Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-29
The Fate OF Finland.


which provides that no enactment
shall be made touching life, liberty,
property, taxes. religion. education,
military service, or any form of local
government in Finland the hearing of
the Diet of that country and the sane
ton of all the four chambers of which
this legislative body is composed. Any
change in the constitution was also re-
quired to be made in the same man
ner. Under this comparatively liberal
charter, says the Boston Transcript,
Protestant Finland has prospered and
has been the best governed portion of
the Russian empire. Its people have
been loyal contented and progressive,
felicitating themselves on their exemp-
ton from the baneful and blighting in
fuence Of autOcratic MuscoVite rule.
But recently, "for reasons of state"
the Car has by a decree Cancelled the
Finnish constitution, to the great dis
may, grief and Indignation of the peo-
pie. This is in pursuance Of the gov
ernment's settled policy of Russianiz-
ing everything within the empire by
suppressing all differences of law and
religion-especially such differences as
afford a spectacle of freedom under
constitutional forms. Finland is today
threatened with the fate of Poland.
Russia has violated her constitution
and made every preparation to Rus
sianize the country. which means the
suppression of civil and religious liber-
ty. the moral and political corruption
of all departments of the state, the deg
radiation of justice. the impoverishinS
of the people. the blight of knowledge
and education and the ushering in Of
ignorance.
In July, 1898. an imperial decree sum-
moned the Diet TO enact an army bill
and intimated that the Car would
sanction it whether the Diet did 50 or
not The bill increased the term of
service in the army from three to five
years, required the Firms to serve III
Russian regiments, augmented the levy
fOurfold ana eXacted an annual con-
tribution TO the Russian treasury Of
So, 800 900. besides the pay of the
Finnish brigade. Every provision-eX-
acted by force-is regarded by the
Ia, 1, Ur
the land. In February last the Car
arbitrarily changed the constitution,
troll Of affairs. The council of state at
st. Petersburg is hereafter To legislatA
for Finland, and the Diet at Helsing
fors is to have only a consultative
voice This means the wreckage Of
western civilization. Protestant faith
and humanity and the material devas-
tation Of Finland. Protests are I'M
needed When the members Of the
Finnish government the justice of the
supreme court and the speakers of the
Diet visited st. Petersburg to ask a re-
consideration Of the coup d'etat, they
We're refused admission to the Car.
Afterward when $4,000 persons joined
in a petition and deputed 500 promi
nent citizens to convey it to the mon
arch, the deputies We're summarily or
dered to leave St Petersburg. There
is no need Of words Finland is to
cease to have self government and is
to be RussianiZed.
Russia" says a Finnish patriot,
writing to the London Times. lis like
the child ana the savage, destroying
everything, but unable to build up or
construct anything Of value. The
ruler whom the nations Of Europe
adoringly lift to the skies''-by reason
Of his proposal Of disarmament
'brutaIly tramples under feet an I'M
offending prosperous and happy peo-
pie" His conduct, it is suggested, is
in contrast wfih-tha fine sentiments he
put forward ,in~his famous peace note
Of August % last, When he referred to
principles Of justice ana Righteous
ness on which the -security=of states"
depends. I'm Finland" says the COZ
respondent. I'VE look upon the Russian
peace proclamation as a huge inn
posture
The total population of Finland by
the last official census, that Of 1896.
was 2,520,0OO, Of whom 2,1700OO Were
native Firms, $40, 900 We're Swedes resi-
dent in Finland, 700 We're Russians
Chiefly of the official class or members
of Russian garrisons) and 1900 We're
Laplanders residing in the northern
part Of that province. which, though
politically part of Russia. more prop
erly belongs by geographical position
to Norway and Sweden. The popula-