Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13
FINLAND IN PERPETUAL FERMENT

came into conflict with the Swedes them
selves, and. as they extended their in
fuence across Finland. they met their
future enemies, rival traders. on the
shores of Lake Ladoga. Scandinavia
was the cradle of the vikings and sea
rovers who plundered the distant prov
inces Of the decaying empire OF Rome.
The treaty OF 1928 by which Finland
was attributed to Russia. fixed the from
tiers at the River Aajajoki. which, after
many vicissitudes, is still the dividing
line between Finland and Russia.
For 500 years Finland remained bur
fer state between Sweden and Russia
in this interval the Swedish conquests
under Gustavus Adolphus were achieved.
the reign of Peter the Great and OF
Charles XII Of Sweden. who secured the
strong naval base at Sveaborg.
The Car Alexander / convened the
states general in a diet at Borga March
%, 1909, and an agreement was conclud
ed for the union of Finland and Russia,
Sweden by the treaty of Fredrikshamm
having coded all her rights in Finland
to Russia.
The charter OF Finland liberties is con-
tanned in the proceedings OF the diet at
Borga and the solemn
Russian declarations OF Alexander
Ut. ]. The annexation OF
ooA' Finland to Russia was
not simple act OF conquest and un-
conditional surrender, but an act of
union executed by due process Of law.
Finland did not lose her identity nor
become merged into the Russian empire.
Her constitution and her independence
were solemnly guaranteed. She was not
included in the general title Gear Of all
the Russias," but a separate title was
added to the Russian crown, namely,
Grand duchy of Finland" In order to
emphasize this situation II is only neces-
sary to cite the text of the following
declaration signed and delivered by
Alexander to the estates assembled at
Borga:
Providence having placed us in pos
session of the grand duchy of Finland,
we have decreed by the present act to
confirm and ratify the religion and fun
damental laws Of the land as well as
the privilege and right which each class
of the said grand duchy in particular
and all the inhabitants in general, be
their position high or low, have hitherto
enjoyed according to the constitution. We
promise to maintain all these benefits and
laws firm and mistaken in their full
force"
Thus. as will be plainly perceived, the
crowns Of Finland and Russia, although
united, are nevertheless separate and
Independent. Finland. however, in strik-
ing contrast to the Russia Of that time,
was strictly constitutional monarchy.
During the century which has lapsed
since the union Of Finland and Russia
the former has invariably asserted her
rights under the act aforecited. After
1909 the diet did not meet again for
fifty years, when 1t was convoked by
Alexander II in 1863. The car opened
the diet in person and in his address
commencing to the attention Of the rep
resentatives various legislative and finan-
cial reforms he said that: These ques-
tons have remained In suspense because
their solution required the corporation
of the estates" In 1869 new law was
enacted. which provided for the con-
vocation Of the Diet a, regular intervals
Under Alexander II the Finnish Ian
guage won official recognition. No other
monarch has ever OBJ
Alexander tanned such hold upon
c.1 the affections of the Finn
oe0Vno' ish people as .the car
whose memory is cherished as the pro-
tector Of Finnish liberties. The Alexander
II Memorial erected In Senate Square,
Helsingfors. was unveiled in 1894 amid
scenes Of extraordinary enthusiasm, and
through the troubled and perilous times
which have followed 1t has remained a
center for patriotic manifestations.
A book entitled Finland" 1909, by Mr..
N. c. Frederiksen, formerly professor of
political economy and finance in the Uni
versity of Copenhagen. in the opening
chapter. in comparing the progressive
spirit Of the Firms with that OF the
Americans, says: 1.-THE progress resem-
bles in many ways that of the great coun-
try which is progressing more rapidly than
any other of modern times. Scandinavian
emigrants Of the peasant class very sell
dom return to their country with the In
tention of remaining there, or IL they do.
they nearly always change their mind and
go back to the United States. Even the
poverty in Finland reminds us of what
has been said about western America, 1t
is not poverty, but incipient wealth."
The author pays q glowing tribute to
the Scandinavian race, which became 1r-
resistible when it had learned the arts of
modern warfare from the nations with
whom 1t came into contact. And he cites
as an example their most remarkable con-
tribution to medieval civilization in Nor
mandy, where they prepared that extra
ordinary Franco-Norman conquest of
England, crossed to Ireland and Scotland
and founded highly civilized kingdoms in
Italy, Sicily, in the Balkan peninsula, in
Africa, in Asia Minor and played promi-
nent part in the most wonderful move
ment Of medieval times, the Crusades.
The Russian government looks at her
relations to Finland from q geographical
as well as political point
Dangerous of view which may be
w.. briefly stated thus: The
HSSoAeS"' Finnis h territory runs
within thirty miles Of st. Petersburg, and
there are few If any serious obstacles to
an invading army moving from Finland.
Finland is thus a strategic point in the de-
Tense of the Russian capital which is in
disputable. Russia cannot. il she would,
shut her eyes to this fact, and the SUI
perior reasons of state will therefore COM
pei her to disregard all other considera-
tons. Finland has enjoyed for a century
past the freedom of her ancient and
somewhat primitive government. The
Films just at this crucial moment have
assumed an air Of defiance toward Russia,
lenient II not indulgent. Russia now Of
fers Finland to be an integral part Of the
Russian empire, guaranteeing protection,
ETC., but enacting in exchange that Fin
land bear her share Of the burdens Of
government. II Finland refuses, then
Russia will overthrow the fiction Of a
separate and distinct government, and,
pleading the law Of military necessity
will take Finland by force and incorporate
her into the Russian empire.
We were told recently that the senate
of Finland had authorized the publication
Of a monthly commercial magazine for