The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1904-07-01

sosR,koFF'e END EXPECTED.


so1RikoFF'e END EXPECTED.
Slayer Of FinIand's Governor General
| Hero.
The end Of Gen. Bobrikoff, governor
general Of Finland, who; was assassi-
mated, has long been predicted, not
! openly, Of course, but in the privacy
OF the home. the Office and the club.
Young Schaumann may not have rem
dered his country service by his
rash act. for unless the Russian ma
ture has been changed. the death of
Gen. Bobrikoff will be followed by re-
prisals in which the whole people will
probably suffer. Still, he will be add.
ed to the list Of, Finland's heroes, and
no matter how brutal the next gov
ernor may be, he can hardly equal the
hated Bobrikoff, and he is very likely
to be much more humane. Undoubted-
ly the young patriot was wise to COM
nit suicide, as the most terrible pun
ishment Russia could devise would
have been melted out to him.
Finland is in deplorably pitiful
condition in consequence Of five years
of Bobrikoff rule. The taxes have been
piled on the people at a frightful rate
in spite of the fact that industry and
commerce have been diminished as the
result of misrule. The revenues of the
country formerly were sufficient for all
purposes, but although education and
public works have been greatly neg
lected, the Russians have been able to
extract large amounts for extra en-
penses.
Where the Money Goes.
The department of the police has
drawn most heavily upon the Finnish
resources. Its added expenses during
the period under consideration amount
to no less than 1855 700 marks, and
represent an increase of 1873 per cent!
sry, which has been enriched by 2,O00,-
600 marks. Then comes the depart
ment of instruction in the Russian
language, for which $4,000 marks have
been expended; then the governor gen
erals department and its sub-off1ces,
with an added expenditure of $4,000
marks; and finally, in the list of large
sums, the gubernatorial and provincial
departments, whose expenses have
been increased by $4,000 marks.
OF smaller sums expended during
The same period, we have first, the SEN
ate, which has received $1,000 marks;
then the means placed at the cars
disposal, 100000 marks; the depart
ment of literary censorship, whose pur-
pose is to prevent the spread of en-
lightenment, $4,000 marks; Russian
school inspectors, $4,000 marks; gratu-
tiles, $4,000 marks, and finally, the
cars picture, which adorns the hall of
the senate, 1000 marks. At least
100000 marks have been expended
without the slightest benefit, and, in
many cases, with incalcuIabIe injury to
the country.
Heavy as these burdens have been,
they are only experiments in the work
of pressing out money. During the
present year Finland, in addition to-.
the ordinary expenses Of government,
must pay nearly 100000 marks for
ti1C IluoSldu SSAudl ulCIlS, o,UUU,UUU
marks into the Russian treasury and
100000 marks into the war fund,
which, though collected by force, is adj
vertised as gift.
Commerce and industry have been
at standstiTI during this period, and
in consequence of the stagnation decay
has set in. In education and culture
Finland must eventually reach the
pitiful condition of unhappy Poland
Already libraries and reading rooms,
established by the voluntary contribu-
lions of the young peoples societies of
Finland, have been closed under the
pretence Of purging them from t'un-
wholesome and dangerous literature"
most of the important books. periodi-
Gals and newspapers from abroad have
been prohibited because they might
contain principles antagonistic to the
political code of Russia; the teachers
and instructors have been continually
watched and interfered with by the
Russian school inspectors and gend-
armes (some Of them have already
been carried to Siberia), while the
usual allowances to institutions for
public instruction and recreation have
been gradually cut down, and in many
cases abolished altogether, because
there is no more money in the treasury
for such purposes"
In the main. all the things Of which
the people complain have eixanated
directly from Bobrikoff.
No Reforms for swedes.
Sweden obtained no electoral extern
sions from the late riksdag. It would
have been possible to pass the compli-