New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-24
Democracy. That concern may as well put up
,fs shutters
BUNGARYS IRELAND.


Croatia and Ireland are companion studies IN
European politics. In each instance there Ia an
irrepressible race feeling in opposition to the
governing class, and there ia also a periodical
agitation Of extreme violence In favor OF home
rule. The Croats, like the Magyars, the CzechS
and the other races of the composite EMPIRE
have strong Nationalist instincts. When inc
attempt was made in 1861 TO form centralized
parliament In which all the States should DC
represented, Croatia and Hungary refused 10
send delegations to it, Under the Compromise
of 1867 the Magyars obtained their hearts de-
SIRE The traditions of the Crown OF St.
Stephen were respected, and Ia parliament ana
n responsible Ministry were comic rred upon
Hungary proper Croatia, Transylvania ana
Slavonia The movement of parties has been
natural since the restoration OF the Constltu-
ton, and there has always been spirited ana
critical Opposition, as is inevitable when the
political instincts of the people are Keen. Inc
Magyars were satisfied, for they had the same
ascendancy in the Parliament at Pesth which
the English have at Westminster; but the
Croats, like the Irish, being fully,endowed with
the instincts of self government, were Jealous
of interference in home legislation. 1t made
llLLle ulUeTeDce 10 JucDl NHobhci ehShS "'N~ ~"
imperial parliament at kVienna, Cor central
lied Hungarian diet at Pesth, so long as their
Nationalist aspirations were Systematically re-
pressed.
The greatest statesman Hungary has ever
produced, Deak, succinctly stated the main
ground of Croatian dsaffectlon In his ADDRESS
TO the Emperor in 1861. "That country" he
said. shas never been incorporated with Hun
gary, but only federatively united with IT,"
The anti Magyar feeling had been increased by
an illiberal language policy, with which so
liberal q statesman as Kossuth had identified
himself. Originally Latin was the official Ian
guage used in the Diet at lPtsth, and IN all de-
partments of administration. In 1880 the
Magyars sought to substitute their own tongue
for Latin, and in 1S47 the attempt was made
to uproot the vernacular even in the provincial
diets and law courts. One of the FIRST acts of
the Diet after the reorganization OF the En-
pire in 1868 was the repeal of the laws whereby
the use of the Magyar language was made
CON pulsory in all the county assemblies. Sub
seduenty law of natonalties was passed,
and the long standing controversy between
Hungary and Croatia was temporarily adjusted
by a compromise arranged by Deak, and rat
ifrd by delegations from the Diets of Pesth
aud Agram. Croatia WIS allowed to exercise
home rule in all details Of internal administra-
lion, and all matters relating to the army, GUS
toms and finance were relegated to the Hungar-
ian Diet. in which the smaller State was al
lowed 81 deputies. These deputies were en-
powered TO discuss and vote upon measures
relating o.their own State. This arrangement,
so different from the course adopted 10y Eng
land toward Ireland, has not removed the causes
of dsailection. The reconciliation OF the TWO
countries has been retarded on one SIDE by n
return to tie illiberal language policy and by
arrogance in dealing with provincial prejudice,
and on the other by the steady growth OF
national sentiment. The origin o. the present
disturbances was the intolerance of the Hun
garan officials, who persisted in placardlng
Government notices in their own language,
and thereby irritating unnecessarily the Croat S
pride in his own race. The peasants in various
districts have quickly taken sides with the
rioters Of Agram, and pulled down the arms OF
the communcs on the pfetence that they repre-
scented the sovereignty of Hungary. The rapid
spread of disailection shows that the question
of rival languages is subordinate issue, and
that there is a genuine agitation of extreme Biz
terness in favor of Croatian nationality. In
deed, the movement may have n larger signlii-
cauce. The Croats may consider the existing
arrangement with Hungary a specious one,
under which they have no real political auton-
omy. and they may be clamorng for home rule
precisely as the Irish members are doing.
Then, again, the Croats may have suddenly re-
membered that they are Slavs, and that great
circle of Slav States may be formed under their
leadership. Large ideas have strange fascn-
alton for an imaginative race like thelSlays.