New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-06
RUSSIAN TOPICS.
THE WOES OF FINLAND-FAMlNE AND
BREAD RIOTS-THE JEWS.
St. Petersburg, August 2a.

tiOn OF the solemn aRIeel1enb ilidhc w i1t A'''S'
Government when the Grand Duchy became a part
of the Cars Empire. IL is perhaps WELL iof MS
torical and sentimental reasons, to continue to
call il q Grand Duchy. But it is no longer So
called in Russia unless by one who is anxious
N GET sent 10 Siberia as O traitor. 1t is spoken
Of and regarded as Russian province, pure and
simple and it is to be treated as such. Every
shred and vestiee, not only of nationality but OF
autonomy is to be swept away. Even the
language. the dress and the manners Of the people
are 70 be forcibly Russianized. Already the off
ciaI use of the Finnish language is prohibited,
and Finnish postagestamps have been abolished
and Russian substituted. That was the result oil
the Cars observations on former visit. Ihls
wear he and the Empress visited Finland again
to discover if possible, some new method OF crush
ing the free spirit of the people, and the result Is
now apparent in new measure Of tyranny.
Their MaIesties were not enthusiastically re-
ceived in Finland Official greetings and decora-
tions were profuse enough, IL is true. THESE were
the work Of Russian functionaries. But In them
the people took no part and showed no interest
The Firms would not even come out to look al
their Imperial visitors but mostly remained IN
their homes, with their windows closed. There
were no cheering crowds in the streets. NO bands
of serenader came by night 20 sing the folk songs
of Finland beneath their windows. IL was ike
Paris when the German troops marched IN Inc
press, too, was respectfully silent. 1t gave the
news of the day, including the movements OF the
Car. But there were no words OF eulogy, no
ELUSIVE welcomings The whole attitude OF the
people in public and private was that OF people
who feel themselves betrayed and oppressed, and
who feel that they are being gazed upon exult-
ingly by their oppressor and betrayer
Naturally the Gar was greatly angered at
this. and he studied diligently how he might De
avenged upon the Films One plan which ne
adopted was to cast discredit upon their loyalty
by surrounding himself with an extraordinary
strong guard Ten thousand picked troops con-
stantly stood under arms about him, ana never
anywhere in Russia In the most trouDlous times
were such precautions taken to guard him from
assassination. But even this monstrOus insult
to the Finnish people did not satisfy him. LIS
browning stroke was therefore dealt against the
Finnish press. His ukase has now gone torun"
II is TO BEGIN operation on October /, and after
that date the Finnish press will be subjected to
a censorship more rigorous than that Of Russia
itself This law provides that permission 70
publish periodicals and journals must henceforth
come direct and only from the Governor-General
The Emperor himself will appoint the president
of the same are to be appointed by the Governor
General This right has hitherto been vested
in the Finnish Senate. If the GovernOr-General
considers that any newspaper is creating dlscon-
tent by discussing in any way the position OF
the Grand Duchy in relation TO the Empire, lie
has full power to nfct penalties or to suppress
the publication altogether supplementary de-
cree is looked for prohibiting entirely the publ
cation of any periodicals in Finnish or Swedish, or
in any language but Russian.
The existing regulations regarding the Flnnlsh
language are also made more severe. Not only IS
Russian made the official language, but the use
Of Finnish In public is almost forbidden. No Decd
contract or other document is legal unless in
Russian No other language is allowed in courts,
not even if an interpreter be employed. No wit
ness is allowed to testify unless he can do 1t In
russian No one may hold any public office Of
importance unless he can speak Russian, and this
means that Finland is governed by host Of
carpet-baggers' from Russia All this is the
more Calling because it is the subjugatiOn Of the
higher race by the lower The Firms are almost
immeasurably above the Russians in intellectual
and social culture and in all the arts of civiliza-
ton.
TO turn from the north 10 the south, il is
noticeable that great military and naval activity
exists in all the southern provinces and on the
Black Sea- In Bessaraba a recent visitor found
matters almost on war footing. The guards
along the frontier are made up from the eau
casan troops, and till within the last two years
were regarded as gendarmes placed along the
border TO prevent smuggling. They now form a
permanent advance guard ready to invade the
territory of the neighboring country at few
hours notice. Their guard-hOuses are erected at
distances averaging three versts apart, and during
the day guards are marching between them, whilst
at night this duty is carried out by mounted
patrols On the other side, the Rumanian
frontier one can go miles and miles without seeing
patrol
Most of the towns and villages close To the
frontier are filed with soldiers. At TutsChkofl
four regiments quartered, where last year there
were only two At Vilkovo and Kiia five regi.
ments arrived last spring, in addition to the men
already there At Kagul three regiments arrived
a month ago, whilst at Japuch reinforcements of
about 900 men have only just taken up their
quarters The same activity in pouring troops into
the villages may be said to be going on all along
the frontier. Some idea as TO the number Of men
stationed between Bender and Odessa may be
formed when it is officially stated that forty-fve
battalions of infantry, twenty7nine Squadrons of
cavalry and thirty-two batteries of artillery will
take part in the ordinary military manoeuvres
which will Ike held between these two districts.
The campaign against the Jews goes steadily
on. The Minister Of the Interior has discovered
some more old laws which have long been in
desuetude lie has dug them up and ordered
their immediate and strict enforcement. These
laws forbid Jews to acquire real estate, by pur-
chase or lease in the nine western provinces of
the Empire. Under the disregard Of these laws
that has prevailed for years thousands of Jews
have acquired lands and houses Their deeds
and leases are now officially declared null and
void. and they are being forcby expelled from
their homes, without Compensation. In nearly
every case the victim is forced, under pain of the
knout TO sign a paper declaring that he gives IN
his place voluntarily. The Governor of Irkutsil
has also announced that Jews who have the right
of settling in European Russia outside the pale
OF restricted residence have no such right in
Siberia also that the wives Of Jews banished
10 Siberia will henceforth not be permitted 10
follow their husbands into exile The sons OF
such Jews will only be allowed 10 accompany
their fathers when not more than four years old.
and the daughters if not over seven
Famine is already making its fearful power
| II, From ali "a tbo -