The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-11-09
NORW POLITICS.
The Struggle in tile Norsk Parliament Ov
the Cuesfiou of ihe 1po,yn,. of fl,o K5nr

EN- hA h'' vac
this Question of the Powers of the King.
An 'Old Norwegian gives the Chicago
Tribune the idea that the real question at issue
i'll the struggle now pending in Norway is: Shall
the king have an absolute power to veto a con-,
stitutional amendment bill passed by the Stor-
thing, or shall he not? In tho constitution
there is nothing to tho effect that the king
should have this prerogative, aud there
is not a Norwegian who ever dreamed
that he would claim it, before he,
III the year 1880, tried to veto .
bill that was passed three times by the storthing
in spite Of the fact that the king, under the
Constitution, is Obliged to accept any bill, in
Guiding constitutional amendment bills, which
passes three successive storthings. The bill
i'll question makes it y duty of the kings
councillors to be present and partake in the
discussions of the storthing, or the national
assembly. Tho history of this bill is unique
aud interesting, as its history is also the his
tory OF the growth of political Norway from
1924 to the present day. The bill was first in
roduced by Carl Johan, the grandfather Of the
present king, in 1921. Attliai time, however,
the representatives OF the people in the
stortbing would not pass it because they were
AFRAID that the ministers, when admitted to tho
storthinS, on account of their superior ability,
would be able 10 force through what
ever measure they liked. AT that time the Nor
weSian people were very little used to a
ilSe CtustltulOu, Aul tie stOFtLlns consisted,
to a greater extent, of farmers who had only q
meaeer political education. The government
did not cease TO advise every storthlng to pass
the bill until 1860 But things have changed.
The Norwegian people has grown up to a
political manhood, and it sees now in the
admission OF the ministry into the storthing a
means of Introducing parliainentarism into the
country as it it precticed in England and other
European states. The leaders ~ the storthing
Low made the old government bill their own,
and 1t was passsd by a handsome majority in
1872. FrsdeTik Stang, tho prime minister,
who i'll his earlier career, both in pamphlets
and in speeches, had defended the measure,
now advises the king, Carl Nv, to make use
Of the vetomg power. The measure
was. IN a somsMhat altered shape, again passed
utorthing in 1850. Every time Oscar IL, who
succeeded his brother in the fall of 1872,
vetoed it. The two times he had a right to do
it, il not under the constitution, which says
tSll2l that bills relating to constitutional
amendments are 10 be introduced In one
storthinS, but must be decided on by
the next atorthing, which is the out
come of new elections, he had the right
which common practice granted him. But tho
third time it was usurpation. The min
isIry backed HIM, The old politician
Stang, who is a man Of ability,
eft tne light that cnsued, as it grew too hot for
him. and the king maize n nameless lawyerfrom
a province town his prime minister. In all
Norway there was not a man of note who would
serve the stubborn king in his desires to be
like james H. and TO WELD the ecepter of q
despot, BY reason of this political crime
viz: That the responsible ministry, in
direct opposition to the constitution
of the country, has supported the ire
sponsible king i'll his enaeavor to thwart the
will of the people, the ministry has now been
iinpeached before the supreme tribunal, called
Rigsret. Beside this great crime the ministry
is also guilty of minor crimes, rs alluded to in
the Tribune. But the struggle in Norway ia
not one about trivial matters. 1t is the great
question: Shall the people be and remain the
ruler of its own country and force the king to
take such men for his counselors as have the
confidence of the people; or shall the king, by
be able to thwart the will of the people and
choose for his advisers whomever he will,
even il they be the most contemplate beibgs
on the face OF the earth?
The poet Bornstjerne Bjornson is not, az is
the general belief among foreigners, the leader
Mr.. Bjornson has only little political influence.
The leader in the peoples struggle against The
king is Johan Sverdrup, who has been
a member of the storthing since 1851.
veteran members. Bjornson, however, ever
is a leader Of a party whose programme it IL
that Norway shall have its own pure flag, and
not . union" flag or one in which also Swedish
colors are blended. Bjornson and his follow
ers bold mat Norway, in spite Of the fact that
also Sweden has q union" hag, or ono in which
Norwegian colors are blended. is not. as long as
her ships carry this t'union'' flag, recognized
by the world at large to be an independent and
free country, but is considered a province Of
Sweden. Biornson proves this by tie fact that
Norway's great men, and Norwegians on the
whole, both in this country and Europe, pass, to
4 great extent, under The name of Swedes. From
this-that such a pure flag party EXISTS
comes the talk that many will have
their country separated from Sweden.
This talk has no foundation whatever. It is
the wish OF the people that the union OF free
aud independent Norway and free and indie
pendent sweden shall last forever, to the great
ADVANTAGE of hnth ro1ntrias