The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-08-18
Duluth, Minnesota, July 3, 1888

To the Editor of the Baltimore Sun:
There has been regular outburst
of thanks, compliments and congratu-
lationS to Finland ever since that little
country distinguished itself by paying
its war debt inStallment in full last
month"
Such is the Introductory sentence to
an article in the current issue OF the
Literary Digest, which article consists
largely of excerpts from several editor
ialS complimenting and congratulating
Finland. The article contains also a
cartoon taken from the Baltimore Sun.
Finland is depicted therein as man
with an ugly phySiognomy and arrayed
in the garb of rude Semi-civilized
Laplander. Underneath the cartoon
are the words, "A Finn, Indeed"
l assume that it was not the inten-
ton of the cartooniSt to draw picture
of a typical Finn The picture was no
doubt intended to be merely carica-
ture If Finland were a WeN-known
country there would be no occasion for
grievance nor indeed for this letter.
But, unfortunately, Finland is not well
known here in America. It probably
would be no eXaggeration to say that
the popular notion of Finland is that
it is a land perennially covered with
snow and ice, located in the Arctic
regions and inhabited with backward
people. The cartoon with the words,
"A Finn, Indeed" published under
meath confirms that popular notion
which is altogether erroneous.
Finland is not backward country.
On the contrary, as all foreign students
who have made a thorough study OF
Finland testify, it is one of the most
enlightened and progressive countries
in the world.
Alfred j. Pearson, dean of the College
of Liberal Arts, Drake University and
former Minister of the United States
to Finland in his recent book, 1.-The
Land of a Thousand Lakes" says
therein:
They are great readers. One of
the pleasant surprises for the tourist
is to find that the largest bookstore in
the world with the exception of F'oyleS
in London, is located in Helsingfors.
Practically everybody can read and does
read. The illiteracy in Finland is less
tina none-tenth of one per cent"
The physologist will find the Firms
an interesting study. They are slow
their friendship, they stick. Their hon
eSty is proverbial. For this reason it
is an especial pleasure to deal with
them in matters of business, for once
having agreed 10 the terms of con-
tract, whether written or oral-both are
equally sacred to them-they will go
through with it, even if it means loss
to them"
Cecil Gray, an Englishman, in his
work on SibeliuS published recently by
the oxford University Press, makes
the following appraisal Of Finland and
the Firms:
Statistics show that as far back as
1900 no more than IL per cent of the
population was illiterate-a record
which no other country in the world
could boast at that time-and since
then this minute percentage has
dwindled into nothing"
The general level of education, more
over, is unusually high and the ratio
of widely cultured individuals to the
community is probably greater in Fin
land than anywhere else at the present
day."
Her political constitution is the last
word in enlightened democracy"
Finland is one of the most-if not,
indeed, as is very probable, quite the
moSt-advanced and progressive state
in Europe today"
The Finnish achievement in almost
every branch of artistic, scientific, Soc
biological and political activity is truly
impressive and almost without parallel.
"Helsingfors CHelinsb is one of the
most modern and up-to-date cities in
Europe, in comparison with which Lon
don or Paris Seem-and are-in many
respects backward and old fastened.
Ernest Young, another EngliShman,
in his book, Finland: The Land of
a Thousand Lakes" published in Lon
don in 1913, makes this remarkable
statement:
mo one who knows anything of the
Firms will deny that they are the best
educated nation in the world. Neither
Germany nor America can claim an
equality with them in this respect, and
Russia, their ruler and oppreSSor, who
is now claiming the right to conduct
the educational affairs of the Grand
Duchy, is almost savage and uncivil-
lied by comparison"
Mr.. Young's appraisal may be some
what exaggerated but it certainly re-
flutes the popular notion here in Am
erica of the people of Finland.
For those who know the Finnish
character there is no mystery about