The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-25

Earth-Petty Village Riots Are Free
quent and Personal Persecution is the
RuIe-The Deadly Boycott Used-The
Larger Politics Involved in It.
Prague, Bohemia, Sept. 5.-(From New
York Herald'5 correspondent.)- Thirty
years ago Bohemia was still permeate
cities had still a decided German char
acter. The great struggle for racial and
iingual supremacy in that part of the
Austrian Empire over which Kaiser
Francis Joseph rules as King Of Bohe-
mia had, however, then begun, and it
Will be remembered how high the Czech
national ambition arose in the years sue
ceeding the disaster az Sadowa, when
Count Beust promised 10 give Bohemia
her virtual independence, the same as
Hungary, and Francis Joseph himself
Of Bohemia, just as in 1867 he met the
Mayer rnagnates in Budapest and had
assumed the crown Of St. Stephen amid
splendid ceremonials. Count Buest reign
ed in his stead, and Austria's pledges to
Bohemia We're forgotten. The lingual
struggle kept on, however. CZech's as
pirations for national recognition could
not be held in, and today the Czachs are
virtually masters in Bohemia; they have
created a powerful political party, lit
erture and a musical school Of their own,
and in intellectual life have arisen 10
tahe level Of their German competitors.
TO SUCCEED THE DUAL EMPIRE.
Before attempting TO give the story OF
this Bohemian nationnal government,
which threatens to end in another great
subdivision Of the empire of the Haps-
burgs-that is, in a triple instead OF a
dual empire-it is necessary TO devote
a certain amount OF space TO show to
what an extent the bitterness Of this
lingual and racial warfare has develop
ed. In Prague one naturally hears more
about the Czech language. If ne knows
the great European languages ne is cha
grinned and annoyed at having if he has
20 stay in that ancient capital, to master
another tongue-a tongue quite as diff
cult to him as would be Hungarian or
Russian, and Of no use whatever when
he has passed into German Austria or
crossed the northern Bohemian borders
into Saxony and Prussia. Fortunately,
the Greek alphabet + not portion Of
the Bohemia-Slavonic orthogra phy-the
lettering is in Latin cheracters-but the
Czech tongue defies you at every street
corner. It would only be natural. one
would think, that in a great capital like
Prague both the Czech and German Ian
guageJ should be used, for the benefit
of both nationalities as well as strangers;
but no! The Czech is in power, and on
" the Czech language must be used, in
spite Of common sense and equity. Yet
the law states distinctly that the German
language shall be used wherever the Ger
man language is customarily spoken.
But the City Fathers have said otherwise
and have determined IN their wisdom to
prohibit the German altogether. This Is
retaliation and nationalism carried to ri
dlculous pretensions. Fortunately, sev-
eral newspapers Of both parties are print
Ell in German, 50 that one gets clear
view of the grim condition that exists
al liz wealthy anu di anu I'M
conditions that exetnd almost up to the
northern borders-the land Of spruce and
mineral springs. where the German ele-
ment still holds its own pretty well.
PROTEST OF THE BOHEMIANS.
The executive committee OF one of the
great Bohemian parties recently passed
the following resolution:
in the name of the Bohemian Depu-
ties We protest against the prosecution
of the Bohemians. against the brutalit
les that have been done by fanstical Ger
mans against the Bohemian minority in
the so-called closed districts."
In this document the necessity of call
in gthe Bohemian Deputies TO a conven-
ton in Prague is urged. Before that
time, however. il has been resolved to
work out a memorandum. In which shall
be described the political, national and
iingual relations Of both nationalities in
the lands of the Bohemian crown, and
proof given that the oppressed national
ity is not the German but the Bohemian.
This congress will probably meet in Oc-
tober, and Bohemian Czech Deputies
without reference 70 political subdivisions
resolutions Will be discussed by the con-
g ess aiming at the carrying out OF the
equality Of the two languages Of the
country and the adoption Of measures to
;he effect that in all Offices OF state and
in al courts Of law the Bohemian lam
guage shall enjoy the same right as the
German.
COUNT BADENTS LINGUAL LAWS.
The protest against the prosecution OF
the Bohemians drawn by the Executive
Committee goes on - say:
The struggle which the Germans have
begun against The 'Sprachar Ordnungen.'
issued for the kingdom Of Bohemia and
the margraviate Of Moravia. Is no longer
a struggle Of the German Party against
tae ordinances Of the government. but
has become A persistent and unjustifia-
bic attack upon the Acknowledged legal
equity Of the Bohemian language in the
lands OF the Bohemian crown. With a
and inso,ence unworthy % a
Culterei nation, The honor. the existence
and the personal freedom % The individ- !
ual who hss remained true 70 MS Bohe- !
milan descent have been jeopa-dized. In
many cases Czechs have been driven
from their homes and compelled . seek
shelter IN districts where tneir fellows are
in the majority.
''BOhemianS have been given notice = !