The morning call., 1893-09-10
TIL c MAZE,
Market, Taylor and Golden Gate Avenue.

prejudice to the seperate Governments and
laws of the two nations.
TO the King was reserved the right of
veto over all laws which the Storthing of
Norway might pass, bnt this was only for
prescribed period The King might ex-
ercise his pTer0gative twice but if three
Storthings, formed by separate and subse-
quent elections, should pass the same bill
1t should become law in spite of the royal
veto. In other words, two Storthings con-
firmiBg the act of thr preceding one are
sufficient to override the veto of tn King.
Hence we can see that this bill represent
ing the flag of Norway, while it may pass
both houses of The present Storthing, will
require two other elections TO become a
law, assuming that the King will veto 1t,
and he Is most likely to do so.
A provision of the constitution OF Nor
way Is that. while the King makes all the
appointments, he Is not allowed. except in
few cases. to nominate any but Nor
wegans to Norwegian offices. Violations
of this part OF the contract, in spirit il
not in letter, appear to have been made
for not on.y is all the Diplomatic inter-
course conducted by Swedish Minister,
but nearly all diplomatic posts abroad and
even the consulships are filled by Swedes.
Out of this has grown much irritation in
\ N4rway, the commercial relations of
which are very much larger than those of
Sweden. while the mercantile navy is
three tunes the size of Sweden's. From
the Norwegian desire TO be more equally
represent ed in the consular service Of tie
united kingdom grew bill to secure such
representation, which was introduced
more than two years ago-in February,
1884, 1t was carried by 90 votes again {
55. and this was regarded as a great vic
tory by the liberal party, which had been
led by the well-knOwn novelist, Bjornst-
jerne BiorDson.
For many years the liberals had agitated
for independent consuls, and repeatedly
had the people by their votes upheld them.
The failure ever to push through bill be-
fore 1891 has been attributed to iimidity
and vacillation Cn the part of politicians
rather than to any doubt respecting the
sentiment OF the country, although In one
sense some of the leaders acted from
higher motives. since they feared that to
pass such a bill would be tn take a pre-
liminary step leading eventually to dis
solution of the union. Everywhere radical
sentiments had, however. prevailed. and
the national party, strengthened by new
elections. added to it's programme in 1891
the question of extending the suffrage. and
on this acquired an absolute majority.
In 1892 the consular question, after hav-
ing been suspended for time, owing to the
royal opposition. came 60 the front again
with the new election, which returned
sixty-five radicals, thirty-siy conservatives
and thirteen moderates. The King had
declined to act on the consular resolution
OF the year before on the ground that it
was simply resolution and not an enact
ment. The new StOrthing, therefore, as
soon as it had convened. was asked by the
radicals. in defiance of the King, to con-
slider resolution for the establishment of
separate consulates. This was adopted BY
a vote OF ga to 4S. and it declared that the
Norwegian Council of State, as distinct
from the JOINT Council of State. was COM
etent 10 establish the consalates. More
over, the Storthing voted sum of 90. 900
kroner for the expenses which might be
Involved in severing the consular affairs of
the two states.
Word finally came from the King that
he could not sanction this new resolution.
The Ministry resigned and the Storthinp
adjourned. A crisis now had come again.
All efforts on the part of the King to form
new cabinet were fruitless. Even the
conservative leader Stang declared he
could not take the responsibility unless
the King should confirm the vote of the
StorthiDg Excitement rapidly spread
through the country. Demonstration.
and counter demonstrations. large in
numbers and conducted amid great
excitement, were held In CHRISTIANS
and In many rural districts. Fears fol
the outcome were general, when finally q
MEETING OF the Storthing passed resoln,
ton requesting the old Cabinet to nut an
end to the critical situation By indefinitely