THE TRIUMPH OF REACTION With all their moderate and cautious phraseology, the conclusions of the Pahlen Commission, whose members, as hide-bound conservatives, were forced to reckon with the anti-Semitic trend of the governing circles, implied an annihilating criticism of the repressive policy of that very Government by which the Commission had been appointed.

From the loins of Russian officialdom issued the enemy who opposed it in its manner of dealing with the Jewish question.
It must be added, however, that the opinions voiced by the Commission in its memorandum were by no means shared by its entire membership.

For while the majority of the Commission were in favor of gradual reforms, the minority advocated the continuation of the old repressive policy.
Owing to these internal disagreements, the Commission was slow in submitting its conclusions to the Government.

One more attempt was made to procrastinate the matter.

At the end of 1888 the Commission invited a group of Jewish "experts," being desirous, as it were, to listen to the last words of the prisoner at the bar.