St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-18
CELEBRATE MAY II.
A Day in 1914 Which the
Norwegians Will Always
Remember.
Knute Nelson and Other No
tables at the Meeting
Yesterday.
Fred C. Pillsbury Seems to
Have Died Without a
Will.
Business Men Will See That
Their Customers Are
Entertained.


ance. 1t drew a big crowd, but not
quite so heavily as a purely political
play would have drawn. farce being
more TO the taste of the American peo-
pie. The play yesterday was celebra-
ton of the natal day of Norwegian con-
sthutional independence.
On the 18th of May. 1914, at the little
village OF EidSvOld, the representatives
of the Norwegian nation met the en-
iSSaries of Bernadotte, the marshal of
Napoleon who had become the ruler of
the Swedish people, and formally trans
ferred their allegiance from King Chris
tan of Denmark to Carl Johann of
Sweden. By the transfer they secured
their constitution, and that was what
the NOrwegians were fighting for. Every
year 1t is the custom of the Norwegians
in America to celebrate that day. Yes
terday they'did it, but with no parade
and fanfaronade. They held a quiet
meeting at Normanna hall and listened
to speeches from representative men.
The hall was we'll filled at 3 o'clock,
j. A. Peterson. president of the when
Normanna society, called the meeting to
order. The American colors were the
most prominent in the decorations, but
the flags of Norway and Sweden and
Germany and Ireland were not forgot
ten. The prominent NOrwegianS of the
city had been invited to seats on the
stage, but had not res bonded in large
numbers. Besides the speakers of the
day and the presiding officer, the only
occupants on the platform were such
representatives of Norway as Mayor
Winston, who came late; Supt r. R.
Henderson, who sat near the back of
the stage, and NicOlay Grevstad. Pres
ident Peterson briefly introduced the
first speaker of the day, Prof. r. B.
Anderson, of Madison, Wis, eX-minis-
ter under Grover Cleveland to Den
mark. He said the Norwegian in
the nth of May because 1t represents
the triumph in Norway of the same
principle that underlies the American
government. He said:
1.-The voice of liberty is the same, its
tones as sweet, whether it comes to us
from the mountain Businesses of Switzer-
land, from the halls OF the continental
congress at Philadelphia or from the
sturdy NOrSemen assembled on the
plains of Eidsvold. The spirit that
moved these 112 men seventy-eight
years ago today to join their hands and
declare in the presence of their Maker
that Norway is free and independent
nation, that the right to govern is with
the people, was the same spirit that
nerved the hand of Thomas Jefferson
when he wrote the Declaration of H.
dependence"
1rdo cot rl,nr rfox 60 10
so surrounded by Wisconsin men. He
was Introduced by young man who
had emigFated from Wisconsin, and on
the platform with the man who, he be-
lieVed, would be the next governor of
Minnesota. That referred to Knute
Nelson, and the statement was greeted
with tremendous applause. He was
also glad to have near him young
man who was one of the most eminent
attorney generals Wisconsin had ever
had Zion. j. j.. O'Cnnnorl. Prof. An
derson's speech was delivered in the
Norwegian language. That he touched
the sympathies of his audience was evil
dent from the frequent and enthusiastic
applause. He dealt with history and
traced the growth of the desire for con-
stitutional liberty from Norway down
to Normandy, in France, thence across
to England and from England TO Amer
lea.
"In introducing the next speaker on
the programme" said President Peter
son, II am glad to Introduce a young
man who, although born of another
race and under another flag than ours,
is broad enough to appreciate the events
that we commemorate today. l intro
duce Hon. j. L.OCOnnOr, attorney gen.
eral of Wisconsin,"
True, | was born in this country and
of another nationality" said Mr.. O'COn-
nor, when the applause had subsidized,
but l am not unmindful of the fact
that the struggle for constitutional lib
erty commands the admiration of any
man of any country. All countries have
some anniversary which they celebrate.
Usually it marks a step toward greater
liberty, and always it means a step to
the front of the people. The downfall
of the worlds despotism dates from the
successful ending of the American rev.
Olution. 1t is therefore peculiarly fit
ting that Americans, living under the
flag of freedom, should assemble on a
day like this to celebrate the establish
ment of constitutional liberty in another
nation; for the principle of constitu-
tiOnal liberty is as broad as the uni
verse;"
Mr.. O'ConnOr then went into history,
and eloquently followed the struggle of
the Norwegians for liberty from as far
back as the ninth century, when they
fought for Self-government, down to
fS14, when their wants were satisfied.
"The constitution of Norway" said
he, ''iS the only one born of the spirit of
the Freuch revolution that has success
fully withstood the onslaught of kings
and Kingdoms, to whom it is perpetual
eyesore, until today, Norway stands
second only to the United States in the
enjoyment by her people of the fullest
personal liberty"
The history of the Norwegians in
America was next touched upon. The
speaker mentioned the NorWegians as
being rich in the virtues of industry,
honesty and economy. He continued:
''SOme men sheer at the devotion of
the adopted American citizen to the
land of his birth and accuse him of
being not at heart an American citizen.
No mans fidelity to his wife was ever
questioned because he loved his mother.
Show me the man that is not proud of
the land that gave him birth and will
show you man who will prove recreant
in the hour of his country's need. 1t is
fashionable in certain quarters to say
that our government is In danger be-
cause of the large foreign population.
The sneering crowd forget that in the
darkest days of the rebellion, when our
navy was shattered, when the nations
capital was threatened, a foreigner
turned the tide of war by giving to the
world a Monitor
Hats flew into the air when Knute
Nelson was introduced. Mr.. Nelson
read from manuscript. His address
was largely historical in Its outline of
the fight for freedom in Norway; begin
ming with the oppression of Harold the
Fair Haired, which sent colonies to Nor
mandy and to Iceland. He laid stress
upon one point in particular-a landed
nobility never gained a foothold in
Norway. The Norwegian always
fought for private ownership of land,
and that made him all the more able to