The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-30
Nornannaheinen
REPLY BY PLEHYE.
Russia's Minister Of Interior Makes
Answer to VIM. T. Stead's
Letter.
Tries to Explain Action of Cars
Government in Treatment of Il
Finland.

NJ. de Plehve, Russia's minister, for
the interior, has been forced 10 reply
to some pointed questions directed 70
him in an open. letter by William u.
stead in the Review OF Reviews Tor,
August. From being sincere ad-
mirer of the car and his government,
Mr. Stead has become greatly aroused
by the heartless tyrannies imposed Oh
the patient and peaceful Firms, ana
he wants to know how to reconcile
facts with 1IctiOn.
NJ, de Plehye says that 1.-The chief
aim Of the government, the prosperity
of the people, can be reached only py
the co-operation of government ana
people. The states which compose the
empire must realize the value ana
necessity of the work and, aims OF
the central government; the cehtrai
government must appreciate. the al.
Vantages that 1t receives from the pup
lie activity Of each state in It's effort
for individual development. me
combination of an autocratic power dl-
recting the destiny Of the empire, with
local self-government, Is the aim that
has directed government action In
Finland. =.
.'The manifesto of Feb. Is, 1899, far
from disregarding this principle or
cooperation, promotes 1T IN all us
completeness. 1t DEGREES that the
passing of laws common to Russia ana
Finland should not depend entirely on
the privilege of the imperial council
acting together with the Finnish SEN
ate. This should not make Russia
friends doubt the possibility of har-
monizing an autocratic central control
with local self-government and per-
sonal liberty. To develop the moral
and material forces of the people
CT,
public life as they become able to as
sumo it's responsibilities, has been the
wholesome and wisely conservative
policy of Russian sovereigns.
In Finland the spirit of self-gov-
eminent has developed too soon and
too far. Under the Russian rule OF
the last hundred years self-goVern-
ment has become strongly rooted
and so general that it is exercised in
all the economic and many of the
political affairs Of the duchy. 1t is
a striking proof of the power of the
autocratic system to develop and per-
feet the social organism.
"As to the actual attitude Of the PEG.
pie of Finland to Russia, i can reas
sure you; it is not nearly so hostile as
anti-Russian writers in the foreign
press make it out. The better ele
ments of Finnish society-to their hon
or be it said-see clearly that thu
prosperity of Finland during the las
century has been due to Russian rule
and understand the real reasons TO-
the increase Of emigration from Fin
land. If this is partly due to the pc
litical disturbances (Which may have
caused some simple villagers to be
lieve that they would be impressed fol
military duty on the borders OF tn
empire). it is none the less in the mail
the result of an economic condition
It began long before the manifesto
and has been increased by the failur
of the crops, industrial crises and tn
need of workmen in other countries
The same conditions prevail in Scan
dnavia---in Norway emigration is pro
portionately greater than in FINLAND
reaching last year rate OF 100 i
week.
Having shown the Fundamental
and constant aims Of Russian polio
in Finland, we pass to the temporar
and casual measures which haV
caused disturbances there. Thes
measures are without doubt severe, blu
are no more than necessary. At mos
they consist of the Punishment c
twenty-six Firms and the dismlssa
without pension of a few government
employees. The state cannot in an
case keep in it's employ persons VIII
refuse to obey their superiors; nc
could the government allow the exist
ence of a conspiracy to push peace
full and law-abiding people to revol
Even violence was attempted again:
Russian partiZans. !. ..4.-.
Beside the agitation Of the popu
lace, the anti-Russian party in Fir
land is to blame for the expulsion {
the Korobeyniki, the harmless timer
ant Russian merchants, from Finlant
and for poisoning the foreign pres
with articles representing Finland q
widely separated in spirit from Ru:
sia-as the bulwark Of the we:
against the east. = r@ ~.
AS to the future action Of the Rus
sian government in Finland, the man
festations called forth by an open n
volt against Russian authority wi
give place to the former benef1cel
attitude of our sovereign as soon {
the peaceful course of public affai
has Recommended. But the applic'
ton to the duchy Of the principle
the unity of the empire will be col
tinued and will be realized by tt
peaceful cooperation and conhden'
~ Of the local forces of the country, vi
der the. direction of him to- who
Providence has intrusted the destini
of Russia and Finland a..