Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-07-04
Scandal
Slayer Of FinIand's Governor General =
Hero.


Slayer Of FInIsnd's Governor General a
Hero.
The end OF General BObrikoff. gov
ernOr general Of Finland, who was
assassinsted last week, has long been
predicted, not openly, Of course. but
in the privacy Of the home, the Office
and the club. Young SchaumaDn may
not have rendered his country a ser
vice by his rash act, for unless the
Russian nature has been changed. the
death OF General BObrikoff viii be
followed by reprisals in which the
whole people viii probably suffer.
Still. he viii be added 70 the list of
Finland's heroes. and no matter how
brutal the next governor may be, he
can hardly equal the hated BObrikoff.
and he Is very likely to be much more
humane. Undoubtedly the young
patriot was wise 10 commit suicide, as
the most terrible punishment Russian
cruelty could devise would have been
melted out to him.
Finland is in a deplOratly pitifuI
condition in consequence OF five years
81 BObrikOff rule. The taxes have
been piled on the people az a fright
tul rate In spite OF the fact that in
tustry and commerce have been dim
inished 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 neglected the Russians have
been able 70 extract large amounts for
extra expenses.
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 2.s55,OOO
marks. and represent an Increase OF
1SS per cent? The next in order is
the Russian treasury. which has been
enriched by 100000 marks. Then
comes the department Of instruction in
the Russian language, for which
$4,000 marks have been expended;
then the governor generals depart
ment and its subOfiices, with an added
expenditure OF $4,000 marks; and
finally. n the list OF large sums, the
su5ernatOrial and provincial depart
Tentss whose expenses have been in ,
creased BY $4,000 marks.
OF smaller sums expended during
the same period we have. first. the
senate. which has received $4,000
marks: then the means placed at the
cars disposal. 10000 marks; the
department Of literary censorship.
whose purpose is to prevent the spread
Of enlightenment. $4,000 marks:
department OF literary censorship.
whose purpose is TO prevent the spread
Of enlightenment, $4,000 marks;
Russian school inspectors, $1,000
marks; gratituities. $4,000 marks; and,
finally the cars picture which adorns
the hall OF the senate IL 900 marks.
AT least 100000 marks have been ex-
pended without the slightest benefit,
and. in many cases, with incalculable
injury 20 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 10
the ordinary expenses Of the govern
melt. must pay nearly 200, 900
marks for the Russia gendarmerie.
5000 600 marks into the Russian
treasury and 100000 marks into the
war fund, which, though collected by {
force. is advertised as a gift.
Commerce and industry have been /;
az a staadstill during this period and {
in consequence Of the stagnation. de-
cay has set in. In education and cul-
ture Finland must eventually reach
the pitiful condition Of unhappy Po- 1
land. Already Libraries and reading
rooms, established by the voluntary
contributions OF the young peoples
societies Of Finland, have been closed
under the pretence OF purging them
from 'unwhOlesOme and dangerous
literature" most Of the important
books. periodicals and newspapers
from abroad have been prohibited be
cause they might contain principles
antagOnistic 10 the political code OF
Russia; the teachers and instructors
have been continually watched and
interfered with Ey the Russian school
inspectors and gendarmes (sOme OF
them have already been carried TO
Siberia: while the usual allowances
70 Institutions for public instruction
and recreation have been gradually
cut down. and in many cases abOi-
ished altogether. because there Is no
more money in the treasury for such
purposes"
In the main, eli the things OF which