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Fanaticism of the Magyar press against the nationalities.

Crucify them!....

The « Reply » which appeared at Buda-Pesth tries to imbue its readers with the idea that the Magyars do not even think of magyarizing the other nations.

From the facts related by us in this Manifest, it can be seen what a pharasaical spirit pervades the whole of the Magyar pamphlet.

But that the public may more clearly see how the Magyars excite each other against the existence of the nationalities, what infamous denunciations, what calumnies, what insults, what lies they accumulate, we will here give a few examples of what the Magyar public opinion is, as their own papers shew it to be, in all its colours and at all the different periods.

If we could see in what a rabid state this press is, we should no longer be astonished at the effect it produces upon its readers.

« A bad press, says Von Hellwald, provokes demoralization and spreads errors. . . . The same weapon that a soldier carries for the defence of his country, becomes a destructive instrument, in the hands ol the assassin. »[1]

Even foreign newspapers are better informed than those of the Magyars on the question of nationalities, and especially on that of the Roumanians of Hungary and of Transylvania.

And how should it be otherwise, when for years the Magyar press follows the most absurd tactic in the world, that of a systematic silence upon what might throw a ray of light on the causes of the general discontent of the nationalities.

In the Magyar press, the Roumanians are only spoken of to be insulted or threatened.

There is not a single Magyar paper which may be believed, when by chance it publishes something concerning our relations with the Hungarians, when it quotes from our newspapers or when it speaks of the general feeling dominant among the Roumanians.

This explains how it is that the Magyar public have such false ideas concerning us, our literature and our true aspirations.

Even the political press, which, in all civilized states, keeps somewhat within the bounds of sobriety and moderation, is. in Hungary intolerable.

Although receiving subsidies from the budget of the country,that is to say from all the nationalities, the officious press does not hesitate to tell them that they ought to be magyarized!

It is with the greatest cynicism that this press accepts payment from the Magyar societies, fanaticizing on the one hand, the mind of the Magyar public, that it may continue to support the press, and on the other terrifying those who dare to express the opinion that by acting as they do, the majority of the citizens will be discontented, and the country brought to inevitable ruin.

Let us give an example.

In 1885 at the autumnal session of the council of the county of Satmar, Count Etienne Karolyi proposed the vote of a tax of 1 per cent on the direct taxes of the whole population of the county, for the benefit of a society for magyarization.

But half of the population of the said county is of Roumanian nationality.

Consequently the Roumanians are obliged to pay a tax, the proceeds of which are employed for their magyarization.

Can anything more barbarous exist!

In spite of this, the first political paper written in German, the « Pester Lloyd », has the impudence to praise the « salutary » proposition of count Karolyi!

Another political paper, the « Nemzet », writes on the same subject a powerful article in favour of the society for magyarization, ending with words which until now have never found place in any political paper: Conquer or Die![2]

After the county of Satmar, it was the turn of others, as Tirnava-Mika, Turda-Aries, etc. which are all actually obliged to pay taxes to the most aggressive of the societies for magyarizing, the Kulturegylet of Cluj!

And every time that the committees of the counties, which committees are for the most part composed of Magyar nobles, although the Roumanian population, form an overwhelming majority, vote such revolting propositions, all the magyar papers sing hymns of praise to the fanatics who are willing to make such sacrifices in the cause of magyarization. — yes, but with the money of others.

If this is not openly proclaiming the struggle between the races, we know not how else to qualify it.

The conduct of the Magyar press in face of the persecutions which the Roumanian national press has to endure on the part of those who govern is infamous, in every acceptation of the word.

To say that the Roumanian newspaper writers are disturbers of the peace, to tax them with being irridentists and traitors to their country, to threaten them with the attorney-general and the prison, these are the only arguments to which the Magyar papers have recourse when they speak of them.

And in their fanaticism, the Magyar papers, or those devoted to their interests have even gone so far as to demand that exceptionally severe laws be made against the Roumanian press.

And when the government began to persecute the Roumanian press, the Magyar papers thought it their duty before the day of the trial, to excite the Magyar jurors against those Roumanian journalists who sat on the bench of the accused.

On the 3^rd of December 1884, when the editor of the pa per, the « Observatorul », the old Roumanian publisher, Mr G. Baritiu, was acquitted by the jury of Sibiiu in the action brought against him by the government, the organ of the government the « Nemzet », was the first to ask for the suppression of the jury of S i b i i u.

The « Aradi Kozlony » of the 24^th of April at Cluj, of Mr Jean Slavici, terminates thus an article entitled Mr Slavici: « But have patience! Mr Slavici will repose himself at Vat. » Until 1889 the State prison of Hungary was at Vat.

