The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-12-26


their civil but their political laws must be
maintained" Today. century after those
words were written. there seems at last
good hope that Alexander Is intention may
he permanently fulfilled. writes ROsallnd
Iravers ilyndtuan In New York Sun.
\ rnce 6f MongoIian origin and language the
"Suomiiaiset'' people of the fens-were Chris
ti"nlzed very early in the thirteenth century
by the Swedes. who treated them on the
whole with equality and Justice, and intermarred
with them freely. not. however. allowing the Fih-
nish language to be written spoken to any ex-
tent. The result was that In lSOS Russia CON
quered people who spoke Swedish and regarded
themselves independent Swedes; and although
the Firms have passed through enormous NATIONAL
changes in the course of the century. Russians OF
The ruling classes could never get 1t our of their
heads that Finland desired to belong to Sweden
again.
Th. governors of Russia, having much vaster
affairs in hand. did realize that the remark
able development of Finnish nationalism was di-
rected. first and last. against the Swedish Ian
aud Finno- Swedish domination. The Finnish
language spoken only by the remote peas
antry and Finnish names even We're not Legally
recognized. Yet. MEANWHILE great movement
siendy growing up for the revival of Fin
lands own singuirriy rich and beautiful tongue.
The Finnish people began to think of their
country "Suorni." something utterly distinct
from Sweden Russia. having language and
literature Of Its own. From 1Sl9 onward. when
I.onnrot published the second edition of the "kale-
,ula. Finlnnds national epic. educated Films were
beginning to give up Swedish rs means of com
'nninication and l,nrnng to the strange. difi-
cult. sonorous language which was their birth
right.
Naturally this development soon cleft the coun-
try in two Alany Firms urged. not unrensonably.
that 1t was hardly practicable for so small peo-
pie to cut themselves OF from Scandinavia. from
Russia. from the OF Europe In fact. 'by
climbing on to n language island" In this wny. But
nnionmlisn triumphed In 1863 the mice little
constitution" granted by Alexander II left the
Firms free to govern themselves In all internal
mntters In fairly representative manner, and
from this time the study Of Finnish became nn
integral rart OF the general education.
The of the revived language of Finland
grew fast that Swedsl-speaking Firms began
10 lind themselves In n minority and In 1894 after
II very hot debate the Finnish language was placed
on equality with Swedish In the Finland SEN
ate. "svekoman" (Swede-F'inn) and "Fennoman'
(Fnnisf-Finn) became cries of warfare and the
language conflict fell roughly into line with the
divisions of class. The progressive and proe-
tartan elements In the country were FennOman.
while the middle class. conservative and aristo-
cratic forces were for n long while by speech and
traditions Swede.
All this time the Films a people and u
nation kept strictly to that policy Of detachment
and independence which has always marked them
They took part at all In Russian affairs and
showed little interest in those of Sccy annvia
they appeared to Europe generally rs selfcen-
tered Chinese colony In the West might be.
Finland meant to work out her salvation alone
In literature and art indeed the country open
TO European influences. for the Films have always
been great travellers. wandering about the cOnti
nent with cold. apprnsing eyes, selecting and TAX
ing back with them such ideas they considered
likely to he OF They took political ideas also
from Scandinavia and from Germany but they
had desire to make propaganda for their own
ideas their own rnce.
Yet Inevitably they were bound to be growing
trouble to the Russian government and STUN
bling block to Pan-Sav policy. Obviously a demo.
cratic and almost selfgoverning province out
of place among the folds of the vast autocratic
rule which covered all the Russas then.
But far more important objection was this
The duchy Of Finland alien In language, character
and administration. was complete break in that
scheme of vast homogeneous Russia. stretch
Ing from the Norwegian coast to the Pacific one
In language. laws. religion and government-that
dream of giant unity ard mOnotOny which seems
To have filed the minds of the directors of Russn
for 30 years and more. There seems little doubt
that the ,leposed dynasty cherished this design
as the HOhenzOllerns did that of "Mittel-Europa' y
Ii was similar huge. dull. magnificent. mischiev.
ous iden. trampllng even more widely the
rights OF other nations and Intended to produce
an even more dismal uniformity of rule.
So, dispassionately viewed-and the Finn, even
when considering his misfOrtunes is emf.
nently dispasslonate-Russin first attack upon
the liberties of Finland in 1899 was inevitable. a
catastrophe of nature. There is little ne,sl to
recall 'the bad years" from 1899 to 1906 when the
Finnish constitution was suspended and the coun-
FRY WIS placed under the rule Of military dicta-
Tor General Bobrikor. They form monotonous
record OF press censorship, dlsmissnls OF native
officials Illegal arrests and exile.
The great strike of 19O5-19O6, however unsuc-
ee-sfu IN its main objects. achieved two things {: