Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09
FINNISH DIET AND RUSSIAN DUMA.

A dispatch from Helsingfors on the 9Th
nish diet by the Emperor
Great Nicholas II. who is also
n.... Grand Duke Of Finland.
The tension between Fin
land and Russia has become very great
since the bloody repression by Gov. Gen.
Broeckman in 1905. This tension IS fur
Their increased by the tendency to con-
centration on the part of Russia. stu
alton which lends special gravity to the
future relations between Finland and
Russia
The speech Of the emperor is thus OF
unusual significance for the members OF
the new Finnish diet. which assembled
on the 9th instant. who are sharply re-
| minded Of the nature of the obligation OF
the duchy to the empire. The emperor
said:
I'm the debates Of the preceding diet
views were frequently expressed showing
the existence of an utterly false un-
Outstanding of the position or TINS us
trict in our empire and the duties lncum-
bent upon the population OF Finiano Dy
virtue of this relationship. Finally IN d
decision of the last diet adopted March IA
an extremely bitter criticism of the meas,
ures undertaken by our sovereign Will
was permitted. Dissolving that diet. we
commanded new elections and convoked
the present diet. We invoke the oiesslns
Of God upon your labors and we firmly
hope that they will be inspired by
realization Of the solidarity Of the IN.
terests of this district with those or all
Russia. We declare the diet opened.
M. Svinhufvud, president Of the diet:
in his address opposes the assumption OF
Russian power over Finland, and holds
that Firms may have direct relations with
the Grand Duke of Finland and not
through the intermediary of Russian
Some idea of the composition of the diet
may be obtained from the following Off
cial returns Of the recent elections; ,o
The total number of votes cast, go
Finn party; 81, 76O. by the young Firms:
90 1896. by the socialists: SO.O49: by
suedomanes; the rest may be distributed
among the agrarian groups and Chris
Old Firms. "a: young Firms. %; socialists,
SO: suedomanes, p; agrarians, 3: Chris
| tian socialists. 2. The only dinerence
then. in the diet Of 1908 is in the number
the elections of 1907, and 6O6.229 only in
those OF 1908. Thus in less than a year
the abstentions have gone down to more
than a quarter Of the whole.
Formerly the senate and the diet COM
| municated directly with the emperor in
his quality as the Grand
Etnlands Duke of Finland through
r,.A the subsecretary of state
for Finland. This was
the situation when the third Russian
duma and the Finland diet opened their
| sessions simultaneously in 1907. On the
| 14th of March an Interpolation on the
| situation in Finland was made in the
duma. BY reason Of the Easter holidays
NJ. stolypin did not reply until the 18th %. OF
May. On that day the president OF the
Russian council declared from the tribune
| that he considered Finland as an integral
part Of the empire: that a revision of the
fundamental Russo-Finland status was
necessary; that a project of law to
| that effect would be offered in short
time and submitted to the duma. 1t was
| a clear constitutional declaration. But
| 1t was not acted upon and the equlvocai
| situation has continued until now.
Finland from the seventh TO the four
teenth centuries was the stake Of inter-
minable wars between Sweden and Rus-
slams of Novgorod. From the fourteenth
and fifteenth. period OF the famous union
| Sweden and Norway under Marguerite de
Yaldemar in 1897. Finland was faithful to
| Sweden and the sixteenth century took
part In the reform movement inaugural
| ed In sweden Dy SIuStdN y" dS6
Finland was attributed to Russia by
| the treaty first Of 1923; Nystadt. 112f;
Abo. 1743: Varala. $780, and finally, by
the treaty Of Fredrikshamn. 1909.
Becoming Grand Duke Of Finland the
car, Alexander I, by the act of Con
frmation of Borga" recognized solemnly
the privileges of the duchy. The capital
was transported to Helsingfors In 1872.
since when the country has enjoyed
ong period of industrial activity. Under
~ Law nd Nd
nish liberties were encouraged and pro-
tected Under Nicholas II Finland has
followed a policy Of pan-Slavic reaction.
The national parliament and diet OF
Finland as actually constituted consists
of one chamber of 200 members chosen
by direct and proportional election. in
which all who are entitled to vote have
an equal vote. The suffrage Is possessed
with the usual exceptions by every Fin
nish citizen. man or woman, who has
reached his or her twenty-fOurth year.
The session of the diet is for three years
unless sooner dissolved.
The Russian duma adjourned the 18th
Of July'to reassemble the 18th of October.
The signs of the ebb in
Duma the tide of Russian rev.
Ad.ourns olution. heretofore re-
marked, are accentuated
| by the fact that year Of work
has passed without a single serious con-
fict between the duma and the govern
ment.
The examina ton and discussion OF the
| budget for 1903 has been the principal
occupation Of the assembly. The duma
met on the 18th of November. 1907. On
| the 10th of December duly organized. NJ.
Kokovtrof, minister of finances. opened
the debate on the subject of deficit of
1O5, 600, 600 rubles. which was to be covered
by a loan. The duma has not been sub
servient to the wishes Of the president Of
the council of minister's: for example. the
demand Of the minister for the railroad
appropriation has been cut down 23.OOO,-
COO rubles: the 100000 for ironclads
was promptly refused. On the other hand
16 OOO. 900 were added by parliamentary
initiative to the credit for succor for the
famine stricken provinces. In this way
the deficit was reduced by forty odd mil
lions The total deficit. by reason of
divers augmentations was finally fixed
at 300 OOO, 600 for which the duma author
lied the minister Of finances to cover by
a third interior loan.
It will be recalled that M. Kokovtzof
on the 7th Of May declared from the tri.
hume of the duma that ''he thanked God
that Russia had no parliament" For
fact public opinion has come to consider.
and in this public opinion the bureaucrats
WOW no included that Russia not only