Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-04-14
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
WOMEN IN FINLAND.

Much Has Been Done and Il Yet being
Done in That Little Country.
The woman question is progressing
In Finland. Woman's position in Fin
land has, in fact always been good,
and favored by the laws. The ma
tional character also permits advance
ment because OF it's readiness to sub
ject the physical 20 the spiritual.
Again, our culture is comparatively
modern, and the young people are not
so deeply imtedded in ancient Gus
toms
In the thirteenth century Burger Jarl
granted woman the right of inherit
ance. The laws OF 1884. however, con-
firmed the custom that had become the
prevailing one-that sons inherited two
thirds and daughters one-third, except
ing children OF clergyman, who were
10 divide evenly. In 1880 we hear OF n
school in Ny Karleby which admitted
girls to the study of reading, writing
and the catcchism. The fact becomes
interesting when we remember that
the contemporary French lady, Fran
coise de Saintonges, was prosecuted In
Paris because she labored for the estab-
lishment Of girls schools in her native
land
In spite of all this progress the WON.
en- Mt large, OF Finland, did not, until
1884, support or even encourage any or
ganized work for woman's rights.
Then in lelsingfors a Finnish
Woman's union" was organized by Mrs.
Elizabeth Lofgren, who became its first
president The union had to suffer like
all similar ones elsewhere, but IL sur
vived criticism and opposition. 1t ad'
mits no male members, because that
would make It suspicious in the eyes OF
the Russian police, who are hunting
for Nihilists everywhere. The pro-
gramme OF the union is as follows:
Equal rights and advantages with
men in the securing of both universal
and special knowledge.
Womans right to pass academical
and other examinations and TO profit
thereby equally with man.
The same wages for same labor with.
out regard TO the laborer's sex-pro-
vided the same amount of knowledge
and efficiency is furnished.
| Married and unmarried women are OF
age when twenty-one years old.
A married woman shall have full
possession and right of administering
her inherited or otherwise acquired
property.
Woman's legal right TO marry mus
be placed far beyond the present fxeC
age of fifteen.
The same law and custom for woman
us for man on all moral questions
The law must acknowledge abuse ant
drunkenness as sufficient cause for di
vorce and equal to martial infidelity.
Considering the progress of the las
ten years we can see an advance on tn,
whole line. Women have now tn,
right to vote at municipal elections
and they are elective to school board
and as charity commissioners Tn,
public interest in admitting girls I,
boys schools has grown very much
and parents as rule. are now hcn
upon giving their girls an education 70
use, rather than for ornament Won
en- study now in the industrial
and technical schools. Upon specia
application women are admitted to tn
university and, upon paying the regu
lar fee, they enjoy the advantages o
male students in the lccturc-room an
elsewhere. There is not much pros
pect, at present, for women gcttin
equal wages with men, because OF thei
neglect in acquiring equal proficiency
A law was passed in 1859, relating I
property and indebtedness of marie
people; according to this law tn
husband remains the guardian of tn
wife. but the wife has sole right owe
her own earnings. The same law CAV
the married woman the right to d
business without her husbands pei
mission, in case he is imprisoned, ha
abandoned her, or when the marie
partners live apart Public opinion is
in general way, aroused o.
the subject OF the woma
question, and some OF the dali
papers have put it upon their pre-
grammc, But though the voice is ia
cob's, the hands are those Of Esau
They talk nobly about progress, bu
they practice according 10 the old Gus
tom OF allowing man moral cod
differing from that OF woman and civ
ing him liberties denied her.
Very much remains yet TO he done /
Finland. Our work and progress
only local and limited as such. -KviI
| den uu Samfundet