New-York tribune., 1907-05-23
FINNISH DIET MEETS.
Il RADICAL PRESIDENT.
Nineteen Female Deputies - The
Socialist Programme.

iIssingfors, FINLAND, May 22.-Pursuant to
decree issued oy Nicholas. Emperor of Russia
and Grand Duke Of Finland, the members of the
Grst single chamber Diet Of Fi1la0' elected
under the new constitution. assembled for the
first time to-day Beyond the Yer ication of
credentials no business was transacted. The
election of a Pr rident will take place to-mor-
row. and the delivery of the formal speech open
ing the Diet has been postponed until Saturday
The threatened deadlock the choice of a
president has been averted by the so-called "un-
holy alliance" composed of Socialists with SO
votes; Young Firms, with - and the swedes.
ith "A votes. a result of which Judge
svinhufvud member of the Young Finn party.
probably will be elected. This coalition aroused
great Indignation among the leaders of the Old
Finnish movement. who consider the Socialists
10 be enemies Of The fatherland but # appears
70 he a natural result OF the decision Of the
Socialists not to nominate a candidate for tho
presidency. although they are the strongest
party IN the Diet. The Young Firms come next
IN slrenSth, and their party is the most radical
Judge SVinhufyud is one Of the men who suf-
feTed under the rule of the late Count Bobril,ofy
q former Governor General OF Finland He was
degraded from the beach and driven into ex;1e
for refusing 10 publish a law establishing com
pu4sory military service in Finland
Inc central figures in the proceedings o- 10
cay were nineteen female Deputies the first
women legislators elected in Europe Every
party IN the Diet counts one or more women
among Its representatives. Several of the
women belong 10 the old Finnish or Swedish no.
pllty, and there ten working women among
the ranks of the Socialists
The ages of the women range from, twenty
hFe TO hftE-four years. the average being thirty
ulTee years Two of them have lived in the
United States, the husband OF Mime AlakuIon
having been a miner in Michigan while Nine
hIVloJa is the wife Of a clergyman who spent
six years in the United States as a sailor mis-
sionary.
Among the Deputies is Eikki RenwalI hus-
band Of Nine Ano Ackte Finnish singer who
sang in the United States in 1905 The great
victory of the Socialists at the polls accounts
for the presence of 50 many women among the
Deputies.
The legislative programme to be submitted "a
one Of the most advanced ever taken UP in a
European legislature. It includes a bill of old
age pensions TO all persons over fifty. the entire
bition Of the importation or manufacture
Of spirits. advanced laws relating to marriage
divorce and the social evil-all legal recognition
Of the social evil being abolished-a bill provid
ing for the restoration of the Finnish army, as
It existed before Count Bobrikoff ordered the
last Of the Finnish recruits TO be Incorporated |
into the Russian army. and the purchase of land
by the state for distribution to the peasant
farmers
Inc greatest stumbling block 10 this Socialist |
programme is found in the fact that the finances
OF Finland are inadequate for either the old age
pensions or the agrarian reforms.