The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-11-07

the other Balkan states. its
peasant people believe in their
~ rights to nationality. That was
what really .kindled the Euro
pean war confagration.
Some years ago in travelling over
Servia with an Englishman who mad
more or less to do with the affairs OF
his country, this fact was impressed
On me. At that time the murder OF
the king and queen by the army group
was comparatively recent, and English
Indignation was still SO strong that
The British government had refused to
recognize the regicides. But this En-
glishman was philosophic. and re-
marked that Servia would get recog-
nition I'm time because Its existence
could not be ignored by any OF the
European powers. Events showed that
he was right.
AS we travelled across the country
he called my attention to the small
number Of towns and cities. There
were groups of huts which might be
called villages. but few real towns.
Any one coming across on the Orient
express from Constantinople to Vien-
ha notes this, and, getting away from
The railroad line, 1t Is even more no
ticeable.
Belgrade. on the Danube, 10 a fine
capital, modern in most respects. with
lot Of ancient history, but Belgrade
Is not typical Of Servia The valley
md the mountain and the forest are
what constitutes Servia and what
make the Servians. People who have
lived In the country say that the bulk
Vt the population is almost fanatical
In its hatred OF city life.
These Servian countrymen are pic
turesque In their way, as are all the
natives of the Balkan states. They i'm
press one as rather dull, but as
logged. Civilization really seems to
have touched them very lightly, and
only on the surface, for they are crude
and primitive.
Frugal and Saving.
Aside from the race question, the
eternal antipathy Of Slav and Teuton.
economic conditions also have COM
b.ned to foment the antipathy between
the Servians and the Austrians. The
Servian peasant is a landed proprie-
tor. The country il one OF small land
owners, and this condition naturally
creates q large measure Of individual
independence The Servian country
men. according to the testimony Of
those who know them best. are a.
frugal and saving as the French peas
ants. They are also temperate and
Industrious.
Owing to the habits Of frugality and
10 the agricultural surroundings, al
most every year Servia has a surplus
of wheat and corn, fruits and cattle
and pigs for export Hemmed in as 1t
II, its exports have been subject to
the pleasure Of Austria.
The chief markets for the agricul-
tural products are Austria and Ger
many. although the rest of Europe Is
also a buyer. Servia makes its own
tariffs. and when friction has been
greatest with Austria there have been
tariff wars. but the advantage always
has rested with Austria, because 1t
could impose such restrictions as 1t
pleased on importations into its own
territory. and In other ways could
hamper Servian exports.
Austrian statesmen at times have
spoken contemporary of the servian
peasant and his pig as an illustration
of that which has been the chief con-
Germ OF Servian cabinets. 1t has not
been simply the peasant and his pig.
but the peasant and his beef. his corn.
his wheat and his fruit that the Ser
Wan government has had to look aft
or. When pressing political conces-
sions on Servia, Austria usually has
modified the commercial restrictions,
doing this a. favor instead Of
right
Tho 6ervians have chafed under this
ssstriction much more than has been