The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
THE IDEA or scANDrNAvrAy UNITY.
What Progress has been Made In the union
Of Denmark with sweden-Norway.

reminded Of the fact that in their present
isolated ndhelpless condition the three Scandi-
nnvian kingdoms by no means como under that .
designation. Yet the whole past OF Scand- +
navinn history cmphatically protests against .
tho undeservcd neglect. In fact. even down to /
recent times the three kingdoms have borne u /
part in nearly all the events which hnvc ma /
terially affected the march OF European civiliza-
ton Wa are compelled to attribute it to their own
fault that they still neglect to avail themselves
Of their opportunities for charging n leg.t- /
mate national and political influence. The
nntive elements are ready ut hand. and by
iudicious working might powerfully con-
tribute TO raise Scandinavia to position OF re-
spcctnbility contrasting fayorably with hor
present political insignihcance.
And what Is mcnnt 10y tho term Scandinavian
Whit else but the geographical expression Of
an ethnographical ideaf There s however
something higher still. Time out OF mimi. the
common origin and the cthnographical unity
OF the three northern nations had been per-
celved by the stranger. as they always had been
felt and kept alive 10y the inhabitants them.
selves. Under such circumstances the ethno-
graphical idea in its practical aspect contains
the germ Of political idea. emerging spun-
tancously ont ot elements geographicnily
ethnOgraphically. ana morally favorable 20 its
full development In point Of fat. this polit.-
cal Idea Of Scandinavian unity has long been in
existence and the traveller In the North ~ graft
flied to lind that this political idca- drawing
closer together the three nauons-appcars II
have made considerable progress during the
last century.
As is well known. the three Scandinavian ma
tons speak two or almost three variations Of
that ancient language which Is still preserved
in its Originate purity in Iceland. In point -
fact. modern Norwegian. Swedish. and Danish
resemble each othor SO closely that tho three
peoples freely converse with and understand
each other without ever taking the trouble 10
learn technically the linguistic differences that
distinguish the three tongues. | DO not wish
to be understood that they should be considered
as merely dacctic variations. On the CON
trnry. through their modern li;era,urcs they
have raised themselves 10 the dignity Of indie
pendent languages. and. II at all TO he con-
sidered as dialects. they are daughter languages
o, the old Morse or Icelandc
Let us make n fair allowance for the mental
idiosyncrasies OF the Scandinavian race. His
toricaly the political ambition represented by
the scandinavian idea has n practical side.
which prevents us from considering II n mere
abstraction: and historically. moreover. 1t is
presented To us in double and conflicting as
poet rs popular aspiration. and Us tan antagon-
istic diplomatic idea.
As 1t is. the popular political idea has ut all
times rested on the basis Of ethnographical
unity. The people unconscOusly felt bo;h mu-
tually attracted and also repealed from the pros
pect Of closer political union. and le.;in-
rnutely wished 10 know the reason why. The
people desired to convlnce itself beforehand Of
the real existence. OF the pretended ties OF
brotherhood rs Il permanent basis OF all future
solidarity of interests. and accordingly left the
idea to take care OF its elf and 10 stand the test
of timc. On the other hand the Scandinavian
idea OF diplomacy and OF royalty has always
been purely political ilen eIectinG from
| time 10 tmea compulsory political union. hut
otherwise completely ind iierent 10 the existing
| cthnOgraphical differences.
The entire history Of the scandinavian ideA
| Is really contained in the above mentioned con-
| hicting political dualism The people in the
three countries instinctivey md -tubborny
resisted all attempts nj An enforced political
union. Each nation felt that II had right TO
| preserve mild form Of individual nationality
| idea. and Of all its vcissitudes and r-vers"s
| Diplomacy wns n, al times unable 10 riseio
strove 10 ohliieraie an national Discrepancies.
and consequently inlled 10 satisfy The people
| Thus the Mon Of CalnHr was entirely COM
pulsory. political and dynns,ic union. In It's
latter times the prevailing Danish preponder-
| ance overwhelmed sweden with DANISH officials
| and Danish Ideas. But the Swedr very prop
! erly refused to be forced lamong other thingsl
| 10 speak that Danish diom which. ~ the time.
WAS stll little more than a dialect like hls own.
| Yet this did not prevent all the best Danish Au-
thors being found Ia the original on the BOOK
shelves OF the humbest Swedish cotRger. The
Swedc. in fact. knew well that the Dauish AN
guage. Ike his own. ought e be considered ns
but deriNations from that old tongue III which
had been deposited all the cherished traditions
Of the North; and that both possessed m equal
birthright and rdisOn fctre-wcre II only TO
bear witness to the eNuberant richness OF the
original stem. The Swedes. moreover. had 30.
cinl and political cravings OF ao eniirev local
character. winch the Danish dynasty failed TO
respect. and therefore only u short time elapsed
before the Calmar Union had become odlons.
and the Swedcs had resolutely thrown OH the
artificial yoke.
Tie popular Scandinavian idea was mani
testify OF higher order. and unlntelliCib.e tn
tho diplomats OF any aye. The popular idea
conceived a political unity In the aspect OF a
confederation. and felt that under the crcum-
stances this was q historical necessity. never
10 be put out Of sight by any clever political
combination; Each pailcn, as IN me inystfri,
preserve an unviOlated national Individuality.
This was inconiestably political idea IN nd-
vance OF I'll" times. and no wonder the solution
OF the arduOus problem wis necessarily re-
served for a distant and more enlightened fu-
ture.
Ever since the rupture Of the Union OF Cal
mar tho people in the three countries have
looked with supreme Indifference upon the
subsequent attempts ~ diplomacy 10 effect u
political union, The three nations from that
once 10 the representatives. % national genius
and national learning. An unerring instinct
appeared to convince them that rs these they
would not iail to De Understood, because in
point OF fact, true poets. philosophers. und ms
torlans. nj all times. are emphntira.ly the sons
Oh liltlT Own MUTTON. tllN llN'-. anu lill-
mately associated with the semi-conscious aspi-
riuions Of the people.
Those who are inclined to dsbelieye in the
power of ideas are reminded that in S'an-
dlnavia during the last two centuries the hands
OF the people have been materially strength
encd bY the disinterrStcd ana willing cu5urrA-
ton OF all the Intelligent and all the most
learned in the three countries. None have
done more for the correct Interpretation and
the general ndvun cement OF thu popular S'nn-
dnaviun idea. and To- mono huv, the three ma
tons listened with deeper attention and more
unbOundrd confidence.
To tn" efforts OF all the representatives ~ IN
telligenre and learning II Is mainly due TINT In
modern times any serious internntiOnHl diner
encr brtwecn sweden and D"nmArk has prar-
tlrally becom" AN imposSihillty TO slrn de-
gree hav. mutual good will and kindred SYM
pnthios penetrated the ronscicnce of the people.
The suspicious union of Sweden aud Norway
proves shat the political ideal OF the ancient
lceandlc historiographers and of all the
learned of modern scandinavia, has been not
merely = chimera. hut u darideily practical as
piration. In this modern political connection
neither Sweden nor Norway has forfeited one
single item Ofthcir respective nutionai iudlNd-
uAllts. nud they have done So without weak IL
ing the strength OF the bonds of union.
readily confess that TINS union ~ IN many