The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-07-09
Affairs In Finland.
[Collier's Weekly

In cuIture-in learning. religion. litera-
ture and art-Finland holds place equal
TO that of Sweden. Education is COM
pulsory even among the peasants, and
co-educalion has made more progress here
than in any other country n the world.
Finland. large as California, has more
large cities ihln that state. But who
knows of Helsingfors, the capital, and the
Boston Of Russia? Who knows of the
Helsingfors University with its enrolment
equal to that OF Yale? 1t is such a coun-
try that has just been deprived of its
constitutional liberty. 1t is such coun-
try that has come to its last days.
Officially, it is declared that political
prisoners are no longer taken to Siberia
Yet every Wednesday morning. at the
Moscow Railway station 10 St Petersburg
we may see two hundred or more prison
ers entrained for the land of exile. Oae
Wednesday m orning in April, saw this
saddest of spectacles. The prisoners
were marched to the station four abreast.
between lines OF soldiers with drawn sab
res. Many were in rags. The most
ragged had been supplied with sheepskfns.
Many walked barefoot over the ice-paved
road. The worst criminals were ia front.
heads shaver on one side only, | gs
weighted with chains. At the station
were many baskets of white bread sup
piled by the charitable. Each prisoner
carried muslin bag and into these the
white bread was dropped One loaf fell
on the ground and dozen men fought
for il. 1t was the last white bread they
would eat. That gone, the muslin bags
would know only black bread In the
rear came the women criminals. Behind
these, last of all, came the political prison
ers. among whom was one tall man proud
y erect, wrapped in furs. AT the gate.
way to the platform stood his wife and
child. AS he passed these, the prisoner
removed his cap and lifted his right hand
in benedicton. Just then a soldier push
ed him roughly forward and the gate
closed. The wife's cry of agony should
have been heard by the whole free world !;
1t represented the agony of spirit of the
womanhood OF all Finland today. For
that tall prisoner. beginning there six
months journey, most Of it to be afoot,
TO some collection of huts in the extreme
northeast of Siberia, was a Finn. Never
before had the Russian iron hand closed
thus upon Finnish subject. In the
sinister placement of country and a
people. he was the first
Alas poor Finland For four years
the policy of Transforming the Grand
duChy OF Finland into Russian province,
the same as Poland, has been pursued
relentessly. From a Petersburg view
point, the transformation is already COM
plete. Officially there are now no Finnish
nation, no Finnish language. currency or
laws. All Firms, according to Govern
ment." are dead and buried, and the three
million inhabitants OF Finland are Rus
SLAMS. Nichols is no longer the grand
duke of Finland-he is the car of all the
Russians. And all because Finland has
been more prosperous than any other
section of Russia This constituted a
bad example for provinces less prosperous
who made demand for" Constitutional
liberty like Finland" In the process of
classification, Finland has been denied
the right to make even her own local laws.
has been reduced to condition OF ex-
IRENE taxation without representation
Business is paralyzed No one dares in
vest dollar OF capital