Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-01
PROTESTING FINLAMDERS.
flnnlsh.Amerein Committee Meets In New
York 10 Discuss Cars Recent Action.
Advir-s show that tu..ian pers.eu.
ton 10 Already R.it la the Land
OF Their Nativity.

New York. April Tho Finnish
American central committee met nj the
offices Of the silrtolalncn. the Finnish
local newspaper. In Brooklyn. In order
TO discuss further measures and report
progress In the agitation IN this coun-
try directed against the ozarH recent
decree TO destroy Finnish autonomy
ana national existence. The chairman
read letter from the Firms OF Caiu-
met. Mich. giving details OF tho organ
lzation OF Finnish committee, Consist
ins mainly OF lawyers, doctors aud pro-
fcAHors OF Finnish birth. This commit.
tee reported the unanimous declslon 10
cooperate heartily with the central
committee OF New York und announced
tho formation OF committees OF Fin
lhnderH throughout the middle and
western section OF the United stnteT
The meeting. although convened At a
single days notice 0nly. was attended
by several hundred Finnish Americans
ana collection OF over 500 was taken
toward preliminary expenses.
Further news was received from
South Ashburnham. Mass, where ali
the Films. twenty-thrce In number. had
signed petition which IL being circu-
lated through the State, a list for sig
nniurea was asked for from Browns
The central committee determined 10
send at once lists with n heading in
Finnish, Swedish and English, ali
through this country and Canndn, for
additional signatures 10 the petition,
which Is TO be taken TO Washington.
Advicca have Just been received by
the committee from Finland with sew
crn interesting items OF news. As
showing how the hand OF russian per-
sccution r. already being felt, Il IL stat
ed that the Russian governor general.
liobrlkon, has compelled the Finnish
senate To send orders 10 all ministers
throughout Finland forbidding them 10
criticize the czar'R recent ukase. Rus
sian secret service agents have become
active throughout the country and have
been promising farm hands that as
soon aa the Finnish law has been re-
placed by the Russian. they shall have
AZ the land they want, which. the
Firms say. means theft and spoilatlon
Of the peasant landed proprietorr who
practically own most OF the arabic land
~ the country. This measure, II car
rled out. these late advices say. would
simply result In the absolute ruin OF All
agricultural enterprise,
The committee received information
that when the governor general re-
lucsted his Finnish ad1utant, Captain
Toppellus Ia go around among the peo-
pie OF lielsingfors and Vicinity IN order
20 probe Finnish feeling ON the rubjoct
" the cznr's recent decree. the latter
answered ~ am hated enough merely
for being IN your service and II 1 am
further required To go around spying ON
my own people, refuse absolutely"
For this reply Captain Toppelius has
been bnnishcd TO central Russia.
The committee In perfecting arrange
ments for the holding OF preliminary
indignation meeting In New York,
probably In Cooper Union, IN the near
future. The Idea OF sending the petit
ton To Washington II 20 bring influence
TO bear through that quarter on the
delegates from this country TO the In
ternational peace conference.