The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-12-08
The Norwegian Liberal Party.

In letter to the press II ialmer H.
Boyesen saws: lit is very true that
Bio-nStierne Bjornson is the leader of
the opposition to King Oscar H.. but it
is not true that Biornson was ever SEN
fenced by court of justice for 'chal-
longing his sovereign and If he had
been he would have been the last man
TO run away from his sentence. The
Norwegian Government knows better
than to prosecute so powerful man as
BjornSon. King Oscar and his Minis
tiers have hitherto confined themselves
to furnishing humber men (Such as the
editor ForensenI for imaginary insults
to his Maiesty, but although Bjornson
has said much severer things than those
who have hitherto been prosecuted
they have so far had the prudence to
let him alone. The Liberal party in
Norway Gt is as yet premature to call it
Republican, has no quarrel with the
Swedish Government, but merely with
Oscar Bernadotte personally, who hap
pens to be King of Sweden As well as
of Norway. On the contrary, there is
considerable sympathy in the Swedish
Parliament ard among the Swedish
people at large with the Liberal move
ment in Norway. which aims merely at
protecting the Constitution of 1914
against the violation of the King, and
securing in reality the right of self
government which tAis CONSTITUTE ion
guarantees
THE issues in the campaign which
has lust been concluded, and which has
resulted in such an overwhelming de-
feat for the Government, are briefly as
follows: The Norwegian Storthing
passed several years ago a-bill giving
the Ministers of the Crown seits in
Parliament. The King vetoed it twice,
but the Storthing passed it once more
over his Veto Now, according to the
Norwegian Constitution, bill becomes
law without the Kings sanction if
passed by three successive Storthings.
King Oscar, however, who felt these
successive defeats as personal humili-
alton. set up a novel claim-that in con-
stitutional amendments he possessed an
absolute veto, and he accordingly re-
fused to promulgate the new law. Such
a tn ING had never been heard of before
in Norway, and If aroused an amount
of Indignation among the people, which
can only + e measured by the size of the
Liberal vote in the recent elections.
Bjornson, who is a man OF tremendous
eloquence, gave voice to this universal
indignation. ana protested in the name
of the people against the usurpatiors
of the Government Ii he had been
the ambitious. but cowardly, demagogue
which the London NeWs represents him
IS being. do you suppose the whole Ma
ton would have risen to indorse his
verdict on the King and to emphasize
his condemnation of the Government?
/ think not. There is not q notler,
more fearless, and more gifted man in
Norway than Bjornstierne B;ornson.
And the people know it. and they love
and revere him.
LAS for the insurance of 600, 900
crowns which the King recently pro-
cured before starting for CHRISTIANS,
that was mere fiimsy coup de btedteT
which is thoroughly characteristic If
Oscar Bernadotte. He is himself fully
aware that he would personally be rs
safe in Norway as Bjornson himself.
Much as the people hate him, there is
not one who would raise finger to do
him harm. What he wished to do land
probably has succeeded in doing1 was
to advertise to the world what brave
msn be is, ard what fierce and dan
gerous people his Norwegian subjects
are And yet every one who knows the
Norsemen is aware that they are the
and most law-abiding people in
Europe They merely have the inso-
lenee to demand the right to govern
and to resist the Kings at
tempt to overthrow their Constitution.
1t is, therefore, Oscar and bis Ministers,
and not Bjornson and the Parliamentary
who are the reyolutioniSs in
ii-