The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-09
H FINLAND'S NEW CONSTITUTION
 e- Sweeping Changes Will
 Be Made. TO BANISH RUSSIAN ARMY Woman Are Eligible to All Public
 Positions.
TO BANISH RUSSIAN ARMY
New Constitution Creates vigorous Control of Public service--sove- , reign Must Govern Exclusively $
 Through Finnish Subjects.

sI Petersburg. Sept. S.--The Asso. ciated Press has obtained a draft of the new constitution for Finland. whieh was submitted recently to the emperor by the Finnish Senate for presentation during the current ses- slon Of the Diet at Helsingfors. This document which is designed to repIaes the antiquated constitutions of 17T9 ana lfS9, the ukases Issued by the. EInperors at various periods and other precedents in part legendary under Whlch the grand duchy of Finland has been governed. Is the fruit of twelve months labor on the part of tho seu-s ate.
 It was begun with the sanction oo ms majesty and the cooperation ofs tpe Governor-Generai. 1t effecfa sweeping changes in the regime now Tn force, Including series of notable concessions in the imperial preroga- tive. which fundamentally reshape the relations of the grand duchy to the empire. In this constitution, the sta- tus of Finland is defined as that of a semi-sovereign state bound to Russim by personal tie only. The soverefgl Is obliged to govern Finland exclusives " through his Finnish subjects. and this measure means the banishmena from Finnish territory of Russian army and gendarmes, who now occupy thM fortified posts. Upon his succession to the throne. the Emperor-Dul takes an oath to observe the rights of Ftn~ land before claiming the reciprocal oath of loyalty from his Finnish suh- Jects.
 Treaties with foreign powers. ins solar as they affect the interests ok Finland, require the consent of the Diet and the Supreme Court of Finland. created by the constitution. ih empow, cred to judge the eonstitutionaiity of the laws. The most weighty innova- ton relates to finances and in this field, the people secure full control. The Emperor surreRders his exclusive privileges of levying eustnrus. duties and the levying and dishnFsnment of ordinary taxation which he hitherto has enjoyed. Hereafter the right to levy taxes. axpend the revenues raiNe State loans, tfnn0se a custom taFin aud call the men of Finland to military service will depend upon tho concur renee of the Diet. The Emperor-D Duke retain the power to determine the rate of the customs duties to be levied upon Russian goods entering Finland. to grant pensions, to effect the payment of interest on the existing State loans and to fix the salaries of state officials. These rights will be exercised through the Senate. which will be reorganized and will become a regular Cabinet of Ministers. The Emperor Duke Is to appoint and dismiss officials, and he will appoint judges with the right of dismissal All imperial ukases require the countersignature of the State Sec retary to guarantee their legality, and this is to be determined by special administrative council attached to the Finnish State office at St. Petersburg.
 The constitution creates rigorous control of the pNblie services. strict ac- countability of all public servants be- fore the court, and decrees that women are equally eligible to public positions with men./ It declares that the Finnish army, which later is to be createds must be oficered exclusively by FinA nish subjects.