The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-12
ABOUT RUSSIA
AND THE FINS.
Rise and Fall of Finland's lndepen-
dent Government,
IT WAS SCHEME OF TREACHERY
The Military Autonomy OF Finland
Ovcrthrown 10y the Steady Work or
Couspirators-Fcclings Of Bit
terncsS Awakened Thereby

The Newcastle England Daily Chroni-
Gle OF February g. l.l9 has the following
When FINLAND in 1893 was united % rus
STA. the Emperor Alexander J., as is wen
known. assured the country OF an indie
pendent government and the maintenance
OF ifs old laws. that IFS 10 say the SWed-
ish Constitution Of 1112 and 1Is9 which
subsequently was further developed dur-
ing the reign Of Alexander IT, and the bee
ginning OF the reign OF Alexander ILL., ON
this historical foundation. According Go
the Constitution OF the country the Fin
nish people have the right through their
representatives assembled in Parliament
az least every nth. sud since l,,2 ace
tually every third year. TO take part in the
legislation and 10 settle their own taxa
ton. None but Finnish citizens can Doe
employed in the Finnish public service.
All Finnish matters are laid before the
monarch direct by O. special Finnish Ses-
rotary Of state after they have been dis
cussed by the Finnish authorities
HOME RULE FORCES
Finlaud's right Goo "a national army
charged with defending the country ana
OF thereby contributing also -to the de-
fence of Russia. was recognized already in
1903. The obligation OF raising military
forces was then, according % The old
Swedish military tenure. Incumbent on
the landowners By application of tho
Diet OF the year l>H b. was resolved. how
ever. that the national regiments should
not bee raised during The next hlty yeats
in order that the country might have
time 10 recover after the rlFae- n. ih-
war. IN 1N2 when Napoleon invaded
Russia. few recruited regiments were
nevertheless, raised by voluntary sIn-
scription. tho greater part ot which. how
ever. were soon dirlludrl again. and iu
1853 nine national b1ttllous were formed
on account of the Crlmean war; which
were again dishluded iu 1sll. Tho mill
tary system was now considered anti
uuated. lu 1,f compulsory military scr-
vice was introduced into Russia. and in
1877 the Emperor Alexander IT. submitted
to the Diet OF Finland % bin concerning
the Introduction OF CONSUMPTION IN Fin
land Opinions upon this reform were.
however. greatly divided az the Diet and
~ was only after much hesitation that "a
J conscrlpt law was passed. lu th.s the
above mentioned principle was enforced
that the object Of the Finnish army was to
defend FINLAND and thereby Contribute
20 the defence of the Russian Empire. the
same principle that is supplied in tho in-
dependent colonies NJ Great Britain. al for
instance I'm Canada. The length az ser-
vice in the standing troops was fixed for
three years followed by two years in the
reserve. but in order 10 make the cone
script burden more equally divided lt was
decided that oil those who had not been
drawn by lot for active service should to
enrolled in the reserve for Eve years. and
there be drilled annually during The first
three years, in all ninety days. From the
reserve all are enrolled ln the militia or
national guard in which they remain
tin the age Of forty; each mIiuaman has
thus had at least ninety days drill. By
the conscript law of ls.S two exceptions
were introduced 10 the rule that none
but Finnish citizens can be employed 300
the Finnish state service. BY this law
namely the Russian Minister OF War act-
ing IN the same capacity for the Flnnish
army. was charged with laying before
the monarch such Finnish military affairs
as did not concern finance or legislation
affairs of the two last named catogories
must still be presented % the Finnish
Secretary OF state. The other exception D.
that Of the GOvernor-General, who need
not be a Finnish citizen IS the COM
mander in chief Of the Finnish troops.
The Finnish army consists at the present
time OF nine battalious Of infantry and
one regiment Of Dragons. comrrisiug iu
an $500 men on the field, besides which
the three classes younge=t in age of the
reserve are drilled annually. ninety days
i'm all in thrty-two different camping
grounds The command OF these troops
is. under tho Governor General entrusted
to a commander with a staff of his own.
This organization has now during nearly
eighteen years worked IN a perfectly
satisfactory manner. and the Improvement
in tho Finnish troops has always been
fully as great as that shown by the Rus
sian troops.
HATERS or THE FINNS
II IS we'll known that there has long
existed in Russia reactionary and chief
~ bureaucratic party 90 which the in-
dependent government and constitution
Of Finland have been "a thorn iu the
flesh. by means OF a number OF chauyi-
nistic Russian papers and influential adj
herents in the highest Russian Admins
tratiOn this party has, without scrupie
as 20 the means employed. carried on an
unceasing agitation against Finland with
the purpose Of undermining and destroy
ing It's autonomy BY appealing 20 the
national passions the haters OF the Films
have by degrees succeeded i'm creating
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