Decorah-posten., 1886-05-26
1Soe Rat 4aIe Seecrab
peo NR. VI. NRiffeIiou.
AND GENTLEMEN:

LADIES N GFNTLEMEN:
On whatever portion ofthe earth's
surface a son or a daughter of Nor
way may be surprised by the 18th
of May, that son or daughter will
inevitably stop a moment to utter a
prayer for the continued happiness
and prosperity of the mother coun.
try. And wherever a body of Nor
wegians may be assembled, there
will be a demonstration of this gen.
erous sentiment: But of all Norwe-
gians outside of Norway, the immi-
grants in this country have the great
est possible cause for observing the
day. The ties ofkinship and friend
ship are, of course, equally binding
everywhere. So the many connec-
ting links that come of speaking a
common language, of living, to a
certain extent, a common intellec-
tual life. But in our case, these
bonds are welded into intangible
firmness by that sympathetic rela-
tionship which results of holding a
similar, if not in all points a com
mon, political faith. As natural or
adopted citizens ofthe United States,
we must certainly entertain a lively
interest in the fortunes of a people
who live under a constitution, moul-
ded after the very ideas that shaped
our own. Nominally, the two gov
ernments are different, virtually,
they are alike. Norway, like our
own, is a government for the people,
of the people, and by the people =
the fundamental idea is individual
freedom and eqality.
At the beginning of the century,
ladies and gentlemen, we have a
novel and interesting spectacle way
upNorth on the scandinavian PENN
sula. A small and apparently de-
~fenceless country is defying the COM
bined forces of two great powers =
each of which is many times larger
than itself. But this is not all. 1t
throws the gauntlet in the face OF
whole Europe. Nature alone seems
to take part with the resolute people.
The melancholy sough through the
branches of the mountain-pine-the
roar of the bumbling cataract - the
swell of the uncertain ford - the
boom of the ~loosening avalanche -
the awful NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
from mountain to mountain - all
protest in the name Of a free and un-
bounded nature against the hand OF
oppression and tyranny. The pas
lures of the mountain and the dark
recesses of the forest send forth a
thronging crowd of supernatural
beings TO stand guard over the an
Client name of the country. How
enviousl One might bear though,
that the spirit of self-assertion was
dead in Norway, after having sub.
mitted for centuries to foreign rule.
But this unexpected bellicose atti.
tude dispellS any such illusion. The
genius OF freedom has all along slum.
bered in the hearts of the people.
and, like the enchanted princess, is
quickened TO exquisite activity by
the warm breath of the Gallo god
Of liberty. With one impulse the
nation arises to assert its indepen.
dence as strongly as ever. The
apathy of ages is swept away to be
replaced by an intense desire to
reach a common end-namely a ma
tional existance.
Action is suited to the thought.
A national assembly, consisting OF
l12 representatives, meet at Eds.
void to decide the future of the ma
ton for good or bad. They feel the
awful responsibility of their posi-.
ton, these l12 men. But they do
not shirk their duty. They see and
meet the wish of the people. There
are no local differences TO influence
their action. The pressure is entirely
national. On the 18th of May, 1914,
they give to Norway one of the
finest constitutions on the CONT
nent. They had done their work
well, for the body, which they
shaped, has survived the spirit OF
the age that gave it breath. What
matters it that Norway owes the en-
joyment of this constitution greatly
to the goodwill Of its political part
ner? The enjoyment has been none
the less perfect. The union with
Sweden has been a happy ore. Nor.
ways lot since 1914 has been an OBJ
ject of envy to its less fortunately
placed neighbors.
Norway had gotten a free consti-
tuition. The peasant formed the
power of the state - the political
balance was controlled by him.
That's what the constitution said, or
words to that effect. But it took
time for "den norske o~delsbonde"
to accustom himself to the new or
der of things-to familiarize himself
with the idea of self-government. 1t
was so very long since he had had
anything to do with hat sort of bus
mess. Meanwhile, the office-holding
element manages the affairs o fstate.
Everything runs smoothly and to
the satisfaction of the upper ten.
The plodding, Woodworking rustic
is lost in a maze of high-sounding
epithets, applied with the greatest
poetical license. When, however,
after a short period, the same horny
handed man of toll mildly suggests
that he might now be declared OF
age, and permitted to attend to his
share of the government, he is
laughed at, jeered at, rallied at, and
stormed at. But all to no purpose.
The office-holder repents having
held the liberal views of 1914, and
would fain have them recalled. A
serious of struggles ensues. The peas
ant strives to secure the rights gran
ted him in the constitution, the
office-hoider strives to retain his old
position of superiority. But, how
ever long delayed, the issue is deci-
ded, the royal concessions of the
last years mark an epoch in the So
cial and political development of the
country. Within the last few years,
the unnatural barriers between the
upper and lower classes have been
battered down. The debris, indeed,
remains to abstruct a free and unin-
terrupted intercourse, but that, too,
we fervently hope will disappear in
the course of time.
One need not be much of a
prophet to foretell an exceedingly