New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-24
KING CHRISTIANS TROUBLES
THE DANISH COMMONS WITHHOLDING SUP
PLIES AND AIMING FOR WAR.


[FRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENTS OF rHE TRIBUNE.
COPENHAGEN May 4.
England's hesitation to accept the Danish King
as umpire in her quarrel with Russia surprises no
one here Even Mr.. Gladstone's faith in human
nature would hardly persuade him to trust the fort
uues of his country to the head OF State that
thanks England for nothing but betrayal and de-
feat and has only bitter memories to avenge. If
Denmark had forgotten 1901 and 1897 and her
wrongs in the Napoleonic wars she has still in fresh
remembrance her dsmemberment in lS63'6i after
a heroic but vain struggle III which she was led on
by the hope and promise of help from England, only
to be deserted in her hour of direst need England
too has cause to remember this, for from that act
of treacery dated her loss of prestige in European
councils which has brought upon her her present
troubles. True King Christian is the fathern law of
Englands future ruler, but Russia, too, has friend
at court, for toward the Car he bears like pa
ternal relation. Besides things are happening Just
now in the little Danish Kingdom that are rather
suggestive of Muscovite measures and methods as
royal refuge from the strong current of Parliament
tary politics which the Government is stranng
every nerve to stem In fact the signs of the times
point TO the possibility that King Christian, hav
ing provided his extensive family with thrones or
expectations to go round may yet be pat hard to it
to keep firm grasp on his own.
The struggle now going on between the Crown
and the Radicals who would curtai its prestige has
lasted thirteen years. and, while Norway has fought
its battle ont much the same ground and won 1T,
it carnot be said to have advanced IN Denmark be-
yond the point at which 1t began. except IN the
mutual recognition of the fact that the present stu
alton is ntolcrabe and impossible while yet there
is no apparent escape from it, neither party being
willing to yield The trouble over the attempt
of the Opposition party-tho Radical Left. which
from despised minority had grown into n large
and intelligent majority in the lower house, the
Folkethng-to get rid of the unpopular Estrup
Cabinet by the usual oXpcdiont of Parliamentary
politics: refusing to vote supplies to the Govern
ment and thus stamping it with the country's DIS
approval. The dsgrrntled Danes had. however,
reckoned without their host. The Danish COnsti-
tuition is not the olshoot of Magma Chlrta, and the
Folketbing is not the House of Commons The
Government promptly took M the challenge and
retaliated by dssDlvIng the Rigsdag aud ordering
new elections. They were ncld hut did not i'm
prove things aud he defiant House only drew tho
purses rings tighter. The Kings reply was to send
the Thing home AMI to enact by royal decree pro
Wis Ona budget Tor necessary expenses 70 winch the
Folkethng might assent. or not, at leisure when
il reassembed. Assent Il did there beng nothing
else for II to do as the moaey had been spent. but
il did so under protest and dcnOuncng the tsure
as unconstitutional and revolutionary The next
step would have been 10 impcach the Ministry. rs
was done in Norway but no attempt was made ~
that diTectiOn. The House, in fact. found itself
caught in trap. The DANISH Constitution provides
for the raising OF money 10 run the OONcrnmcnt by
provisional law when the ltigSdag Is not m session
bnt with the undermining that the budget IS TO
be limited to such necessary expenditures rs had
not been objected to by either Ihng AT the proceed
lnr session. The Government had siTew1ly kept
within these limits and, with a strong majority IN
the Landsting, occupied fairly unassailablc posi-
ton. , .
This knowledge did not serve to allay the rrita-
ton of the people, whOss demands for a rhange to
Parliamentary methods grew constantly louder,
while the Ministry. embroidered by its success
carried things with high hand The Government
prestige applied unsparlngly and political pcrse-
cutIons became the order OF tho day Government
officials who had joined the Opposition were threat
ened with dismissa, and. III threats had no cuect,
summarily relieved" OF course. Il was Ouly
question OF time when such policy would carry
the Ministry beyond prudent limits, 1t took the
step that separates the subj from the rldicuons
courts against the leaders of the Opposition for
defamation of character, on the basis OF their pub
Inc utterances In the Thing IN the heat OF debate.
The trial resulted in the rout OF the Government
after furnishing the Opposition with rare oppor.
tunty for holding mp to ridcule the constitutional
monarchy OF 1913 by damaging comparison with
the Parliamentary system of England. British
politics and British ParliamentarIsm have through
ont the long dispute been held up by the Radicals
as a substantial rraignmcnt of the Government
and if King Christian was ever attracted toward
either. which he probably was not II IL safe 60 say
that he has before this been thoroughly cured of his
liking.
All legislation except the most indispensable hav-
ing been totally neglected during the year OF STRIFE
the quarrel between the Governnent and the people
reached a crisis again this winter by the stubborn
refusal of the FOlkethlng To approve the EStrup
Cabinets Appropriation bills and provisional law
was enacted for the second time. THIS time, how
ever the Ministry went beyond the constitutional
limitation and authorized the expenditure of money
for various objects including such" as neither
Thing hal objected TO- "1ncludng such " in "A dc
cided Improvement on " only such" and clearly
oyersteps the bounds within which the Ministry
under the Constitution master OF the situation.
IL raised a storm OF indignation that Is yet raging
if anything more fercely than before new Rigs
dag is 10 meet ia October, AM 1t Will be more rad
zeal than any of its predecessors What will then
happen IL is not easy to foTcsee but the outlook is
exceedingly troubled. The patience of the Left ap
it will argue no more, and is buying rifles Rife
clubs being organized throughout the country.
and every body is armng and learning how to shoot.
No open threats are made The Danes are a peace
loving people aud slow TO anger; but wlthall have
"a strong innate sense of right with which IL Is not
safe to trfe too long. Recently, when the organ
ZatIOn Of rifle corps in a country high school was
construed by the Government into a challenge and
the latter retaliated by adopting the tactics Of the
FOlkething and stopping the schools allowance,
the people of the district at once raised money by
subscription not only to support the school, but
also to equip the students, one and ALL with breech
leaders. The Governments supporters. who repre-
sent the bureaucracy, the titled gentry and 10
large extent the wealth of the Countrywide s0caled
Right-nOt to be outdOne. are buying Krupp guns
and presenting them through their wives and
daughters to the King, for the National defences"
which the FOlkethng has neglected As n Yankee
would say, "They have seen them and gone them
one can say. One thing only seems clear; that the
Russian diplomacy and sOn-in-aw would have the
call in that phase of the Indian business. as in all
the rest. were King Christian to be the arbitrator.
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TRICKS OF A VENAL GOA GILMAN.