The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-17
FINS F|VLAND|AE;
FINISH OF FINLAND
Tragedy of High Politics
Which Was Sad, but
Inevitable.
BY GEORGE FRASER.
lie to The Tribune.

Special Cable to The Tribune.
ST. PETERSBURG. July 16.-The abb
Of those tragedies of high politics which
was sad but inevitable. The best Inter
ests OF the empire required the eliEina-
tion OF the ancient grand duchy as n
eenli-independent entity. The point with
Russia is that she considers herself vul-
nerable at her Finnish frontier, and
wishes to be lin, position to take what
measures she thinks best. for the pro-
lection OF tho Russian empire as whole
But Russia has rather spoiled her case
in the eyes OF outsiders by practically
fable who accused the lamb Of inuddying
the water. For example. great deal OF
excitement, was worked up recently over
the alleged conspiracy. OF the Firms to
smuggle arms into the country. Tho
facts arc these: One or two Finnish
firms tried to evade the prohibition
were smuggled Into the country: to-
gcther with a few million cartridges.
This was part OF great Finnish plot
against Russia, but the millions of skins
Finland more than accounts. TO an un-
biased person. for the cartridges and
rifles imported.
Firms Have Fought Hard.
One other great point In favor OF Rus
Europe toward the gradual swallowing
up OF small states, but 1t is not to be
expected that the small states will sub
init TO lose their individuality without
sruggle, This is particularly hard lines
on an Intensely patriotic people like the
Firms. and they have fought the ground
inch by inch as they have seen them
Since the present tsar came to the throne
the Russian government has been par
ticularly determined In its onslaughts.
and in 1899 they sent TO Finland, as gov
ernor general Bobrlkof. an implacablc
enemy of Finnish liberty. He was an
overbearing officer who had risen from
by the Firms that when ne took walk
in the street any Firms who saw llm
coming promptly crossed to the other
side. AT another time he .patronized
concert got up for charitable purposes,
and though the Finns bought up all the
tickets. not one OF them attended. He
caused the Finnish Iostage stamps to be
abolished, and ordered the use of Rus
sian stamps instead.
Issue Mourning Stamp.
To meet this the Films issued 2
mourning stamp" all black except the
arms of Finland in red and stuck il on
their letters beside the compulsory Rus
sian stamp. The Russian government
deprived the Films OF even this small
satisfaction: the sale of the stamp was
forbidden, and all letters bearing II were
destroyed.
One OF the Finnish senators who had
supported the designs OF Russia was re-
fused apartments in the principal hotels
at Helsingfors. the Finnish capital. BY
rooms in one hotel. When the manager
discovered who his guest was he asked
him 10 leave at once, but this the senator
refused TO do. As result. the public
boycotted the hotel. and it was practical
" ruined.
Several petitions and deputatons were
sent 10 the Jsar but the deputations he
refused 10 see and the petitions We're
ignored. The crash came when young
man Of good family and education as
sassinated General Bobri<of.
Even this terrible affair did not stay
Russa's hand, and the classification has
gone on more sternly than ever. During
the recent debate, the opposition. real
izing that they had no chance for fair
discussion, withdrew from the duma,
leaving the government free hand. AS
result, thirteen complicated clauses
were passed In twelve minutes and the
final reading taken UP. When the result
was declared one OF the most determined
of the government party sprane TO his
feet shouting triumplIantly: ''Finis Fin
landae"-"The fnlsh of F'lnland!'