El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-23

poverty as the natural results OF their
discriminatory treatment they are
rendered incapable of lifting themselves
from the enforced degradation which
they endure
Would Maintain characteristics.
Hungary is the home of motley
population, as is illustrated by a state
ment concerning 1t made sometime ago:
The Magyar is proud and happy when
he can ride a fine horse; the Slovak
when he can talk Familiarity to a person
of distinction; the German when he Sc
cures the burgomaster' staff of office;
the Rumun when twirling a handsomely
carved cane; the little Russian when he
attains TO clerical honors; the Jew when
renting landed property; the Gypsy
when parading in scarlet trousers"
They scorn to sell their birthright OF
mountain freedom for mess of Magyar
pottage, and are struggling against the
most overwhelming odds to protect
themselves against the wiping out Of
their national characteristics They are
a large, well built. broad faced race
with prominent cheek bones and light
hair. They are simple, religious, hum
BILE and quiet, except when drunk, when
they become Quarrelsome. Their songs
are in minor key and as rule are Of
a melancholy character. When possible
sheep herders, and go down to the
great plain to reap the harvest
Taxes Heavy I'm Native Land.
They are a debt-ridden people. A
mountaineer in a hamlet in Turet, with
real and personal property valued at
one hundred and eighty florins, was
taxed eighteen florins a year. On this
basis man worth $4,000 in the United
States would have to pay $1,000 taxes.
1t is declared that two fostering sores
sap the vitality of the unsophisticated
highlander-drink and usury. He is
compelled TO borrow from local insti-
tutions and on short ter mloans pays
out as much as so percent interest.
In many cases the rum seller and the
money lender are consolidated in one
person and then the poor Slovak is sure
to fall victim Some years ago the
Catholic clergy, seeing the ruin and
degradation entailed by these things,
sought to overcome this condition by
establishing temperance societies. The
government promptly took steps to put
an end to these organizations.
High Regard for Female Sex.
In all the world there is to be found
no tenderer solicitude for the daughters
of the family than among the Slovaks.
AS soon as a little girl is born her
mother begins to make the clothes that
shall constitute the trOusseau Of the fu-
ture bride. Their embroidery is among
the rarest in Europe. By the time the
girl is ready to be led to the altar by
some highland swain her mother has
made enough clothes TO last her a life
time. In many instances these clothes
are handed down from generation to
generation.
Curry Favor with Hungary.
So persistent have been the endeavors
of the Hungarian authorities to stamp
out the love which the Slovak feels for
his traditions and his mother tongue.
that in many villages whose population
is entirely Slovak, the traveller will see
no signs written in their language The
signs appear in Magyar. This is attrib-
uted to two causes In the first place
the man who puts out the sign wishes
to curry favor with the Magyar notary
who is the real ruler of the town, and
in the second place the notary wishes
to establish a good reputation with the
Hungarian authorities by having his
village as free as possible from the
Slovak signs.
Home Loving People.
1t is said that no class of immigrants
common to America patronize the steam
ship lines as much in proportion to the
immigration as the Slovaks Intensely