The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-06

the heterogeneous possessions OF the
Hapsburgs Is complicated, the particu-
lar question which lies at the root OF the
existing crisis is simple. Last January
Premier TIszA, the head OF the 30 called
Liberal party, after trying to suppress
parliamentary obstruction in the 'haIh-
Der Of Deputies by the application OF the
closure, a proceeding denounced by MS
opponents as an infringement OF Hun
gary's constitutional liberties, dissolved
the Diet and appealed to the constituent
cies. The result was an unexpected
and overwhelming defeat of the Liberal
party. 1t is true that the Opposition was
by no means homogeneous but all OF us
elements, Conservative as well as kadl-
cal, combined to form SO called INDIE
pendence party" the platform OF when
is for the moment limited to three
demands. The first of these, that
a separate Hungarian customs district
shall be established, the Emperor-king
has evinced a willingness to grant but
he has inf1exibly refused the other two
demands, namely, that in the Hungarian
army the Hungarian flag shall be used,
and that the Hungarian language shall
be employed for the words OF command
by all officers holding the command of
Major or lower, the retention OF German
by officers of rank higher than that OF
Major being conceded.
In order to appreciate the vital lmpor-
lance attributed at Budapest to the two
last named demands, it is needful to keep
in mind that, even in Hungary, the
Magyars constitute only minority OF
the people, and that the employment Of
the Magyar language for the words OF
command in the national army would
contribute materially to the maintenance
of Magyar ascendency yer the alien and
unsympathetic majority.
For a time after the outcome OF the
general election on Jan. 20 had become
known it was thought possible that
some accommodation Of the conflicting
views OF the Crown and the Magyars
could be reached On Feb. 2 Premier
TIszA resigned, and ten days later
FRANCIS kossUTH, who had been tenn
porarily accepted as leader by all or
most of the elements OF the Opposition.
was received in audience by FRANCIS
JOSEPH at Vienna. The Emperor-king
was willing as we have said, to yield
on fiscal point, but insisted that Ger
man should continue to be used for the
words Of military command in the Hun
garian as we'll as in the Cisleithan
monarchy. Otherwise. he said, the
Hapsburg army would lose its funda-
mental bond Of unity considered as
fighting machine. Touching this matter
KossUTH on his part, was equally in
tractable and his accession to the
Premiership was consequently out OF
the question TIszA and his friends
returned to office, but az they noto-
riously lacked the confidence Of the new
Chamber of Deputies they have been
unable to procure the assent OF the
Diet to the annual budget or to the
calling out of Hungary's yearly quota
of soldiers for the standing army of the
dual realm.
Consequently. when the Diet was
prorogued, the new Ministry I'D interim,
which had been substituted for the
Tisza Cabinet, found itself in the fol-
lowing predicament 1t cannot levy
taxes BY force, neither can it by force
compel Hungary to furnish her annual
quota of soldiers. IL the taxpayers
choose to come forward and pay the
direct imposts, and if the prescribed
number Of recruits voluntarily present
themselves, no violent infringement
OF the Hungarian Constitution will be
called for Up to the end OF May the
Hungarian Minister Of Finance was
able to pay the coupons on the Govern
ment bonds as they fell due, and to get
together enough money for the pay
ment of official salaries, but the income
of the State was already falling of,
and it will be materially reduced if,
as is expected. the taxpayers exercise
their legal right Of withholding the pay
ment of the direct imposts. If, as also
seems probable, Hungary's yearly quota
of recruits should not volunteer, the
Crown will either have to keep under
the colors the men whose time expires
this year or try to secure recruits by
unconstitutional coercion.
This, then, is the dilemma with which
the Hungarian Ministry I'D interim is
now confronted. 1t must choose be-
tween bankruptcy and such violations
OF the Hungarian Constitution as almost
certainly would drive the Magyars to
arms. That is the reason why the news
from Budapest and Vienna will now be
read with exceptional interest.