e struggle between a
frankly reactionary government and the people demanding more liberty
continued.

One of the centers of disturbances was Finland. This former province
of Sweden had been ceded to Russia by the Scandinavian Kingdom as
long ago as 1743, after having been practically conquered in 1714.
At that time certain rights of independency and autonomy were
granted to Finland. Throughout the next century and a half Russia
lived up to these promises in a fashion. But in 1899 the Finnish
Diet was deprived of its exclusive right of legislating for the
former grand duchy, and Russia started on a policy of Russification;
although the conqueror did not differ to any noticeable extent from
other nations who found themselves in similar positions--Prussia and
Austria in Poland, Germany in Alsace-Lorraine, England in some of
its colonies--Russia had to contend with greater opposition,
perhaps, than any of them. For the Finns were a people to whom
liberty was as dear as life or even dearer and no particle of it
would they give up except if an overwhelming power forced them to do
so. One Russian governor general after another became the victim of
assassination. This fact is of particular interest to us only
because it resulted in a deep-seated hatred of Russia and all things
Russian on the part of all Swedes, indeed, of all Scandinavians who,
though Finland had been separated from them for three or four
generations, still considered this unhappy country to be part and
parcel of Scandinavia. To a great extent this explains the
Scandinavian attitude toward Russia of which we shall hear more
presently.

Among the more prominent men of Russia who fell under assassins'
assaults were Von Plehve, Minister of the Interior, and Grand Duke
Sergius, an uncle of the czar, both typical reactionaries and men
whose death may well be claimed a gain for Russia rather than a
loss. In this period also belongs the killing of hundreds of
workingmen of Petrograd who, led by a Russian priest, Father Capon,
attempted to march to the Winter Palace of their "Little Father,"
the Czar, in order to present to him in person their petition for
relief from their many oppressions. Similar scenes were repeated in
Warsaw, in Lodz and in other Russian industrial centers during 1905.
Step by step the revolution of the people seemed to gain in spite of
all efforts of the Government. It even spread to the army and navy
and at Odessa the crew of a large battles