New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-09-21
SCANDINAVIAN TYPES
PRINCIPALLY POLITICAL AND SOCIAL.


Of the country. which was douby interesting bo
cause of the crisis through which IL has recently
| passed Dining with an eminent merchant of tho
city I was ast0nished b. find him almost ~ cons
| vcrsant with the spanish tongue - with the Nor
| wcgian. aud still moro 10 ascertain that Norway
stands in the closest Of commercial relations with
Spain. Many Of the Norwegian youth finish their
mercantile education by an apprenticeship In
Spanish counting houses.
| The crisis through which Norway has inst passed
is one winch will bear few words Of explanation
| Norway has always been an anomaly m the polit-
real systems Of Europe, IN that while II possessed
| feudalism it has so many very small aristocrats
that they practically formed middle class lnd
| lasting bulwark against anything approaching
despotism In recent years. another element has
mingled with It's politics and given n Decided ten
dency toward what for a monarchy, Is ridIcalism
/ this element is--AmerIca All the leaders o, the
Liberal party have studied American history. know
/ American methods, and seem determined as far A.
possible, to follow in American footsteps rs
public is not now possible. but the NOrwcl ans have
almost all the constitutional privileges Of n,prb
lie even # they Lack the name and the King hs
been deprived Of one prerOgatye after another untI
he has less power than the American President tie
is a constitutional monarch. disposed to yield to
the wishes of his people, yet the Conservative
Ministry made a determined stand against tie alb
Judgment IF his powers, spite of the popai a
/ revolution seemed imminent. and dire threats Of
impeaching the entire Ministry arose. but fouI
weeks ago tie monarch graciously ceded the
forms. and appointed Liberal Ministry, at the
head of which is Mr.. Syerdrup. the GauIbe,ta OF
the North"
received through one Of the editors Of the Chris
tania DagDIdAt IN invitation To visit the Minister
of State his residence few miles out of Christi
no few her a
tnually astonshed at the knowledge displayed Of
American affairs. Many were the questions reg I'D
ing the Presidential candidates which wa
obliged to answer. and Mr.. Jaques Sverlup c-pe
caly desired to know if the of the great Lin.
coin was ut all likely TO hold the helm Of state
Mr.. Sverlrup believed that the concessions gained
by the Liberal party We're permanent. AMI hiGteo
that liberty combined with moderation never went
backward. He deprecated the thought Of vniIct
iyeness against the Old Ministry. and seemed
rather TO desire to show first what the Ministry
could do.
If Norway is learning from America. there are
some points on which America can learn from Nor
way. The treatment of the poor Is one. There
are almost bcggars ut all in the kingdom and
the self respect of the poor is 80 cherished that tlcy
would scarcely 60 as readily into mcudicauey ~
in countries where they ~corned or abused.
The steam kitchen of Chri,tidnia Is one of the
practical ways of helping poverty. II isoVn"i bY
a stock company. the members of which ou.y desire
to receive moderate interest upOn thri. capital.
The circular states that the object of The society
is 10 enable the less opuicut cas-o, ozark tne
thoughtful wording " To procure good aud healthy
food at the lowest prccs.' 1t is done d. cook ug
enormous quantities. and hundreds and even tuou.
sands are fed by this cooperative system good,
clean wclseryed dinner can be obtained hc from
s to cents and never by any chance are the poot
patrons treated less respectfully than more 0pu.
lent" one would be at more expensive eating.
house. Yet the enterprise -plys DccunIarly as
well ~ morally.
From Chri3tania went ~ Stockholm. The mode
of travel was almost unique. 1t was by steamboat
through the Gotta Canal. But the Gotta Canal route
is by no means all canal A few immense L.kes ara
! ntcrSpcrsed. one of which Is 100 miles loul and
wofully shaky. The route, therefore. affords some
abrupt contrasts; at one moment the passe1 GER
* lying in sweet state of Tar Bcs'e and at tho
next he Is wildly clutchng az a rail 10 steady him
self and giving practical illustrations of misplaced
stomachic energy But If "A traveller Will give MP
all American haste, and be- content to go slowly
through the heart Of the country by all means let
him take the canal route. And also let him ask for
the Wllstena." and seek Captain Julius Ericsson.
If he wants 10 know what Morse hospitality means.
The finest spot the route Is Irallhdft"u. where
tremendous falls and rapids course along with
10000 horsepower.
| freq lently left the boat and took short peles.
tran tours along the banks or into the interior,
and was rewarded by finding many quaint spot
aud interesting ruin. Among Others | the
castle of the Douglases lwho lett Scotland and took
service with the Swedish kings, where it Is said.
woman pried into the OF the freemasons aud
got beheaded for her pains Many more modern.
woman has lost her head on discovering a secret.
At Sodersj0plng, while the boat going through
number of locks the traveller has abundant oppor-
tunty to take "a pleasant stroll. | wish him better
success in his conversations with the inhabitants
than | had spoke 10 many of them in the choicest
vsriety of New York Swedish. but they not only did
not understand, but finally got me so snarled up
that didn't understand myself The approach to
Stockholm by the canal route is the finest possible,
and the constant changes of scenery, the boat
passes from inlet 10 inlet, impossible to describe
in cold type.
Stockholm itself somewhat rcsemb les Geneva in
ITS massive quays and waterside promenades. 1t Is
the liyelest city of all Scandinavia. Tlvois. con
cert saloons musical cafes and other dlsspatlOns
abound, aud the Swele here Is a. talkative - his
Norwegian brother in higher attitudes is taciturn.
Captain Ericsson took me excursion 10 Drot-
tingholm where We viewed the palace Of Adolf
Frederic. As one palace is Ike another 10 the
weared tourist | will not lnhct description Of
this upon you, but cannot pass by the charac-
terstlc close of the excursion, when four sea-
CAPTAINS gatOerci IN the fdDln OF the " austtha.
around a bottle of Swedish punch persuasive yet
potent mixturel and drank 3" >kOal' 20 each other
and the American guest. until the dread of tdseR-
QGnmer caused 10 sccedc from the meeting. |
ought also 10 chronicle another Swedish institution
which took me unawares. had suffered 80 much
at the hands of Northern BARRIERS that II with
doubt and trembling that tempted fate once moro
in elegant tonSorial palac near the Grand Hotel
Before had time 10 organize armed resistance
rosy checked maid Of sixteen summers had "A towel
under my chm. the lather IN my mouth. and. hold
ing me by the nose. was calmly scraplng away.
On my trip 10 MalmO. IN southern sweden. | had
the good fortune 70 meet Professor Berggreu. the
botanst of the two NordenskIOd expeditions. lac
was greatly Interested IN the fate of The Greedy
IL. - I..... lLLlI AL