Morris tribune., 1905-11-18
Recent Occurrences of interest
in Sweden, Norway and
Denmark.
FINLAND, WINS HER FREEDOM
Situation Still Threatening, However,
ON Account of the Attitude of
the Socialists.
SWEDEN.
Stockholm.

Finland has apparently won free
dom from the czar, but the situation
remains threatening on account of the
attitude of the socialists. According
\ to latest dispatches there will be fight
ing of severe character, if indeed
| it is not in progress already. In
Sweden there is an unusual interest
manifested in plucky Finland's fate,
and that of course by reason of the
| fact that the Films are so closely re-
| lated to the Swedes. Finland was un-
der Swedish rule for 500 years, enjoy
| ing an autonomous constitutional gov
ernment. BY the treaty Of Fredriks-
hamn in 1909 the country was ceded
to Russia, but it retained it's laws and
practically it's own system of home
rule until 1898, when the present cZar
began his policy of repression, with a
view to completely "Russify" the
duchy. In 1902 the last vestige of
Finnish autonomy was destroyed and
a Russian governor general with au-
tocratic powers was placed in charge.
Within the last few years Helsingfors
and other cities in Finland have been
the scenes Of many assassinations and
disorders. Finland is larger coun-
try than Norway, having an area Of
$4,000 square miles and a population
of about 100000. Helsingfors has
close to 100000 inhabitants, Abo has
10000. Tammerfors $4,000, and Viborg
10000. The population is overwhelm-
ingly Lutheran in religion. In 1899
there were 2,620,991 of that faith, 49,
912 orthodox Greek, 2,62O Baptists,
$50 Roman Catholics and 300 Metho-
dists. Nearly all the people are edu-
Gated. there being numerous public,
parochial and travelling schools, be-
sides universities and colleges.
DR.. Sven Hedin, the famous
Swedish traveller and explorer, has
again started of on an extensive ex-
ploration trip. He started the other
day for Constantinople and will con-
tinue on his journey to Thibet, via.
the Black sea, Turkish Armenia, Per
sia and Beloochistan. He will prefer
to travel by horseback $50 miles
through Asia than to take the Suez
canal route because this will enable
Persia, hitherto unexplored by any
European traveller. His real object,
however, is to reach the spring dis
tricts in Bramaputra and so on into
central ThIbet. The cost Of this ey-
plOration trip, which is the fifth in or
der that DR.. Hedin is undertaking is
estimated at 100000 crowns, a sum
which is furnished him by King Os-
ear, Messrs. Dickson of Lund, Eman-
uel Nobel, Consul @. Ekinan, Fred
Lowenadler, William OLSON and Sir
Henry Ruffer of Edinburg,. Scotland.
King Oscar has besides written a let
ter to the shah of Persia requesting
country, especially on the border of
Afghanistaa and Beloochistan, where
the natives are liable to cause trouble.
AS early as last summer Lord Curzon.
ex-viceroy of India, had promised
Hedin an escort to Thibet and the
English minister to Sweden, Sir Rem
nell Rodd, has also secured him favors
from Lord Kitchener in Khartoum.
DIR. Hedin will be absent about three
years.
The rat war of 1905 has been sue
cessful. Not less than 79,42S rats have
been killed this year and since the
war started the causalties have been
524,367. In the. meantime Stockholm
is gradually getting rid of superfiuous
number of rats. American cities, es-
pecially New York and Chicago, would
dc we'll to emulate the Stockholm
precedent in this respect.
Name Hammarberg. associate edi-
tor of the Goteborg's Misunderstanding,
died last month at his villa Hagen"
Iear Sundsvall. He was born in
1865. Owing to ill health Mr.. Ham
marberg has not been able to do any
active newspaper work during the
past two years.
Sweden's military budget for next
year calls for an appropriation of 49,
749,3OO crowns, of which nearly one
third is for the navy. The Norwegian
budget is estimated at only 16,S57,2O
crowns, of which about one-fourth is
destined for the navy.
Duke Nioholaus, who recently
pas~o7 away, was brother of the
C-re,.-> ~f Sweden. He was the young
Ell o+a., "other of Grand Duke Adolph
of 7 emburs, and was born in 1882.
Prince Gustaf's father and mother
in-law, the duke and duchess of Con |
naught, arrived at Stockholm Oct. Is,
by their youngest daugh- |
ter. the princess Victoria Patricia.
have at present 100000 Lutherans |
and Finland has 100000 including |
the Baltic provinces and in the cities. |
MNPWAV