The same kind of article was published the 20^th of February 1888 in the « Pesti Hirlap » under the title of »The dictator of Caransebes »

Its aim was to influence public opinion, and to excite the jury against general Trajan Doda, ex-deputy, who was then to be tried on an accusation of « sedition . »

Every one will admit that this conduct of the Magyar press merits another epithet than that of « worthy of a European ».

We will leave the Magyar papers to speak for themselves.

The « Nemzet » writes: The loyal Magyar nation which has ever given proofs of magnanimity with regard to the nationalities, has granted them by law equality of rights but it has never granted them equality of rights with the Magyar nation (!)

The foreign races Inhabiting Hungary must never forget this distinction, viz. that the Magyar does not form one of the nationalities in this country, but is the nation itself (!!); foreign races also inhabit this country, and there are citizens who speak foreign languages — but the State itself is, the Magyar State!![3]

We read in the same number of the « Nemzet »:

« The magyarization of the capital and nt the whole country is the consequence ot the development of the capital and of the country, and is conformable to the national interest of the country and of the whole monarchy.

« That this country should be inhabited by a united nation, by an amalgamated, race, by a people in which the language and the sentiments are blended in perfect unity, this is of the greatest importance to the whole country, »[4]

The same « Nemzet » says:

« The states which, from a national point of view, are not united, should imitate Russia.[5]

Let us turn to the « Koloszvari Kozlony »:

« The Roumanian paper, the « Tribuna », in the first article of n^o 102, explains in the following manner, the meaning of the commemoration of the 15^th of May:

« The 15^th of May is the anniversary of the defence of law and order, and recalls to mind that in 1848 the Roumanians shed their blood for the maintenance of the Pragmatic Sanction: they are proud of their courage and by commemorating this anniversary, they make a demonstration in favour of the autonomy of Tran-sylvania, for there exists no national Magyar state.

» The attorney-general must fulfil his duty in face of this article, of this sedition, of these blows armed at our State. »[6]

The same « Koloszvar » remarks: « The students of the Magyar university gave yesterday strong (!!!) proofs of their patriotic sentiments; when they unanimously resolved to answer the well-known Manifest of the students of the university of Bucharest.

» After the meeting at 8 p. m. the students burnt the papers « Tribuna » and « Gazeta Transylvaniei » amidst shouts of « Abzug! » and then in compact ranks proceeded down Middle Street, carrying on the end of their sticks, the torn leaves of two copies of the Roumanian Manifest still shouting « Abzug! » and onwards towards Trencin place.

» There, collecting the leaves of the Manifest they put them into heaps and either burned or trampled them under foot in the dirt. »[7]

We read in « Varieties »: « It is considered quite the correct thing now for people who have been spending the evening out, to amuse themselves on their return home, witli breaking the windows of the houses they pass on their way. »[8]

From the same « Kolozsvar » we extract the following: « Brute force alone can make an impression on these uncultivated masses » (speaking of the Roumanian peasantry) « which the leaders here and those emigrated to Roumania, purpose to stir up to revolt against us. »

« We must act so that these masses (Roumanians) understand thoroughly that we, the Magyars, are a power which will not be played with, and that if we strike, no possibility will be left for our blows to be returned!

» And it is not so much the people as the leaders, who, for the sake of example, must be treated with severity.

» We must root out in Transylvania the weeds which sow the seeds of Manifests and Proclamations.

» This is the first thing to be done.

» It is here on our own ground that we must gain the upper hand, that afterwards we may be able to make Roumania itself feel our power!!![9]

From the same paper « Kolozsvari »: « Those who work at the propagation of Magyarism proposed a long time ago to magyarize the names of the communes.

« This is a fact worthy of praise, for what is more natural (sic!) than that the names of all the towns and villages be magyar. [10]

« Kolozsvari Kozlony «: Speaking of the anniversary of the Roumanian revolution headed by Horia, makes the following compliment to the educated classes of Roumanians; «We shudder to think of what might happen to us, should we ever fall into the hands of such beings, or if another such opportunity occurred as that which permitted the appearance of a Horia or of a Iancu.

