Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 64.djvu/72

68 The Finns are said to have lived on the Volga in the seventh century and to have been driven north in the eighth century to their present home. They were conquered and christianized in the twelfth century by the Swedes, who occupied and ruled the country for more than five hundred years. In the wars between Sweden and Russia, Finland was often the battleground, and finally by treaty in 1809 Sweden ceded the grand duchy of Finland to Russia.

The Finnish constitution of 1772 afforded ample protection to the liberties of the people. It insured practical autonomy in internal affairs and provided that the Finnish army could not be required to serve outside of Finland. Alexander I. guaranteed to Finland the preservation of its laws, constitution and religion, and this pledge has been renewed by each succeeding ruler, including the present Tsar, Nicholas II., who however has broken his pledge. The condition of the Finns under their own constitution has been much better than that of any other subjects of the Tsar. Serfdom never existed in their country and five ninths of the land was owned by peasants. The policy of Russianization pursued by Tsar Nicholas II. since 1898 has practically set aside the constitution and reduced the grand duchy of Finland to the status of an ordinary Russian province.

Since 1863 Russia has attempted to eliminate Swedish influence by fostering the growth of the native language and literature. Now, however, the Finnish language is placed under the ban and the removal of high officials of Finland's educational system and the substitution of Russians in their places at Helsingfors and other educational centers may be considered an indication of the coming suppression of the Finnish language in the schools.

The majority of our Finnish immigrants come from near the coast, and in this locality the Swedish influence upon the people is shown most markedly by the frequent great variation from the recognized Finnish type. It is difficult in some cases to differentiate them from the Swedes and it is rare to find among these immigrants the broad head, flat features, yellow skin, obliquely set eyes, or other characteristics of the Ugro-Finnic type. They are tall and well proportioned, sometimes with fair complexions, sometimes with a queer combination of the characteristics of Finn and Swede. Eighty per cent, of the Finns are engaged in agricultural pursuits. They are honest, industrious and energetic; and it is a very rare occurrence to find an illiterate Finn.

The Lithuanian people, according to their traditions and the researches of some eminent ethnologists, were probably the first of the Aryan race to settle in Europe. Their first European home seems to have been in the valley of the Danube in the country now known as Bulgaria. The valley of the Danube was the natural highway of