, 1874-03-18

Law, Customs Law etc. The man might
be tempted to say: "Why, there is after
all no difference" and then turn round
and take another nap. The disagreement
arises In a great measure from the fact
that the United Left cuts and shapes all
It's claims for reforms too much so as to
suit the small agricultural interests, and
does this with a curious mixture of cyni-
cism and sly cunning. This disposition is
III itself sufficient to provoke the opposi-
ton. But the difference arises of course
principally from the question of where the
power is to be, which question is at the
bottom. In this respect much is now
gained by the short and clear programme
about which the fight is, viz. Popular
Self government, Parliamentarism etc.
That it was the claim of another distribu-
ton of power which was at the bottom of
the strife and produced all the minor points
of contention, has hereby become more
evident, SO evident indeed that Count Hol-
stein Ledreborg, who has been converted
to democratic doctrines, brought this point
forward during the debates on the inter
pellation,~ although he has now at a recent
meeting with his constituents found that
this conflict about the distribution of pow
er is of q different nature from what he
thought in the middle of October.
1t possesses a certain interest, SAYS the
Dagblad, now and again to take a birds
eye view Of such questions in order to see
them reduced to their great outlines and
also to consider them in their bearings on
something different from the Wonted mar
row horizon. We believe, says the paper,
that if we consider the conflict now car
ried on at a distance, it will be seen clearer
that the struggle anticipates by far the
general political development in Europe.
In a political respect, or in democratic
development, Denmark is far ahead Of the
rest of Europe. The common assertions
that she has one OF the most liberal con-
situations in the world, is one Of the most
democratic countries etc, now show
themselves to be palpable realities, peo-
pied, not with phantoms from the studies
of philosophers, but with real, living aud
hardfstcd specimens Of the political genus
known as 1.-The people" As, now, political
liberty practically may be reduced to a
question of where the exercise Of power is
to be, this means that political power is
to I've transferred in Denmark to classes
which in other countries have not reached
SO far. In his famous speech, Gambetta
said that the time had come in France for
les n%0uUcL2es couches Socialcs. Now it might
be supposed tina: the time had long since
come for all "layers of society,"" that it
had come already at the great revolution
and many times since. The fact is, how
ever, that in France, as every where else,
the political initiative has been taken in
the class which by intellectual culture is
most fitted for it, and the inferior e" layers
have executed the plans that originated
there, and have done the rougher work.
Hence the uneasiness created by Gam
betta's speech; it was a new horizon
opened to French Society. But the novel
ty which is there looked forward to with
a certain sceptical doubt, if on the whole
it be possible-to be ruled by peasants
appears inconceivable to Frenchmen-
that is Just the state Of things in which
Denmark finds herself now. That the word
Republic has not been pronounced signifies
less. The modern, more realistic and
sounder view of politics takes less note of
the name, does not believe in the solution
of difficult questions by mere phrases. 1t