Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-04
Statement of the Situation
From Buda-Pesth.
THE SPIRIT OF FREEDOM
BETWEEN CROWN AND
PARLIAMENT LONG STANDING.
Singular Position Of the Tisza Cabinet
Strained Relations with the
Nng-Unwise Counsellors.
,e of IL g Assoclnied Press.

Corr ,saondepce ~ tt Associated Press.
BUDA-PEsTH, Hungary. May -. 1906.
The existing political trouble in Hungary.
which Is in substance q contest between
crown and parliament. arouses limited
amount OF interest In SO far it affects.
In one way or another the internal affairs
of Hungary or the minor relations of the
component parts of the dual monarchy,
Austria and Hungary. but when 1t begins
to threaten the mutual existence. as ma
tional unity, of the dual monarchy, the
matter then assumes much broader I'M
portance and wider interest. The posi-
bilty of the establishment in central Eu-
rope of an Independent state, with treaty.
making powers. must be reckoned with as
important in Its possible effect the mu-
tual commercial relations of the present
states of central Europe, and it is not
without Its important political bearing on
the complex situation which centers In the
Balkan peninsula, for Hungary borders on
Bosnia, Servia, Roumania and Russia. and
there is reason to believe she would not be
averse should she become free state to
Russian Influence in the Balkans or at
COnStantinople.
The present trouble In Hungary cannot
be followed or studied without observing in
many of its phases evidences of strong
and growing tendency toward a national
life distinct and independent from that
with Austria AS matter of fact. the
trouble centers today in certain national
demands upon which the nation insists and
which the crown refuses to grant. The
greatest of these is that the Hungarian
language be used for the word Of COM
mand In the army in Hungary. by all off,
GERS holding the rank of major or lower
rank. German being used as heretofore by
all officers of rank higher than major.
For Independent National Life.
Tha. the Hungarian people have been
animated by a strong and deep desire for
an independent national life needs no fur
Their argument than the fact of the Mag
revolution of 1913 rendered notable by the
appeal of Louis Kossuth to England and
the United States. This failed but the
spirit which prompted that movement
manned alive and is alive today. 1t finds its
expression in continual effort to obtain
from the crown concessions toward a ma
tional existence independent of Austria, in
constant battling in the arena of political
control against any and all effort on the
part of the crown to impose its will against
the Will of the people or in any way what
soever to abrogate any OF the rights grant
ed to the Hungarian nation under its con-
stitution- In the words of a prominent
Hungarian leader. the struggle is, In it's
broader outlines, energetic affirmation
of popular rights against an undue preva-
lence of royal prerogative. Every opportu-
nifty to further the Hungarian ideal is
grasped with avidity today and the follow
ing reason certainly is not least among the
impelling motives. Franz Ferdinand, who
Will become King of Hungary upon the
death of the present King Francis Joseph,
is q comparatively unknown quantity He
Is generally credited with being anti-Hun-
garian and if the Hungarians have even
tually to contend with him they want to
get into their hands just as many weapons
for defense as they can.
The kings of Hungary must craa RI Or
cept and observe the Hungarian constitu-
ton. and to the Hungarians this instru-
ment Is their most sacred Inheritance. 1t
Is a thousand years old and IL is conse-
Grated in the blood of countless thousands
Of brave men on many fields of battle
Strife Between Nation and Crown.
Political strife between the Hungarian
nation and the crown Is no new thing and
interest therein is often only local. but
when. in the course of such strife the con-
stitution is threatened the nation awakens
to defense and aggression: and when the
strife reaches out to such lengths. then the
possibility of independence of the nation
comes to the fore In a series of national
demands Such demands are being made
today, as has been recorded in the Asso-
ciated Press dispatches.
Since the efforts OF the crown to force
upon parliament a ministry of the minority
after the opposition was elected last jan
the crown has refused the demand of the
majority for the use of the Hungarian
tongue in the army, and since the Hun
garians declared their constitutional rights
were being tnfringed upon by the crown
as an outcome of the political strife aris-
ing over the will of the crown on one side
and the opposition and demands of the ma
ton on the other the question has become
pregnant with interesting and important
possibilities.
Nor Is the matter without its serious
complications. internally and externally
The Hungarian parliament Is today an in
operative body. The ministry Is discred-
Tied. the premier powerless and legislation
Is impossible. The country is without re-
sponsible government. In condition of ex
legis, and there are important matters
ahead OF the dual monarchy which require
the cooperation of the Hungarian pariia-
ment for their fulfIlment. There are sew
eral commercial treaties between Austro-
Hungary and foreign states which lapse
on January 1, 1905.
New Commercial Treaties.
New commercial treaties with Germany
and Italy have been determined upon. but
they cannot become effective until passed
by the Hungarian parliament. and other
treaties are pending with Russia. Swltzer-
land and the Balkan states. The deputa-
tions last year appropriated 10000. 600 for
national defense, and contracts for much
Of this sum have already been given out
yet the money cannot be had until the
Hungarian parliament gives its consent to
the appropriation. And the parliament
practically says to the crown: I'VE will
do nothing until you agree to our army
demands" To which the crown replies:
You may have anything In reason except
the use of the Hungarian language In my
army: that you never can have"
The conditions which have led up to the
present conflict are these: Under the pre-
miership of Coleman Sell the government
made demands upon the Hungarian parlia-
ment for a considerable Increase in the
quota of army recruits to be supplied by
Hungary and a proposal to augment the
annual grant to the crown These demands
the Hungarians declined on what, to them
were good reasons, and finally their OPP
position to them developed into obstruc-
ton. They made counter demands upon
the crown, which were refused, and with
intervals of comparative peace the conflict
between parliament and crown was MAIN
tanned with energy through several minis
tries and for several years. Each side
gained minor points. and the strong weapon
of the house was always obstruction.