American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-01-24

&M!M so that they may not feel them
selves conquered by Russia, but
united to her for their own clear
advantage; therefore not only
their civil but their political laws must he
maintained" Today. a century after those
words were written, there seems at last
good hope that Alexander rs intention may
be permanently fulfilled, writes Rosalind
Travers Hyndman In New York Sun.
A race of Monaghan origin and language. the
"Suomlloiset" or people of the fens-were Chris
TANNED very early in the thirteenth century
by the Swedes, who treated them on the
whole with. equality and justice, and intermarried
with them freely, not, however, allowing the Fln-
nish language TO be written or spoken TO any eN-
tent. The result was that in 1903 Russia con
quered a people who spoke Swedish and regarded
themselves as 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.
The governors of Russia, having much vaster
affairs in hand, did not realize that the remark
able development OF Finnish nationalism was d-
rected, first and last, against the Swedish Ian
guage and Finno-Swedish domination. The Finnish
language was spoken only by the remote peas
antry and Finnish names even were not legally
recognized. Yet, meanwhile, a great movement
was steadily growing up for the revival of Fin
lands own singularly rich and beautiful tongue.
The Finnish people began to think of their
country as Suomi" something utterly distinct
from Sweden or Russia, having a language and
literature of It's own. From 1S49 onward, when
Lonnrot published the second edition of the "Kale-
rala," Finland's national epic. educated Films were
beginning to give up Swedish as a means OF COM
munication and learning to use the strange, diff
cult. sonorous language which was their birth
right.
Naturally this development soon cleft the coun-
tr In tive Mapu MINIS .truad mot aSnnohly
that II was hardly practicable for so small a peo-
pie to cut themselves off from Scandinavia, from
Russia, from the rest Of Europe In fact, "by
climbing on to a language island" In this way. But
nationalism trlumphed. In 1868 the mice little
constitution granted by Alexander III left the
Films free to govern themselves in all internal
matters In a fairly representative manner, and
from this time the study of Finnish became an
integral part of the general education.
The use of the revived language of Finland
grew so fast that Sw@tish-speaking Firms began
to find themselves In a minority. and In 1894 after
a very hot debate the Finnish language was placed
on an equality with Swedish in the Finland SEN
ate. "Svekoman" tS~wede-Finn) and "Fennoman"
(Finnish-Finn) became cries of warfare, and the
language conflict fell roughly into line with the
divisions Of class. The progressive and prole-
tartan elements ia the country were Fennoman,
while the middle class, conservative and aristo-
cratic forces were for a long while by speech and
traditions Swede.
All this time the Firms as a people and as a
cation kept strictly to that policy of detachment
and independence which has always marked them.
They took no part at all in Russian affairs and
showed little interest In those of Scandinavia
they appeared TO Europe generally as ~self-cen-
cered as a Chinese colony in the West might be.
Finland meant to work out her salvation alone.
IN literature and art indeed the country was open
TO European influences. for the Firms have always
been great travellers, wandering about the cont.
! npnt with cnld HDnr0lginQ owes selecting md fak.
ing back with them such Ideas as they considered
likely TO be of use. They took political ideas also
from Scandinavia and from Germany, but they
had no desire to make propaganda for their own
ideas or their own race.
Yet inevitably they were bound to be a growing
trouble 80 the Russian government and a STUN
bling block TO Pan-Slav policy. Obviously a demo-
cratic and almost selfgoverning province was out
II place among the folds of the vast nutocratic
rule which covered all the Russias then.
But a far mere important objection was this
The duchy OF Fnland. alien in language, character
and administration was a complete break In that
scheme of one vast homogeneous Russia, stretch
ng from the Norwegian coast 10 the Pacific. one
. language, lows. religion and government-thnt
iream of giant unity and monofony which seems
~ have filled the minds Of the directors of RUSSIA
for so years sad more. There seems little doubt
that The depcsed dynasty cherished this design
as the Hohenfollerns did that Of "Mltfel- Europa !"
II was a similar huge. dull, magnificent. mlschiev.
ous idea. t%raf1pling even more widely over the
rights OF othFr nations and Intended to produce
an even more dismal uniformity Of rule.
So. dispassi,nately yiewed-and the Finn, even
when considering his own Eisfortunes, is emf
nently dispa ssionate-Russin's FIRST attack upon
he liberties II Finland in 1890 was inevitable. q
catastrophe OF nature. There is little need 70
recall "the bad years" from 1929 to 1905, when the
Finnish constitution was suspended and the coun.
try was placed under the rule OF a military dicta.
Tor. General Bobnkon. They form a monotonous
'ecord Of press censorship. dismissaIs Of native
officials, Illegal arrests and exile.
The great strike OF 1905-190e. howeve. unsuc
essful in Its main objects, achieved two thinzs