THE FINISH OF FINLAND.

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 October 1910, Page 7

THE FINISH OF FINLAND.

THEIR FIGHT AGAINST RUSSIA

THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND DOWNFALL. It apears that the last stage in the Russification of Finland has arrived, and that Finland as a separate nation no longer exists. The Russian Duma has passed a Bill which practically deprives Finland of all the liberty she enjoyed under the Constitution granted by Alexander 1., and Finland has now been subjected completely to the control of the Russian Government. So ends the long struggle of Finland to retain her independence''of Russian control. The sympathies of England and her Dominions have been very much with the struggles of the Finns, but it is only fair to point out that there are two sides to the question. The greatest point in favour of Russia is, of course, that she considers herself vulnerable at her Finnish frontier, and she wishes to be in a position to take what measures she thinks best for the protection of the Russian Empire as a whole. There is much to he said m support of this idea. But Russia has rather spoilt her case in the eyes of outsiders bv bringing forward foolish evidence. ACCUSED OF SMUGGLING FIREARMS. For example, a great deal of excitement was worked up recently over the alleged conspiracy of the Finns to smuggle arms into the country, but an outsider fails to see any “conspiracy at all.

The facts are these: A certain amount of smuggling, as We know, goes on in every country, and one or two Finnish firms tried to evade the prohibition against the importation of firearms.- A very small number of rifles, saloon guns, and air guns were smuggled into the country, together with a few million cartridges. This, according to the Russian scaremongers, was part of a great Finnish plot against Russia, but the millions of skins of all animals exported every year from Finland more than accounts, to an unbiassed person, for the cartridges and rifles imported. One other great point in favor of Russia’s action is the general tendency in Europe towards the gradual swallowing up of small States, hut it is not to be expected that the small States will submit to lose their individuality without a struggle. This is particularly hard lines on an intensely patriotic people like the Finns, and they have fought the ground inch by inch as they have seen themselves being swallowed up by Russia. Since the present Tsar came to the throne the Russian Government has been particularly determined in its onslaughts, and in 1899 thev sent to Finland ns Governor, General Bobrikof, an implacable enemy of Finnish liberty. Ho was an overbearing officer who had risen from the ranks, and ho was ro cordially hated by the Winns that when he took a walk in the street any Finns who saw him coming promptly crossed to the other side. At another time he patronised a concert got up for charitable purposes, and though the Finns bought up all the tickets, not one of them attended.

He caused the Finnish postage stamps to be abolished, and ordered the use of Russian stamps instead. THEIR FAMOUS MOURNING STAMP.

To meet this the Finns issued a “mourning stamp,” all black except the arms of Finland in red, and stuck it on their letters besides the compulsory Russian stamp. The Russian Government deorived the Finns of even this small satisfaction ; the sale of the stamp was forbidden, and all letters bearing it were destroyed. One of the Finish senators who had supported the designs of Russia was refused apartments in the principal hotels at Helingsfors, the Finnish capital. Bv the indiscretion of o oorter he secured rooms in one hotel. When the manager discovered who his guest was he asked him to leave at once, but this the senator refused to do. As a result, the public boycotted the hotel, and it was practically ruined.

Several petitions and deputations were sent to the Tsar, but the deputation be refused to see and the petitions were ignored. The crash came when a young man of good family and education assas•dpaPM General Bobrikof. Even tin's terrible affair did not stay Russia's band, and the Russification has gone on more sternly than ever. During the recent debate, the Opposition .realisms that they had no chance for fair discussion, withdrew from the Duma, leaving the Government a free hand. As a result, thirteen complicated clauses were passed in twelve minutes and the final "ending taken. When the result was declared, one of die most determined of the Government party sprang to his feet, shouting triumphantly: “Finis Finlandiae” — “The Finish of Finland!”