HOW DYNAMITERS ARE MADE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 2, 1 May 1885, Page 19

HOW DYNAMITERS ARE MADE.

Paris, February 4. The Poles have been ill repaid for their self-restraint during the Skiernewiecze interviews of the three Emperors. The Czar expressed delight at being allowed to ride through Poland unmolested. A new era of peace and conciliation seemed dawning. As soon as the Czar was back in Russia, however, all was changed. An imperial ukase, aggravating the injustice of the already oppressive Polish land laws was drawn up at Gatscbina and was issued last month. Outside the Empire it has attracted little or no attention. In Poland it has spread ruin and dismay. The Herald correspondent has a long talk to-day with a Polish prince, a most eminent representative of his nation. " The Czar has made us a strange New Year's gift," said the prince. " This ukase is so senseless and cruel that one almostjdespairs of making foreigners understand it." In reply to inquiries your correspondent was informed that under the law in force up to last month the Poles were forbidden to own, buy or inherit land. These privileges were filched from them by an imperial ukase soon after the repression of the last insurrection by Mourakiea. The object of this decree was to hasten the Russification of the conquered provinces. The Poles, finding they could not traie in estates with their neighbours, bad to sell their land for next to nothing to Russian land grabbers, who after 1863,. flooded Poland. Hosts of these Russians were of little standing, and so found it impossible to cultivate their property with profit, and left the country after mortgaging their land to Poles, who would gladly haye bought ifc back had the law not forbidden it. No pretext being given for fresh rigor, the Poles began to breathe more freely, especially as several ministers from time to time held out hopes of the abolition of the ukase. The new Gatschina edict, however, not only confirms the former one and forbids mortgage, even when regularly and legally drawn up by notaries, but its effect is made retroactive. It affects all previous transactions, and will lead to endless law-suits,, turn order into chaos, and put the Poles utterly at the mercy of Cttrupt and shamelesß Hussian officials." " Do you see no hope for Poland, Prince ? " asked your correspondent, when all this was explained to him. "No prospect of a revolution ? "

11 We trust in God," answered the prince, "but the future looks dark to us. Even war between Russia and Germany would not helpus now. Were war declared to-morrow, it would be fought out on our Polish plains. We should suffer double. Of revolution we dare not dream. We do our utmost to discourage it. What chance would our fowling pieces have against those Krupps and Gatlipgs 7 The times are terrible. Our liberty and our land are gone, ou* language is threatened, our religion is attacked, our bishops forbidden tomake visitations, our priests liable to be banished to Siberia any

moment if they bear confession or give absolution without authorization of the police. No there is no fear of a Polish revolution. All we ask now is leave to live." "And what do you think of the present state of Russia, Prince?" "Bad enough," was the reply. "The Czar trembles in his palace. He is in the hands of three men— enemies of western civilization — the abhorred Pobodonezow, his tutor, Kathow and Count Tolstorf . He has no conservative elements at his back. The nobles are both indifferent and disaffected. The peasantry are wretched, and may at any moment turn on their landlords and burn, rob or murder. Russia is Asiatic yet in many respects. The country is bo vast and the people so scattered that no revolution, as the French understand it, is possible in Russia. We may see murder, and wholesale carnage, but revolutions can only occur in the palace or in the army. I believe the Nihilists now direct their efforts to sapping the loyalty of the army. But Russia is a strange country, and things may go on as they are heaven knows how long."