The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-11
GERMANS FEEL FOR
FINISH SUBJECTS
Have No Sympathy for Their
Own Oppressed People
CONDITION IN SPAIN
Is Watched with Keen Interest BY the
People of German Empire-Dar-
ing Address From Junta
of Biscay

| Berlin, September 3-(Special A-tJar d
though Germans are themselves against
the oppressed Poles and Danes in their
eastern ana northern provinces, they are
heVerless very outspoxen in their con-
demnation of Russias politics towards
FINLAND, and many are the influences
which have been brought to bear on the
Kaiser in an attempt to make him try
TO soften Car Nicholas heart towards
ms Finnish subjects during their meet
| ing at Friedberg castle. The Kaiser
himself is said to be a great adm,rer
of the Firms, but it is exceedingly doubt
| ful whether he had thought it wise To
bring up the subject If he did. the re-
suits are not yet apparent and Finland
Is awaiting her destiny in proud re-
serve. German journalist who has
just returned from visit to that north
ern country, says that when he spoke to
a Finn, no matter of what class. high
or low. he felt the sense of the coming
tragedy, mingled with a spirit of grim
| determination that unitcs men of all sorts
and conditions.
The crisis in Finnish affairs will come
IN about three weeks, when the diet, at
| the command of the Car will have to
send six representatives TO st. Petersburg
to become parties to the settlement by
Russia of affairs which have been hither-
to the exclusive business of Finland's
| own parliament
One must admit that the Firms have
tried In every possible way to assert their
just national rights in a PEACEFUL and dig
| nified manner, and the statesmen. Judges
| and politicians of Europe not long ago
rendered an unanimous verdict in their
favor, that the Russian premier, NJ Stoiy-
| pin, will be the one who will have to
| give in when the curtain raises for the
next act of the great national political
drama.
NJ. Leo Mechmelin, Finnish senator and
ex-premier one of the most influential
men In Finland, has given his opinion
| of the coming struggle in a letter to a
friend in this city which was shown to
me the other day.
1T is a coup d'etat," he says. THE
greatest violation of the positive law In
a modern state, but the crisis is yet to
| come.
THE Finnish diet will be convoked at
the end of September to elect, under this
new law members to sit in the Russian
duma and state council. NJ. Stolypin
imagines that the interests of Finland
are sufficiently guarded but this trifling
participation in the arrangement is mere
comedy. The Finnish deputies could do
nothing to prevent the enactment of bad
| laws. The chief thing, however, is that
all this is contrary to our constitution.
II am convinced that the Finnish diet
will not consent to be represented in the
Russian chambers Then the decisive
sian government do? I cannot predict;
but I may say that this new Russian
law cannot be applied as 1t stands when
Finland refuses to send deputies to St.
Petersburg 1t is possible that the Rus
sian government may take administra-
| tive measures to prove to us and the
world that 1t can do harm In Finland.
What will we do then? We will keep our
sangfroid, and we will remain faith
full to the constitution of Finland. AS
| to the consequences of this correct atti-
tude 1t Is for the future to say whether
we are wise or foolish, weak or strong"
Political interest in Europe at present
is all directed toward Spain, where the
i great struggle is still going on which
is to mould the destinies of King AL
fonsos kingdom for years to come.
Were the people of Spain as enlightened
| as the Germans, the conflict would be
short, for they would then realize, as
the higher classes do, that the religious
question is largely financial-a question
| to decide whether associations shall be
allowed to exist which are uncontrolled
by the state, and which may thus carry
on industries without paying their share
| of the taxes, which the national treas
ury is so hard in need of.
The industries of the religious congre-
cations are far from being the only case
in which the rights of the state are
| evaded in Spain; the estate of many pri-
vate individuals are for the purposes of
taxation assessed far below their real
| value, and statistics show that for the
/ years 1S97-1906 the state received only n
| per cent of its recognized dues in in
dustrial taxation.
But the simple peasants of the north
| understand only that the chArch and
| their religion are attacked-so the local
press and their priests have told them
and the Basques, noble, ancient, strong
| " conservative race, are as eager to
protect their ancient religion as they
were to protect their ancient privileges,
or fueros. The Basaues. however. have
been disillusioned by two Carlist wars,
which resulted in the loss of their be-
| loved fueros. and today even those most
inclined to take up arms will shake their
| heads wistfully and say: 1.-THE govern
ment is very strong
The precaution taken by the govern
ment of sending troops to Tolsa, Alsa-
sua, Pamplona, Durango and other small
towns was warranted, for the Basques
| end Navarrese make the best soldiers
in Spain and are very formidable in
their billy, intricate country, where many
peasants still record with pride the do
ing Of Santa Cruz, the cura-cabecilla,
who, they say, in the second Carlist war
KNEW more than all the governments u
But the sight of troops has apparently
produced its effect, and though the Cath
Ollie juntas of the four provinces-Na-
varre, Guipuzcoa, Alava and Biscay-
may continue to summon meetings and
manifestations they would certainly fall
TO organize general rising, even were
~ H.
will probably spend itself in publishing
addresses such as that now issued by
the Junta of Biscay, which ends with
the words: Forward, inhabitants of Bis
cay! Let the impious revolutionaries
learn that this land is the land of brave
men that we despise their threats, and
can in a single moment OF decision put
an end. forever to their ridiculous
bravado."