The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-11

Any member OF the Diet has the right
to propose a petition; this proposal must
be made within fifteen days OF the open
ing of the Diet; it is then submitted 10 a
preliminary discussion by one of the COM
mittees Of the Diet
New taxes must not be imposed nor old
ones altered or abolished with the consent
of the Diet. The principle of the equality
of all citizens in the eyes of the law-a
principle held scored by the ancient Swed-
ish laws-has become sensfbly modified in
the course of centuries.
Every Finlander, without distinction of
class, has the right TO acquire real estate
There are no class privileges in the matter
OF contribution to military service; neither
are there any class privileges or distinc-
tions as TO admission 10 government Off
ces or employment.
Liberty of conscience is recognized in
principle
Though four classes form the Diet, it
must not be imagined that outside as
sembly there is sharply defined social
line between them. At all events, the
ooretically man is mans equal in Finland
and to certain extent the idea passes
current that woman is nearly mans
equal. All educated persons. men or wo-
men, are regarded as socially on a par,
The peasant class is. as a rule. wealthy
and intelligent. The pauper OF Finland
comes generally from farm laborers. ac-
casionally from good-by decayed families.
1t is wonderful to note how democratic
the people are in Finland. Each peasant
Is gentleman at heart, brave and indie
pendent, and he expects every one TO treat
him as his equal. Few persons are rich
in Finland according 10 the Anglo-Saxon
idea Of richness. though many are COM
fortably off. 1t would be almost impos-
sible for one 10 live there are beyond ones
income or to dodge the collector of the
progressive income tax, for when the re-
turns are sent in the income tax annually
the income of each individual is published
in the public pprints.
The Firms are very intense. They are
men Of few words, slow to anger and low
er to forgive. They never do anything In
a hurry. Life is serious 10 them, and
they endure great privations with patience
They never trifie; they never chaff: fir
tations they abhOr; and practical joking
they do not understand. They are more
than hospitaIble; they are. in fact, over
poweringly generous to the strangers, from
whatever land.
The word Finn implies native peasant
The upper classes are called Finlanders;
and while the Finn speaks only Finnish
the Finlander only knows Swedish until
quite lately, except what he was pleased
to call Kitchen Finnish" for use among
his servants; but every year since the in
PRODUCTION of the modern patriotic epoch
the Finlander has been learning more of
his native language. promising not only
to resist the invasion of the Russian
tongue bue to exclude the Swedish.
The women Of Finland have some mu-
nicipal rights. Unmarried women, if they
are of age, widows. or divorced, provided
they submit to the necessary conditions,
have possessed since 1873 the right of mu-
nicipal vote. In Town Councils women
have the right to choose or select, but
they cannot be chosen. The same may be
said of parochial affairs. No later than
1893 it was decreed that women were ell
gible as members of school boards in town
and country. Women can be trustees in
cases of bankruptcy; so. too can they
be guardians of children.
Education in Finland is far advanced.
All the thirty-six towns communes possess
one or more schools. OF the 466 country
communes 1863 have permanent folk schools
like board schools, to the total number
of So
Beyond the folk schools are continuation
classes of needlework, cooking, weaving.
Ill
then again there are peoples colleges for
both sexes, aged about IL, for the advance
ment of culture and knowledge and to
kindle noble impulses. The peoples col
lege was established originally by wo-
man for women. but has now become
widespread and is granted a public fund.
Besides the foregoing instituts or semin-
aries for folk schoolteachers or both sex
es. The instruction is free. There are al
so State schools for girls doing actual
work From all of which it will be noted
that Finland is exceptionally progressive
in matters ON education.
Women have absolutely equal rights
with men in the field OF Ieanring. More
than this, education for the masses is free
and for others merely normal, the State
by taxes according to the individual
wealth in various towns. After years Of
age education is compulsory, and the po-
lice sometimes force the law. For seven
years a child must attend school, passing
four standards. After that IL need
do no more, but a large number draft off
TO the higher schools, and later if they
elect, to the university. In most instances
the children mingle at school as in the
United States.
In 1889 the Finnish Women's associa-
ton was formed. having obtained permls-
sioa from the diet for their name Their
work is the elevation of their sex. intel
Iectuauy and morally. and the better
ment of woman's social and economical
position. Two years later branches were
formed throughout the country. aud TIE
association has succeeded markedly N
Re ising the standard Of wos- white ~ the
same tn incr. asins the }ay Of the lower
classes Strange to say, women are even /
trained in the harder occI latic.1s. s1ra
as carpentertng. brickIayilg ard house
builders. At the latest enumeration clQ.l
Of such women were registered.
IN public offices Finnish women hold
trates. policemen On the office: not out Of !
DOORS. secretaries. directors OF large in /
stifUuons. such as pubic kitchens and
reading rooms Women are employed a.
cashiers. bOokkeepers. and serve IN shops |
They are largely employed In banks. their
pay ranging from 81 e.o 1900 a wear /
They are also employed in Insurance /
offices As agents and commissioners. Ths /
cal
pletely.
Thirty years ago came the renaissance I
o. FINLAND Art. industry. literature.
commerce and notifies g-gddar,fv ~.--.,-ef 4