Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-17
SHOT PROVED FATAL
ASsassin's Bullets End Life of
General Bobri kof.
THE POPULACE rs CALM
MOTIVE OF CRIME Is CHARGED TO
THE SWEDES.
Victim is Said to Have Been a Tyrant
> Outstanding Finland at Bot
tom Of Trouble.
THE POPULACE Is CALM

BobrikOf governor general Of Finland, who
was shot yesterday morning at the entrance
to the senate, died at l o'clock this morn
ing. The people are calm and there Is no
excitement.
ST. PETERSBURG, June II, :55 pm
What may be regarded as Gen. Bobrikoff's
dying declaration concerning the conditions
in Finland is contained in an interesting
statement made to M. Belaeff, a Russian
literary man, who has just completed
tour of the country and who had a long
talk with the late governor general Tues
day Bobrikoff regarded the present au-
thority very auspiciously, expressing salts
faction. The Firms. he said, thoroughly
understood the state of affairs and were
manifesting correct relations toward the
Russian administration. He continued:
Charged to Swedes.
. 1.-THE trouble is all with the Swedes. Swe-
domania is still a very strong propaganda
and is pushed in the most underhanded and
disreputable fashion. In order to poison
the peoples minds proclamation are shad-
owed from Sweden. We seize what we can,
but they form a regular hydra; wherever
one head is chopped off another grows. My
sympathies are on the side of the old Fms,
who form seven-eighths of the population.
I believe in them. The majority of the
senate is composed Of old Firms. 1 selected
them. l prefer them to the Swedes, hence
the hostilities of the latter. Helsingfors
gives me rest night or day. The city
Is hot bed Of dissension. 1t seems to
boil automatically because of the hostility
and rivalry between the parties repeat
that rely mostly on the old Firms. The
young Firms and the Swedish party are
much the same, the only difference Delng
that the former are more cowardly than
the latter. The socialist party, of which
fha E>nnc
cunning, time-serving organizations.
1.-The CONSUMPTION this year passed on
quietly. Only small percentage proved
unsubmissive The Swedish proclamations
are having little effect, the conscripts them
selves bringing them to us in bundles.
No Finnish Sympathy.
"Of course the Firms do not sympathize
with US. They rejoice at the Japanese VIC
tories and pull wry faces over our sue
cesses. There is no denying that it is
difficult time for us, especially In regard to
our frontiers Concessions are necessary,
but at the same time they are not advisable
yet. The Films attiture toward Russia Is
outwardly correct. They have freely sub
scribed to the war funds. The Swedes, OF
course, tried to organize hostile demonstra-
lions, but we kept them down. The streets
of Helsingfors are quiet. but no one knows
what goes on in the houses
General Bobrikoff's parting words to M.
Belaieff were:
Il hope to see you back alive
M. Belaieff speaking of the result of his
tour. said:
coast of Finland and called the best
people Everywhere I was greeted with
discouraging opinions. The people loyal to
Russia have a hard time. At Hango the
Inhabitants are in constant communication
with Sweden and England, and Russia's
authority is represented by single police
master and thirty policemen. The fjords
are the scene of ceaseless activity, and
what is going on there is readily imagina-
BILE.
Swedes Stirring Up People.
cat Aabo the Swedes are stirring up the
people by calling seditious meetings. At
the clubs and in the restaurants nothing
but politics is discussed. The Firms are
resisting stubbornly,, but are inclined to
give way The Young Firms are masters
of the working classes and the Swedes are
masters of the Young Firms.
AT Nickolaistad, which may be regarded
as the Swedish stronghold, and further
north, at Uleaaborg, the anti-Russian move
ment is growing. There may be heard such
expressions as guerrilla warfare complete
defeat &: Russia by the Swedes' and as
surance2 of British aid.
ut s time for our statesmen to interfere.
They are deceived about pro-Swedish SYM
rathy. England is everywhere working
against US.
In 4 word, heard the most gloomy and
most Giscouraging sta tenents on all sides"
Ascribed to Finnish Patriotism.
dispatch from New York says: The at
tack on Bobrikoff yesterday is ascribed to
Finnish patriotism. Schaumann, the as
sassin, is believed to be a member of what
is known as the Finnish patriotic party.
He was a university student and a men,
Der of the nationalist party. His father two
years ago protested in the senate against
the policy of the Russian government in
Finland.
While little is known here concerning the
motives behind Schaumann's act, the au-
thorities entertain no doubt that 1t grew out
of opposition to the policy Of the Russifca-
ton of Finlan nd
The question Of the convocation of the
diet, which is regarded one of the most
vital institutions of Finnish national life,
and which has not been convoked for over
a year. aroused much feeling.
General Bobrikoff was at first opposed to
the convocation of the diet, but on account
of the recent improvement of the situation
in Finland especially since the outbreak OF
the war. and because of the resolutions of
loyalty to the emperor and approving the
conduct of the war which were passed by
the senate, the governor general had de-
cided to recommend that the diet should
be allowed to meet. The question was to
have been definitely settled by his majesty
June 49,
Finnish People May Lose.
The following statement has been au-
thoritatively made:
In view Of the attempt on the life of
Gov. Gen. Bobrikoff. the decision of the
emperor will probably be against the con-
vocation of the diet, so that the people of
Finland. as well as the governor general,
shall be compelled to suffer, instead of ben
eft by Schaumanns crime.
Gen. Bobrikoff, as administrator. was
naturally unpopular with that portion of
the population which opposed the policy of
classification. He was personally naughty
and austere, and ruled firmly but Justly
The malcontents in Finland comprise hard
ly one-seventh of the population, and are
made up mostly of Swedes. The mass of
the Firms themselves are content as they
understand the purpose of the measures
taken for the unification of the empire but
some of the Finnish papers have been ex-
tremely hostile in their attitude, and the
indignities sometimes offered to the Russian
officers necessitated whatever repressiye
measures Gov. Gen. Bobrikoff may have
been compelled to employ.
Better Feeling Recently.
"Of late better disposition has been
manifested toward Gen. Bobrikoff and the
Russian administration, owing to a better
understanding and to the knowledge that