New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-13
RADICALS WIN IN NORWAY.
EFFORTS TO AMEND OR BREAK THE UNION
WITH SWEDEN ENCOURAGED.
Christiania, Norway, November 20;

In the campaign just drawing to close the
Radicals have been Unexpectedly successful, ana
Johannes Steen and the members OF his Capi-
net are already assured Of ruling majority In
Parliament. The Conservatives and Modera'es
have lost seat after seat and their compiheu
mower will be more thoroughly shattered, IN all
nrobabilitv. before the end Of the election Oh
November 30. Christiana alone. OF the larger
cities remained true to King Oscar, ana Voteo
for the party which favors the maintenance VI
the union =.
The victory of the Radicals is significant In
deed for Norway, and peril0us to the sis'er Ming.
dom The campaign, one OF the Dlttefest anu
hottest in the annals of the country, mas peeh
fought on no uncertain grounds. Shortly ai'er
Herr Steen came into power as the successor vi
Herr Stang last March, he decided not 10 press
the adoption of the amendment to the Constl'u-
ton. proposed by the Radicals, providing ior an
INDEPENDENT Ministry Of Foreign Affairs for NOR
way. The introduction OF the amenomch' VI"
February g. long the wish of the Nor"eeian
NatiOnalists caused the overthrow OF ohc WI"
sentative Cabinet, and placed Herr Steen In power
His majority however, depending IN great par'
upon the votes of the MOderates, was uncertain
With q wisdom sustained by the results ne de-
termined to await the outcome or the eiecuon'
this fall before submitting his demand i'i 0o
radical a change in the Swedish Norwegian Coii-
situations A separate Ministry of Foreign Al
fairs has been the cry of the Radicals 'n'ous"-
ont the campaign. That demand has been the
burden of everv speech made by Herr Steen ana
his colleaones since the adjournment OF
the Storthinr The Conservatives have trieu
in vain to turn public opinion agaln'c
the Radicals. Their orators too, have endeaVoreu
to proye that the institution OF separate
Foreign Ministry will have dire results for NOT
WAY Their declaration that IL would DC the
beginning of the end of the personal union WIN
Sweden. existing since 1914, was perceived US
rule with outbursts of approval rather than 1ear'
M independence is the dearest dream OF thousands
of Norwegians As the campaign advanced ana
the signs of the times seemed to point TO the VIC
tory of the Radicals or Nationalist, their leaders
became holder and holder in the expression Oh
their claims, and did not hesitate TO portray IN
glowing colors q future selfdependent Norway
The knowledge that such men as BJoernsterne
Bioernson, the poet, and Ibsen sympathized with
the efforts of the left had also much to do with
the success of Steen and his adherents. Bjoern-
son, in fact, has taken an active part IN the
electoral battle. Although sixty years old, ne
travelled from town to town and filled thousands OF
of his eloquent tongue. AS long ago as 1889, dur.
ing the debates over the proper defence of the
country. the principal thing was to secure
protection against the Entertainments OF
Sweden, in case of necessity. He favors con-
cessions to Russia in the hope Of securing
an ally, should it be necessary TO sup
port the demands of Norway by force of arms.
Finmarken, the northern part Of the Scandinavian
Peninsula, belongs, as is well known. to Norway.
Surrounded, as it is, almost entirely by Russian
land the Car and his subjects have long desired
its possession. The Radical politicians Of this
country favor its cession to the Russians in hope
that they will aid them in the struggle which they
believe to be imminent with Sweden
But other things are also indicative Of the
strained relations between the two countries.
For the first time in many years, the member OF
tho Norwegian Ministry who resides permanently
in Stockholm failed to give dinner on November
4. in honor of the anniversary Of the union.
That innovation caused considerable talk and con-
Germ in the Royal palace. On the same day the
Dagbadet,' of Chnstiania, the organ of this
country's Government, published a sensational
editorial upon Norways relations to Sweden. The
union" it declared among other things has
stood for seventy-seven years to-day; but the
original Programmed union Of the two peoples, on
basis of equality and independence, for
common defence under common Klng-has
not been accomplished. 1t is true
that both countries live under a common King.
in times Of war and peace but they live on terms
of equality only paper, not in reality. In for
eign relations only one country possesses those
organs necessary to an independent land 3 Norway,
in foreign affairs, is subject TO Sweden. The
country's foreign affairs are administered by men
who are responsible neither to Norwegian courts
of justice nor to the Norwegian Parliament The
seventy-seven years have not realized the promises
of 1914"
King Oscar himself, on November 4. at the Off
cial banquet in celebration of the union, found
it necessary to refer to the discomfort in Norway,
and expressed the hope that his friends and sub
iects would endeavor to strengthen the bond be-
tween the two countries over which he ruled.
"Three-quarters Of a century," he added, have
we lived in peace No human work is perfect,
nothing is free from danger Mutual trust is
necessary to obviate the dangers, and to prevent
the efforts to obtain concessions at variance with
the object and essence of the union, and to lead
the people to desire what is right and possible.
May my subjects never forget that their happi-
ness depends upon their living together in peace.
God protect them!"
But it is hardly probable that the Kings adj
vice will be needed. Even the Conservatives and
the Swedish Government have been forced to con-
cede one part of the Radical programme. Under
the Stang Ministry commission was appointed to
consider the advsablity of erecting separate and
Independent Norwegian consulates in the various
cities Of Europe and America. The commission
was appointed in answer to the agitation of the
Radicals, and numbered among its members several
Swedes. The commissions report which has just
been made public, favors the proposed change.
Little doubt is entertained among the Radicals
that the Swedish Government. influenced by the
success Of the Steen people, ordered the commission
to report as it did, in the hope that such con-
cession would put an end to further demands from
the Norwegian Left. But Stcen. his colleagues
and adherents welcome the concession, because