The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-05-09
HAVE HAD UNIQUE CAREERS
Are Regarded as Leaders of Their coun-
trymen and Their Services Have Been
Highly Regarded by Many Govern
ments Seek Freedom of Fatherland

hen0Sna entertained two unique VISI-
tors on sunday afternoon when Mirko
and Steve Seljan, both Croatians spoke
to large company of their fellow
countrymen at Germania hall The two
men are men of education and they
have been travelling throughout the
world for some time urging the Croa-
tians in this country to aid in secur
ing better conditions in their father
land. The lecture in Kenosha was an
appeaLfor better conditions among the
people of Russia and the provinces
The two brothers, the only heirs Of a
ricl estate in Croatia, landed in San
Francisco two and half months ago
from South America, where for the last
nine years they have been seeking out
unknown crannies of that rich land, and
incidentally noting the progress made
by some 10000 of their fellow country
men who have settled in the fertile
valleys of Brazil. For three years prior
to their explorations in South America,
they sojourned in the wilds of Africa,
hunting big game, and looking for new
countries in the unexplored portion of
upper Africa. Now they are in America
visiting the Croatian colonies, deliver
ing their travel lectures, and studying
political conditions,
Mirko is an engineer, while his broth
er, Steve, is a geographer and econo-
mist. Steve speaks in twelve tongues.
Croatian, Russian, Hungarian, Roman
ian and Italian are as easy as the A
B C's to him, he says and he is able to
speak his thoughts fluently in Spanish,
Portuguese and German. He knows the
lingo Of two tribes Of Abyssinians and
can make himself clear to four differ
ent tribes of Indians in Brazil. But,
he says, he can It speak English. May
be he can It with all the grammatical
niceties and furbelows, but he talks
earnestly.
Steve bears the distinction of having
been delegated by the late Menelik, of
Ably to settle theeboundary differ
ences between that monarch and the
British government concerning their At
rican possessions. Then, too, he discov-
cred new lands in Abyssinia, sought out
an unknown waterfall hidden back in
the mountains Of that country, and did
several other little geographical turns.
But, whilei he is proud, and says he is,
o. his prowess as an explorer, another
more weighty matter is on his mind for
accomplishment. He wants to free
Croatia from the Hungarian rule.
"You have heard how England lord
ed it over Irelandg' he quizzeGs-as he
talked with mouth, eyes, hands and
shoulders. Well, that is just the way
we are treated in Croatia. Why, We
didn t have a school or newspaper
until fifty years ago. But we are go
ing to throw off the Hungarian yoke
some of these days. And we are depend
ing on our fellow countrymen who have
come to America to aid us. Some day
the chance will come, and, / am sure,
we will have the aid of our country
men in America.
81 In South America did not find one
of my fellow Croatians working with a
pick and shovel, he said. 'SlThere they
have turned business men and are en-
gagged in the live stock industries, but
here in North America I find they are
working mostly as day laborers. They
can t cope with the--what< is it they
call them Yankees, that's it.
But our people are doing one thing
here that is to their credit. They are
raising families, and teaching them both
English and Croatian. Father Krmpotec
tells me that in his parish of 900 fami-
lies there were born last year 166 babies.
That IS not bad, eh?'