Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-04-14
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
WOMEN IN FINLAND.
Much Has Been Done and IL Yet Being
Done In That Little Country.


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 its readiness to sub
ject the physical to the spiritual.
Again, our culture is comparatively
modern, and the young people are not
so deeply imbedded in ancient GUS
toms
In the thirteenth century Birger 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
to divide evenly. In 1850 we hear of a
school in Ny Karleby which admitted
girls to the study of reading, writing
and the catechism. 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 wom-
en- at large, of Finland, did not until
1884, support or'even encourage any or
ganized work for woman's rights,
Then in Helsingfors 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 it sur
vived criticism and opposition. 1t adj
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.
Woman's right to pass aoademical
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 unn arried 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 fixec
age of fifteen.
The same law and custom for woman
as for man on all moral questions.
The law must acknowledge abuse anC
| drunkenness as sufficient cause for di
vorce and equal to martial infdelity.
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 TIL
public interest in admitting girls t.
boys schools has grown very much
and parents as a rule, are now ben
upon giving their girls an education TO
use, rather than for ornament Won
en- study now in the indu~tria
and technical schools Upon specia
application women are admitted to tn
university, and, upon paying the regu
lar fee, they enjoy the advantages 0
male students in the lecture-room an
elsewhere. There is not much pros
pect at present, for women gettin
equal wages with men, because of thei
neglect in acquiring equal proficiency
A law was passed in 1889, relating t
property and indebtedness of marrie
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 per
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-
gramme. But, though the voice is ia
cob's, the hands are those of Esar
They talk nobly about progress. bu
they practice according to the old Gus
tom of allowing man a moral cod
differing from that of woman and gi,
ing him liberties denied her.
Very much remains yet to be done j
Finland. Our work and progress
only local and limited as such. .-Kvir
den ag Samfundet.