The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-11
FINLAND N DANGER
Her Ancient Liberties Shame
IessIy Invaded by Russia
HOME RULE TAKEN AWAY
History of an Interesting and.
Little Known Land.
HOME RULE TAKEN AWAY
Chicago. April 1o-The Tribuns says:

Chicago, April 1O-The Tribuns says:
FINLAND is about to lose the freedom for
which she has fought through the centur-
les and finally extorted from the Cars of
Rusmsia-
Unless the protests of the liberty loving
people the world over avail-and these pro-
tests are certain to be widely formulated,
once the unhappy situation of the Firms
is reaHzed-home rule in Finland is at an
end, and she has bugan her career Of mill
tary serfdom under the Romanoffs. This
seems all the more tragic since serfdom Of
no description everexisted in Finland, and
it is all the more pathetic because within
a single generation she has made such ire
mendous strides in education, literature,
and art.
Not one American in twenty knows the
geographical location of Finland, and not
one in 100 knows anything about the char
acter, history, or institutions Of the Firms.
Finland to Russia, Sweden and Denmark
as been for hundreds of years what Switz-
erland in ancient time was to the Romans,
Calls and GOthS-a battle-ground. 1t abs
been desolated time and again by war, pes
thence, and famine, but did not parish.
1t has been conquered by all its neighbors,
but never subdued. 1t was proselWed to
Catholicism and 'baptised by main force,
only to resolve Itself into a reforming ma
ton of the Lutherans. 1t as ad long lines
of eredtary mobiles, but always preserved
the home rule power Of the true democrat.
It's aptitude fro constitutional government,
discovered by Gustavus the Great, even
tuated under the Russian Empire in what
might be termed, essentially, a nation Of
home rulers.
Finland is quite large in extent, contrary
to the common idea of its domain In fact.
its area is greater than that of the New
England states, New York and Ohio COM
bined, it is larger, even, than England,
Scotland Ireland and the Netherlands all
put together In more respects than one
it is the most wonderful country under the
sun. In fact, il is only from Mount AaVa-
saka in North Finland that the traveller
can get the perfect view of the midnight
sun. The st. Lawrence River has is thou-
sand Isles, bat FINLAND has its thousand
Isles but Finland has its thousand lakes.
Its forests are not surpassed in density and
and value by thoe of Puget Sound. 1t is
separated naturally 10y mountain range
at its east. At its south is the Gulf of
Finland, at the west by the gulf of Both
MIA, and the north a meagre strip of Nor
way. inhabited by people of the Finland
race.
The population of Finland is approxim-
ateIy 1900 900. With the exception of Co.
900 persons this population holds to the
Lutheran faith. Save perhaps, 1900 Catho-
lies Jews, and Mohammedans the remain
der of these $1,000 belon to tibet Greco-Rus
sian Church. This effort of Russia for
years has been to disposstss the Lutheran
| clergy and reform the people In consOnance
with the Russian Church policy. All at
tempts in this direction have been unavail-
ing, but now the Lutheran Church will be
under the ban Of the Russian government.
For many years the policy of Russia has
been 10 gradually place Finland in the mill
tary category Of its other provinces. In
der their compact with the Cars the Firms
only agreed to sustain such an army as
would be capable of defending the frontiers
for Russia and a navy sufficient to patrol
the coast. TIE CONSUMPTION provided for
under this AGREEMENT has raised the active
.
10000, with a reserve Of 10000, making an
! effective auxiliary to the Russian army of
! 100000 men. The term of service was one
to thr vars, according to EDUCATIONAL quail
fcations, and no Russian soldier was al
| lowed TO serve outside the boundaries of
! his native land.
The recent ukase of the Gear violates
! this ancient compact outrageously. It pro
vides that the army Of CONSUMPTION be
more than quadrupled at once! that Rus
sian troopers be stationed in Finland that
/ Russian officers supersede Finnish officers
| with the Finnish troops, and that the Fin
/ nish troops, be assigned in active service
/ abroad
These two movements against the Firms,
! one against the church and the other
against the military establishment, are in
! tended to tear down the whole structure
! Of a government to whose existence for
! nearly a centuray. Cars have been pledg-
| ed. All the atrocities connected with the
movement,wic as been under way only
| short time connot be known for months
| perhaps never. The Finnish press has been
suppressed. No copies Of newspapers pub
hshed in Finland have been received by
The Landthag or Parliament repaired to
s.. Petersburg. recently in a body and re-
| Quested an audience with the Gar, to pro-
| test pro f0rma against The mal!gn policy
instituted against their country They
were banished from St. Petersburg and or
dered to dispense as law making assemb-
| lage, or suffer the consequence Of the i'm
! perial prosecution. The Parliament Of Fin
land is dlsbanded; the patriotic members
Of the Diet are storm tossed and disheart-
| ened.
quite recently 800 students Of the Uni
versity of ST. Petersburg were arrested for
participating in demonstrations against the
J ind.gnlles heaped upon the Finland bv the
/ government. Seven1y-three Of them have
Iaysce-iously disappeared; whether sent to
Siberia o. not. Omnipotence and the Rus
/ sian secret service only knows