The Portland daily press., 1899-04-28
Firms OBJECTS.
Grievances for which the Russian Gov'
eminent IL Responsible, They Say.

Grievances for which the Russian Cow
eminent IL Responsible, They Say.
The total population Of Finland by the
last official census, that Of 1896, was
{, $50, 600. of whom ALTO, 900 were native
Films. $4,000 were Swedes resident in
Finland, 1000 were Russians (ohiefiy OF
the official class or members of Russian
garrisons), and !. 200 were Lsplanders re-
siding In the northern part of that prov
ince. which, though politically part of
Russia, more properly belongs. by geo.
graphical position, to Norway and
Sweden. The population of Finl land has
Deen steadily increasing In ate years. for
the reason that there Is practically no EN-
igration from IL, and in this particular 1t
differs from most European countries. 1t
has, moreover, tie advantage arising
from a small immigration to 1t from va
rious Russian provinces, and then, also.
Finland is one of the European countries
In which the birth rate is decidedly high
or than the death rate The normal In
crease of population now averages about
30, 900 a year.
Just now the policy Of the Russian
Government appears to be inclined to
curtailment of the former political rights
of the Firms, who are Scandinayians by
race and Lutherans in religion. This at.
titude has had the effect OF stimulating
the organization of the Firms of the
United States, most numerous at pres
emit In the city of Brooklyn, but largely
represented In the population OF those
Western and Northwestern cities In
which other Scandinavians are to be
found in consid srable numbers.
There has recently been established in
Brooklyn what Is known as the Finnish
American Central Committee, the men,
bers OF which expect to take an active
part in the agitation in this country d.
rected against the Cars decree against
Finnish autonomy. There has also oeen
formed committee OF Finlanders
throughout the middle western part OF
the country, the mem bers of which have
been discussing the propriety OF sending
delegation to Washington 10 invoke the
good offices of the State Department In
support of Finland's rights, II an oppor-
tunity offers. at the International Peace
Congress called by the Russian govern
ment to meet at The Hague. The Grand
Duchy of Finland was ceded TO Russia
by Sweden In September, 1909, retaining
its separate government and Constitu.
ton which dates back for numbsr OF
centuries. This Constitution provides
for national Parliament to be called at
intervals of four or five years by the Car
of Russia under his Finnish title OF
Grand Duke: The Gear has a veto power
upon any laws proposed by this Parlia-
ment, and the concurrent assent or oil
the branches of Ii is necessary to any
radical changes. Recently the former
constitutional rights of the Firms have
practically been suspended, the course OF
the Russian government being TO length
en- tue intervals betwesn the meetings OF
tho Parliament, to substitute imperial Tor
local authority, to make (as WAS done in
1S9O) the circulation of Russian money In
Finland compulsory, to substitute the use
Of Russian for Finnish, and to reduce the
foreign trade of the country with Eng
land and Germany, the chief Finnish e1-
ports, timber, butter and wood pulp, be.
ing to England, and the chief imports,
cereals, sugar, coffee and tobacco, being
from Germany. About one-tenth of the
area of Finland Is made up of lakes, and
the Internal communication throughout
the country is chiefly by water, the rail
road mileage being less than l,600. The
Films ofthe United States have taken lit
tie part heretofore in public affairs, but
the recent hostile course OF the Russian
government toward their compatriots has
had the effect of inducing them to organ
ize, and may lead later to their entran noe
into American politics.