New-York tribune., 1903-08-24

0TCiraUCes
SepteInber, I9U2. Count Mannerheim declares.
the Old Fennoman party under the leadership
OF tne astute Hrjo- Koskinen, practically Joined
nahds With Russia in order to Yercome the
SNekomaRs group of cunning old politicians
hegan a systematic agitation in favor of WELD
ing 10 Russian demands, and described the op-
position as group OF wildfre Youngsters in
tent solely on opposing classification. The first
meeting called in Helsingfors to voice these
opinions was somewhat dismal failure. only
some hfty-odd persons attending But by dnt
OF constant reitera ton and unwearying exhoTta-
ion on the part OF the bishops and clergy most
OF whom fearing largely for their livelihood
now turned 10 the Old Fennoman party the
1S couIlLIS Is now a prey 20 internal dissensons
as Wen as TO outward oppression
BoBRlKOFF HELPED.
Undoubtedly this fact has Immensely strength
ehed the hands OF the Russian Governor Cen
eral, who has consistently represented the oppo-
fition IN the country a large as directed by u
Clique of irreconrilables, whom it was only
necessary 10 destroy IN order 10 see The inbabi-
tants perfectly submissive and content under
RUSSIAN reformsf Hence the arbitrary powers
Iatey conferred on him by the Gar to enable
MN to crush this supposed band Of interested
aeltalors againss Russian supremac.-, of which
powers the logical elimination is the right of
arbitrary banishment.
II will be remembered thai I,op1IIar feeling
was more hotly and more generally aroused by
me abolition Of the Finnish army and the cali
ing up Of Finnish youth TO serve under the Rus
sian flag than by any other single measure of
me new despotisn. and that throughout the
land in the summer OF 1902 the clergy refused
10 read the illegal ukase from their pulpits or
the congregations 10 listen TO it il commenced
and that the conscripts abstained to the num-
Der OF something like 20 per cent, from obeying
the summons to serve. This year things have
somewhat changed owing to severe govern
mental pressure brought TO bear. first. on the
80 aIui second on 'the conscrlptS who
failed TO appear last year. and if they could not
be found. on their relatives. Wishing to have
iurtner light on this subject, l spoke TO Count
Mannerheim of the increase in the numbers
OF recruits who have presented themselves this
summer for service in the Russian army.
his reply was 10 the effect that while there
vas lndubitabl considerable increase this
year, there were two things that must be borne
in mind. In the first place, there was every
reason 10 believe that the official figures had
been padded, and made include not only
many who had been rejected account Of
physical infrmities OF one sort or another. but
also numbers who had solved the problem by
emlgraung In Jhe next place. every. species
Of bribery, cnlcanery and Misrepresentation
even 20 threats of accommodation, the refusal
ot marriage baEns and, where those failed OF
tnelr intended effect resort 10 actual force-had
been employed to driYe the conscripts to their
appointed mastering places Nor were the
Russian methods OF intimidation confined 10
such alone as were called upon serve Thus.
the mayors Of all the towns in the provinces of
Nyland and Eiborg were deposed for their atti-
tude Of protest as well as numbers Of Finnish
officials, small and great. whose only offence
was loyal observance of their oath as servants
upheld
Thus, at Hang6 municipal counsellor named
Stenstrom vas suTnmarily deprived of his Office
by order Of kaigorodoff for having given voice
to his feelings Of indignation The inhabitants
Of the town thereupon, in order to mark their
sense Of their toynsman's eminent character and
services and at the same time protest against
the gross injustice OF the Governors action,
raised fund supply Mr.. Stenstr0m with a
pension in return for his services in the capacity
of a private legal adviser to the municipal
thoTities. This pension Kaigorodoff actually
took II upon himself 10 forbid his receiving, and
on Stenstron's very properly taking the ground
that such an order constituted unwarra ntable
interference with his private affairs and means
OF livelihood. and declined TO comply. the Rus
sian had him banished by Bobrikoff, Surely
tyranny could scarcely do worse than this.
A TYPICAL INSTANCE OF RUSSIAN FORCE.
As showing the extent to which the terrorizing
process was enpIoved by the Russian aI1tnori-
ties in the attempt TO force the conscripts into
the army typical case should suffice A
prominent peasant proprietor in the neighbor-
hood of KOtka. exporting centre on the south
coast, who had not concealed his Indignation at
the trend Of recent events, but who was never
bors man Of sterling integrity and high
character found his house entered suddenly
one day by Russian gendarmes and turned
topsyturvy. presumably in a search for in
eliminating evidence OF any kind. That such
was not forthcoming mattered little to the in
quIsitoFs, VINO had received their orders, and
despite the cries and tears of his wife and chill
dren, who were distressed beyond words at see
ing the honored husband and father thus mall
treated and Inundated, the peasant was mana
cled and led thus into the streets where he was
marched back and forth in the public gaze for
hour or two before being thrown into a cell
for common Halefactors. Nothing could be
found against him. and after day or two he
was released from confinement.
And even with all this systematic pressure
Bobrikon has not succeeded in getting more
than 20 per cent, even on the official showing
10 respond TO the summons to military service. |
It is in the Swedish speaking provinces the
more direct objects of the Russian attacks !
where YrJo-Koskinen and his like have been
contemptuousy rejected by the people. that the
tyrants have met the worst rebuff, in some
parishes not single one of the twenty or thirty
youths summoned having put in an appearance !
while in others the percentage has been very
small. 1t is likewise from these provinces par
ticularly that OF Osterbotten (Ostrobothnia or /
East BOthnia) that the number Of emigrants /
has risen alarmingly.
Many sad developments have been noted in the /
case of the eXiles, most of whom have crossed /
into Sweden. The first four, among whom was /
Count Mannerheim, were given seven days /
grace in which to wind up their affairs before /
the edict was to go into effect. but. as the /
count tells ne, this was subsequently reduced TO
five days. then three and finally the latest /
victims of Bobrikoffs hate have been forced /
10 quit their native land on the instant al once /
severing all the close relationships and ten /
derest ties that lend life all its sweetness.
OSsian PrOCope. cousin of the erstwhile /
Assistant Secretary Of State for Finnish Affairs /
at st. Petersburg, is one Of these last. Another /
DR. ]. A. Lyly. a man of distinguished /
parts a scholar and q man Of great promise |
was abroad at the time the decree Of expulsion /
was launched against him. He had done abso- /
lutely nothing to merit such extreme action, and /
when the news Of the decree reached him he
was so overcome with grief and despair that he /
blew out his brains.
1t is customary in Finland to give a suicide
what is known a silent burial" with simply /
couple Of short prayers, and the funeral Of |
Dr. Lyly became. through the touch of pro- |
found pity that ma de all the Finnish world kin /
under the spiritual aegis of that bright young |
life gone 10 undeserved doom. one of the most
solemn and impressive demonstr atoms on the
part of the people that the Finnish nation had /
ever known
II is the thought of this perhaps that prompt
ed DR.. Reuter- TO say that the old Fennoman |
party viii eventually awaken 10 the folly of
tn cir present course, howsoeVer msta kenly hon