The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-18
COMING OF THE Firms
Driven From Their Country
by Russian Tyranny.
TO SETTLE IN AMERICA
History of a Strange People,
Their Strange Land.

New York, March 1.-THE Journal says:
\ whole people-the people OF Finland
i about to exile itself for the sake OF
,:oerty.
The Firms are coming to the United
States the great and kindly refube of the
worlds oppressed races. Within few
;conths, as soon as the ice-bound ports
O. Finland are opened, they Will begin to
crrive by the thousands. Already many
O. them are here arranging for the recep-
ton of their countrymen.
The Firms have been forced TO this
self expatriation by the act of the Gar
controlled by his ministers. In violation
Gar after another, the present monarch
cas absolutely deprived the Firms of all
seIf-government He has reduced them
20 a lower position than his own subjects,
Tor they Will be ruled by foreign officials
OF a foreign despot-
As the Firms are the most Hberty-lov-
ing people in the world, this condition
was not to be endured. They could not
hope 10 make any Roadway against the
LUCE Russian Empire, and so the only al
tentative was TO leave their beloved
c1-ntry
The Firms are one Of the most inter
esdng peoples in the world, industrious,
iatellec5ua moral, musical, and remark
ably democratic
They are Of Tartar ongoIian stock.
As early as the seventh century they en-
tered the present district of Finland,
probably finding the Laplanders there be-
fore them. Today there are only two mil
Lon and a half Of Firms in all the I44,221
square miles, not even as many people as
there are in Greater New York. Yet the
Firms have left their mark on the sci
eIce and the literature of the world
The Grand Duchy of Finland, as it IS
E7w known, lies between the Gulf Of
b2chnia on the west, Lapland on the
nth. and Russia on the south and east
Tor seven months in the year all of its
ports are frozen tight with the exception
- times Of the most southerly port Han
80. 1t is a wonderful country, made up
81 thousands Of islands, lakes and rivers
and with great pine forests
when the Car Alexander I. took poss-
e sion Of Finland in 1863. he was glad to
"a n the adherence of this little people.
WHO would serve as a buffer between him
and Sweden and perhaps be of greater
value IN his struggle with the great Ma
p'ie2n When opening the Diet Ut Borga,
n 1909. The Gar promised TO maintain the
fundamental laws Of Finland He con-
Lrmed his promise by his manifesto.
which is still known as the Great Char
tar Of Finland"
A-cor ling TO this arrangement, while
the Car was nominaIly the ruler of Fin
land. he acted through a Governor-Gen-
e@aI appointed by himself and a Senate
Of twenty members The charter grant |
ed at this time was confirmed by Alex I
ander II. 1853, who fixed period Of five |
years for the cOnvocation of the National |
Assembly, declaring that no law should |
b. created. amended. interrupted, or re-
voked save on the proposal Ct the Empe-
r2r and Grand Duke and with the con- |
seat of all the estates. + G., the clergy, |
the mobiles and the peasants, who were |
all represented in the Assembly.
Although Nicholas II. the present Car. /
promised explicitly on his ascent to the |
throne in 1894 TO "ratify and confirm ex- /
pr ssIy the religion, the fundamental |
avs. rights and privileges of the coun- /
t'y." he has during the last year issued |
7 rye Finland of all self-government. /
Z ne Senate has appealed in vain the ma
ton has protested with no effect. and all |
That IS left to the people has been to go !
into national mourning and proclaim a
policy Of self-imposed exile
Within the next few months thousands
OF Firms will leave tkeir native homes
fr-ever. TO seek liberty in the United
States As immigrants. probably they
ar the most desirable that have ever
come from the Old World to the New.
Niaety-eight per cent of the population
b. oag 10 the Lutheran Church and this
l. one OF the causes of their persecution
Iley are not a wealthy people, but in no
country in the world has education made
such progress as in this. Every child. as
soon as il is six years of age. is compelled
to attend school for the next seven years
50 that there Is absolutely no illiteracy in
Finland. Finland has given the world
No-denskiold, one of the greatest Artic
Explorers. a number of painters and po-
Pts, but most important of all, the KaIe-
-G'a an epic poem longer than Homer's
Laid, and in the estimation of such au-
hority as Professor Max Muller fully the
!
Like all the great national epics Of
primitive peoples. it has been handed
2ovn by tradition for hundreds of years.
he larger part Of it having been compos-
'l very probably before the Christian
.~a. It is the record of the Finn mind
t-r ggling al an Interpretation Of Ma
C-e and personifying the elements.
Written in measure something like that
Y Longfellows Hiawatha its Runic
hy~es embo3y the spirit OF a great ma
0-e-loving and hberty-Ioving people
Travellers say that the Firms are very
much Ike the Scotch. They are very in
.u.sitive. stubbornly obstinate, intensely
truthful and wonderfully honest. II you |
SIX a question. Does the train leave at
2' a Scot answers. Maybe II does" !
ne Flnlsnder says, 1T is advertised 10 |
b SO" The traveller finds the peasant
nXious TO know everything about him.
-e asks not only, Where do you come
rom? where are you going? what is :
our business? have you a husband? a
vie. father mother. brother. sister?" +
cc- but every detail possible as 10 you I
nd your business Z
a late traveller in Finland characterizes :
be people thus; Films are very in
aDse; they are men OF few words: slow :
D anger and slow 70 forgive. They never a
1 anything il a hurry Life Is very ser &
'uS 10 them They endure great priva- I
1Gs with patience. They never trife: I
iv-ation they abhor. and chan they sim 5
ly 90 not understand. They are honest s
G a degree. kind hearted. Eespect law
~ order and love peace. They are more c
laa hospiiable; they are. in fact over a
5w sringiy generous in their invitation I
,ne various strangers. and kind IN =