The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-24
Sympathy Strangely Lacking.


daily upon the attention of congress and
the people resolutions of sympathy with
the afflicted people of Finland, and de-
manding of the administration that 1t
either secure relief for these distressed
and prosecuted foreigners or else plunge
the United States into war with Rus
STA on their behalf? These gentlemen
and others of their Xix have been plead
ing the cause of the Boer and demand
ing that the government put itself on
record as their friend and ally. II we
are to grant to them one atom of sin
certify. how explain their silence about
Finland?
The oppression OF which these people
are the victims has been related already
in these columns The Firms have en-
1oyed, under the jealous eye of Russia,
their ancient liberties and privileges.
They have used these so wen as TO
make of their country a comparatively
happy and prosperous oasis in the great
region which feels the despotic hand of
the car. Now their liberty, their ma
tional!ty. their very existence Is being
crushed out by the tyranny that is alb
sorbing them. The ukase has gone forth,
and Finland is 10 be made Russ in ev-
erything. Government, institutions. re-
ligior. education. nothing is to escape.
And Finland, being too weak to resist,
has prepared herself, with lamentations
and stern resolve. TO perish beneath the
flood OF an invasion more merciless.
more cruel and less defensible than any
that follows a war of conquest
The Firms have not even the poor
privilege OF leaving a land once dear
but about to become intolerable, and
seeking TO establish their liberty by ex-
ile The command is that they shall
remain and suffer; bear the unspeak-
able indignities accompanying such a
settlement OF the tyrant among them;
see all perish that they have built and
loved. and become worse than serfs In
a land where serfdom has been abolish
ed in name only to remain az a less
endurable fact. Small bodies OF them
are coming to this country now. as fast
as they can escape the military guar6z
set over them. But Cossacks camp on
OF convicts. Not even the poor privi-
lege OF fleeing from their homes and
leaving oil to the oppressog is allowed
It is n crime almost unique In history,
IN that 81 Is being perpetratcd not
against a warllke or rebellious state. but
against n people loyal and obedient and
orderly. whose sole crime Is that their
superiority is menace and reproach
to the tyrant
II there Is a people on the face % the
globe today who have right to the
sympathy Of Americans, It Is those OF
Finland. Admit that the case Of the
Boer appeals strongly to our nation. and
what shall we say OF the Finn7 What.
rather. shall we shy 90 the politician
who breaches incessantiy the martyr
dom Of the one and knows or cares
nothing Of the otheTf Can we fan 90
| conclude that he cares nothing for
the Transvaai or Finland or for
liberty itself: that he is uitering
sacred words with profane motives, and
advertising himself a. that uleanes' Of
creatures who would PICK and choose
among the suffering. not eyea that he
may relieve their distress, but TIA: Re
may turn u to the satisfaction Of bis
sslashness and political Anhition7
There IS matter for much regret in the
failure IL the house to remedy the abuse
Of postal rates for se,1na-class matter.
The government spends anywhere from
$40. 600 900 to $50 0og oog year. according
% different estimates. upon service that
should - paid FOR by the publishing
houses. The deGclt OF the postal d.
partmeut would be turned into sur
illus IL matter nov sent as second-class
but which is not really entitled to the
privilege were obliged to pay a proper