Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-09-09
The Two Nations Hostile to
Each Other and Seek
Separation.
Norway Looking in the Direc-
ton of an Independent
Republic.
BiOrnsOn Scheduled for the Pres
idency-Interesting Gossip
From Stockholm.

Wan peninsula. Not in the memory OF
living men has political agitation been
so high us now, nor has it 50 surely
taken hold upon the hearts OF au OF the
people. There have been heretofore
proposals looking toward dlsunlon; but
they have ended as proposals otnlnS
more Now Il stronger movement III
that direction is in progress, and 1t Is 50
strong that it can scarcely be checked.
Ii stayed at all it will be only tempo
rarily, and at the cost of such 4 blow
to the crown and such Il loss OF royal
prestige as few mOnarchs have ever
been called upon to endure.
1t is n curious fact that this nation
which now 50 StrenuouSly seeks lnue-
pendence has never i'll all its history
enjoyed that boon. There are legends,
it is true, of ancient kings of Norway.
LonofelloW has enshrined one in the
saga of King Olaf. Probably there
were independent chiefs many centuries
AGO ruling over much Of what is now
known us Norway, but in recent years
Norway has not been separate nation.
For centuries it was Il Danish province
In the changeful times OF BOnapafte,
in 1914. it was cut away from Denmark
and made an autonomous kingdom. But
no king of its own was granted. On
the contrary, it was put under the
Sway Of the king of Sweden, who there
in found consolation for the loss OF his
glorious province Of Finland, the land
Of the thousand lakes.
This union is and ever has been, eN-
ceedncly distasteful to both SWe'len
and Norway. for vigorous deteSttuon
of the other abide in the hearts of both
of these peoples. Yet its advantages
has been so manifest and so important
that the NorWegians have tolerated
it. and the SWedes have most reSoiute-
" maintained il, and are even now
ready to go to war to prevent dlSllmon.
Yet the bond between the two has Decn
of the slightest Each nation has its
OWL flag. Each has its own constitu-
ton, laws and parliament, its own army
and navy. its own fiscal system. Nor
way has a right to impose tariff upon
Swedish goods, and indeed, to make
any law she pleases regardless of her
sister kingdom. Only, Norway is com
PEELED TO be under the king of Sweden,
and to have her foreign affairs, both
diplomatic and commercial. directed
bv Swedish foreign minister.
1t is, OstonsihIy at any rate, upon this
last named point that agitation has
keen conducted, and that the ultimate
breach is coming OF has come. In the
diplomatic and consular service Of the
dual kingdom both NorWegianS and
SWedcs are employed impartially. The
ministers of Sweden and Norway, 1T
Paris and Madrid. for example, are
\OrWcgianS. So arc many other repre-
sentatives of King Oscar abroad Yet
the NOrWogianS are not satisfied. They
want to be represented everywhere by
NorWgianS and 20 have q Norwegian
foreign office to direct the service. They
want to conduct their negotiations with
other countries entirely through their
OWL minister's 1T home rs well as
abroad That. at least, is their claim.
And in this they are sincere. But that
is not all. They want that not fer it
self alone, or even chiefly, but for some
thing else that lies beyond That some
thing is an independent Norwegian re-
public. Their idea is that if they can
get an independent foreign minister
and diplomatic service of their own
they will be able to form alliances aud
to make treaties that will powerfully
aid them in the work of entire separa-
ton from Sweden That idea is no
doubt correct But under the COM
pact of 1914 Norway is not entitled to
have a foreign minister of her own
without the consent of the Swedish
king and parliament. So it is to extort,
if possible, that consent that the pres
cnt agitation was begun. Whether it
will succeed or not is a problem. The
king says no. But constitutional kings
are not omnipotent, and King Oscars
'fNo" may not be able to stand against
the Eyes" of the Norwegian people
The Swedish parliament says no also,
and adds: eve will teach those Nor
wegians to talk Swedishr' But neither
are parlialnents cn1nipotent, and that
of Sweden may not be able TO stand
against the people Of Norway. Would
Sweden take up arms forcibly to re-
strain the secession of Norway? The
current belief is she would not. Yet |
the utterances of many Swedish states |
men indicate the contrary. Certainly |
we would fight" said one in conversa-
ton few days ago. did not Ameri- !
cans take up arms to prevent the dis
ruption of their Union? We would do /
the same. Nor would it be only for orr |
own sake, but for Norway's sake as |
well. United we form kingdom rank |
ing only just below the great powers |
in Importance. Divided, we would be |
two petty and inconsiderable states, |
destitute Of influence or power
course, Bjornstjerne Bjornson, farmer,
novelist and statesman. He is ungues-
I1onably the greatest man in Norway,
and will be the first president of the
Norwegian republic if that republic
shall be established in the near future,
rs now seems not improbable. And,
indeed, he is worthy of such a position
An independent Norwegian republic
as been and still is the dream and the
md hardest toll are given. Years ago,
when he first avowed his republican
SIN, he was unpopular. Norway want
I'd independence, but under a king of
Ter town. She was not yet educated
II to republicanism. Then, amid un-
popularity, Bjornson began the task of
'ducating the people in politics Now
le has succeeded. Norway is Repubi-