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this respect, too, there is great improvement.
Commerce in general is showing a most remarkable rate of
progress. In a few years the import and exports have
doubled. In the matter of foreign trade, Finland now
ranks high among the countries, regard being had to
its relative population. Some of the export statistics
have been mentioned; among items of import, grain,
meat and pork, sugar, coffee, and petroleum show
a considerable increase, testifying to the larger
consumption and more luxurious living of the people.
Besides these articles, metals, coal, and other materials
used in manufacturing and agricultural industry are
more largely imported. Within twenty years the
deposits in savings banks have quintupled, the capital
of the commercial banks has trebled, and the deposits
in the latter have been multiplied by ten. All these
statistics, as well as other facts about which we shall
speak later, point to the same conclusion.
Finland cannot be compared with America. It is
still a poor country and backward in many respects.
Also its progress is not quite on American lines. Still
it reminds us in many ways of the great country which
is progressing more rapidly than any other of modern
times. Scandinavian emigrants of the peasant class
very seldom return to their country with the intention
of remaining there; or if they do, they nearly always
change their mind and go back to the United States.
With the Finlanders it is different, perhaps partly on
account of the difference in their language, which
makes it less easy for them to amalgamate with the
Americans. In the case of Scandinavians it must
be remembered that half the language of America is
nearly the same as their own. We are told, however,
that the case is the same with the Swedes from
Finland; and the reason for the more frequent return
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