» The ultraists (the Roumanians) who daily take the honour of these dates to themselves would be capable of recommencing the tortures of the inquisition. »[11]

The « Budapesti Hirlap » writes: « The nationalities who wish to live here must, living or dying, form but one single nation, be one with us.[12]

From the same: » The Magyar, who has founded and who supports this state, must be considered quite otherwise than the nationalities ..... It is to the interest of the Magyar state that magyarism should be propagated at the expense of the nationalities, they must be conquered and assimilated, and it is by no means to the interest of the State that these latter should extend the frontiers of their language, and ameliorate their social state. » ....[13]

From the same: « We require an exceptional law against the Roumanian papers, and against their literature, as long as the revolts of the nationalities against the state cannot be repressed![14]

From the same: It is a certain fact and one which characterizes the Roumanian ultraists and the disturbers of the nationalities, that they do not know the price of the liberty (!) they enjoy. They will not become one with the nation of which they are members, they reject the education offered them by the Magyar state, they have no love for the country, and no sympathy with its institutions. « .... [15]

« Pesti Naplo »: As far as we are concerned, we are convinced that the question of the nationalities can have no other satisfactory solution (for the Magyars) than the complete magyarization of the nationalities! »[16]

The same: « We will not magyarize by force, for we are partisans of that natural magyarization towards which patriotism (?!!) conducts citizens. [17]

« Hungary will he Magyar, or nothing. »

« Ellenzek »: I do not find anything reprehensible in the conduct of the students (Magyar), neither do I see any proof of licence. . . . The students did well to smash the windows of the Roumanians, and hinder them from holding their assembly and banquet on the 15^th of May! » [18]

The same:».... we must give to the non-magyar students a Magyar education. We must transform their hearts and souls; patriotic magyar sentiments must be inculcated into their brains; magyar civilization (!!) must be infiltrated into their blood; and by these means we must spread the love of the Magyar nation.

It is of little avail that we form societies for magyarization if the students from the greater part of the institutes for magyarization leave, without having been won over to the cause. .... If we magyarize now, in 50 years we shall no longer need these societies. »[19]

From the same: « The Roumanian students on leaving the Magyar schools find nothing better to do than to attack the constitution of the country.

That is why, it is preferable that they remain ignorant and that every school drives them from its door. »[20]

The « Egyetertes » writes: The Slav concert forbidden. The Ruthene Choral Society which had undertaken to give concerts in Gallicia and in Hungary, wished to give one last night in Cassovie. The police would not allow it, giving for their reason, that the Slav elements of the town might not have the opportunity given them of manifesting in favour of their nationality. »[21]

Let us open the « Magyar Hirlap »: « A short time ago Coloman Tisza, amidst the frenetic cheers of the House of Parliament pronounced the following phrase which delighted (?) the heart of every Magyar: Transylvania belongs to the Magyars; can the government say, how long if such proceedings continue Transylvania will belong to them? » [22]

From the same:« A movement has taken place at Pesth amongst the Roumanian students, who have already held a meeting, the object of which is to give to the Reply of the Roumanians their moral and intellectual support. In this meeting, it was unanimously decided that the Roumanian students of Buda-Pesth should give their assistance to those of Vienna and Graz, declaring themselves jointly responsible with them, and offering to collect the matter for accusation.

» In short, these young men, who eat the bread of the country and of the Magyar state (!!!) give to the publishers, pages written by our several enemies who keep themselves well in the back-ground (!) ....

» Every one can see that it is with r e a l traitors to the country (!!).... that we have to do. The young Roumanians either of their own accord or under the influence of others have decided to become traitors to their country (!!)... they have elected a committee to collect the heads of the accusation. ...

One thing is certain and that is, that this scandalous event imposes on the Magyar students the holiest of duties!

That of scrutinising one by one the Roumanian students in order to find out the names of those young men, etc. »[23]

From the same paper: » In Hungary every political illegality, every parliamentary defeat, every negligence on the part of the government is pardoned and forgotten, on the condition that or. one point the government be firm and consistent, and that point is, the political supremacy of Magyarism, »[24]

In the « Szathmar » we read: « We maintain that those who live here, should respect our language, and acknowledge it as a holy and lawful thing.

» Whether they be Slavs, Germans or Daco-Roumanians, they shall not benefit by the charity of the Magyar nation. . . .

» Let every Magyarophobe rid us of his presence.

» All those who do not respect the Magyars are traitors to the country.

» At Beius and in many other places, the Olahs create continual disturbances by their opposition to the law of the Kisdodovo,

» This cruel savage and ferocious animal thirsts after the Wood of the Magyars, and grinds its teeth in its fury.

» we sweep you out of the country, ungrateful and perfidiovis race.

» If our language does not please you, leave us.

» We do not want traitors, go to the d...l.

» Plenty of the old trees of the forests and numbers of crows we waiting for your bodies. »[25]

Need we continue?