New-York tribune., 1903-02-01
HABITS OF THE FINNS.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR COUNTRY
WHERE FAMINE IS NOW RAGING.


Reports of terrible famine in Sweden and Fin
land have brought that part of Europe into
general notice. The Grand Duchy of Finland
recently claimed the sympathy of the world be-
cause of the efforts on the part of Russia to
wipe out cherished institutions and to destroy
its individuality. Now it is once more the re-
cipient of much sympathy on account of the
sufferings of its people from hunger.
Bordered by the CULTS of Finland and Bothnla
on the south and west, and bounded by Russia
and Lapland on the east and north, FINLAND is
away from the beaten path of the tourist and
consequently it's features and the characters
tics of it's people not well known.
Finland is larger than England, Ireland, Scot
land and the Netherlands combined. 1t has its
own constitution, which framed in 1772
This instrument was modified and changed
when in 1SO9 the grand duchy was ceded to
the Emperor of Russia, but it still provides for
a national parliament, in which the four estates
the mobiles, the clergy, the burghers and the
peasants-are represented, and names as the
bead of the State the Grand Duke of Finland
yho is the Car. The patriotic Finlander speaks
f the Car the Grand Duke, just as the Hun
sarian does Of Emperor Franz Joseph as his
King.
visitor to the capital, Helsingfors, in speak
ng of the place said that the first thing that
attracted his attention in the place was the
great number of bicycles. 1.-The streets are
paved with cobblestones," he said, land far
from good from the wheelman's point of view,
but the seventy thousand inhabitants own more
dian three thousand wheels. This is the more
remarkable from the fact that for seven months
In the year the ground is covered with ice and
SNOW leaving only five wheeling months
The inhabitants of Finland are a serious
people. They know nothing about humor, and
joke told to them must be explained. All
tlasses educated, and according to the
ieTsion of careful observer, they have fixed
IDEAS to the equality of men and women
Coeducation is practsed in it's broadest form,
and the people reared to disregard the
imaginary line which society draws between
and women; yet in all social gatherings
antithesis to this freedom is found IN the
form of unusual restraint
Since 1893 women have been eligible as mem
bers of the school boards, but among the work
ing classes equality with men has long been
established, may be seen by the number of
women who follow vocations which are usually
monopolized by men. Thus, there are among
the trades women 144 bookbinders, 112 hatters
II dyers u carpenters. 10 paperhangers, IL
watchmakers, 20 goldsmths, 5oS bakers, IL
slaughterers, 1853 hotel and restaurant keepers,
$50 ship leaders, 1913 printers and $50 brick
layers in the grand duchy There are also $50
in the employ of the State in various
capacities.
For hundreds of years Finland belonged to
Sweden, and although il is nearly one hundred
years since Russia came across t1e border and
gobbed up the country the upper class still
speak Swedish. These upper class people are
called Finlanders, while the peasants, who speak
only Finnish, are spoken of Firms
MI Shoddy cannot live and be comfortable
In Finland. He cannot pretend to be man of
large income, when. in fact, he is the ragged
edge, because one of the customs of the land is
to publish in the daily papers at certain time
every year the income of every citizen. IN
comes of less than $1,000 exempt. With
full knowledge of a mans financial resources
his friends know when he is overstepping the
bounds of prudence in his expenditures and
when he does or fails 20 do his share of charity
This Willingness to allow others to know their
business is not more remarkable than the
tom which prevails throughout the country of
entering house a room without knocking.
People never think of making their presence
known before entering, never say or act "by
your leave" but walk right in, and they feel