost entirely
from the burea ucvacy. aided Sna abetted hv tu"
members of his family, who. virtually with
on exception nave been hostile 90 his liberal re-
forms. uut while the obstruction ~ thc bureau
cfac, was uat 10 he despised since the Emperor
was compelled 80 rely upon its members for the eN-
eautuu af Lis commands. tho dstaste 81 The mobiles
Tor ris projects did not carry any weight since
The allstocfacy of Russia has long since been shorn
~ ts class prerogatiyes ana rights
L. 80, kIenaiirg- Strelitz and Meckenperg-Scl'."-
TIn b. is different There the mobiles aTe sth ia
a,-poYsrI4l exercise 81 their foudal rights Argu-
nirnts and eutrcatles the part ~ the Nv" grand
dukes during tine Last four years have failed 10
diminish their oHstiuate objection 20 popular i'ii"
~ government THE Grand Duke u Mecldenburs-
r..a.fL Dos NOW seeking 60 move them ~ hls prom
.-o of Rlft ~ lDrJ0GJj marks 10 the nau"haI
i'ta....-g queer spe,ta,ie. that 81 an 'flsA''i''
tgler ,aIl,a-o.lu- 60 BrIua lIs subjects INTO "'-
'apfrF more liberal form of government IMAM
llai which they oijor.
NgEARrHs sr.D MASSES AGAINST MOBILES
ii. as expected. this tgp fails, nothing VIII i'
aaH laI ta. grand dukes hut 10 dead win '"'
4''.lcm ut means oi coup a ctlt, ia "i.-h u's
NA Virtually place tH.usolvos at in' bead "I
popular revolution OF the masses against tle
classes, and viii proclaim hy means 81 soNer'ls"
'aicf ilo reforms refused by the mobiles, d'Fosihs
"t ia'tcr ~ thelr monopoly ~ the goFelIlih''
ana IL tho.r old fcudal rights
Dl courf'. the -"o grand dukes nave been 4e'
''ctant until now 10 % this. for they fee them
'--Ees in q measure bound by the vows, winch ihey
He compelled 10 take on their accession -
0AefVe 5hc agreements between thc Crown ana the