Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-07
Knowledge and LOBE: An Etching.
BY CAROLINE sULow.

BY the same edict the Finnish diet was
shorn of all its rights and powers; for In
the above cited ukase the car declared:
I'VE have found it necessary to reserve
to ourselves the ultimate decision as to
which laws come within the scope of the
general legislation for the empire" At
the same time the governor general of
the newly made province received the
right to veto any or all laws enacted by
the legislature. And although the diet
meets II has practically become utterly
impotent; the legislature is not allowed,
either by the authorities In st. Peters
burg or by the Russian governor. to act
even in an advisory capacity.
The first shock that brought this home
to the Firms was the imperial edict con-
corning the reorganization OF the milf
tary system. Instead of being a national
militia, commanded by Finnish officers
and not to be used outside OF the country
without the consent of the legislature
the Finnish soldiers have been declared
to be a part Of the Russian army. Rus
sian regiments have been stationed to
FINLAND. while the Firms must serve
under Russian officers, must obey COM
mands given in the Russian language. and
are sent to all parts Of Russia proper.
The number OF men to be drafted an
nually has been quadrupled by the Rus
sian authorities. Finland is required to
furnish annually 1900 men between the
ages of % and o. These men must re-
main in active service for five years at
least, after which they belong for thirteen
years to the reserve force. A very little
calculation viii show that what Russia
exacts IS almost an impossfbility. For
that demand means nothing less than
that out OF a population Of perhaps
2.5OO. e00 as many as 5000 should be con-
stantiy doing active military duty, while
n9e "a LODI 70 In xy0
years in maneuvers and drills for the
length of six weeks.
1t is easy to see what an effect this re-
quirement must have on the industry
and agriculture Of the country. Practi-
cally every able-bodied man is drafted
into the army, and is kept from any use
full occupation for fully five years. We
must overlook the misery and frequent
tortures that have to be endured during
this time; we may even pass over the fact
that five years of enforced uselessness I'M
fit man to follow with any success the
occupation or trade he has learned In his
youth; we can go even further, and leave
out of consideration the toll which is re-
ouired from the producers to clothe and
feed the army. IT is sufficient to say that
country whose soil yields only to concen-
trated and steady labor cannot have 5000
young men taken away from its scarce
population and remain prosperous. And It
is a fact admitted by the Russian authori-
ties themselves that the industries and ag-
riculture of Finland have suffered very
much.
Another direct result Of the Russian ex-
action in connection with the military
service is a large emigration of young
men in order to escape the hardships OF
the service The Firms were never MI
grating race until the Russians became
their masters. From practically nothing
the number Of young men who left the
country rose to 5000 in 1892 and in 1900.
in spite Of the fact that. the emigration
Of men. liable to military service has been
forbidden under the severest penalties. not
less than 5000 Of them emigrated.