New-York tribune., 1893-12-03


BIORNSTERNE BIORNSON.
divisions OF the same army, both marching the
same way the one little in advance Of the
other. The Conservatives profess adherence 10
the Crown. but demand concessions which they
know will not be granted. and then practically
declare that their loyalty TO the Crown is based
on the granting Of those concessions. The Rad
icals have already got beyond the use Of such
periphrasis. They bluntly declare that the
Crown and the union with Sweden stand IN the
way Of their national aspirations. Therefore.
the Crown. so far Norway is concerned must
60 and thc hateful union must be abolished.
Nor is this in any degree politicians move
ment The whole people OF Norway are in IT,
and the whole people Of Sweden, too are pre-
pairing to resist It, The genius Of each nation
clashes with that OF the other. and the men who
appear as leaders do not draw the people after
them SO much as they are themselves thrust
forward by the people. The solitary exception
to this rule Is Biornsterne Biornson the popular
hero Of Norway, whose impassloned eloquence
moves almost the trees and rocks TO join In the
struggle for Norwegian Independence. He IL
even now. as he has long been. In advance OF
the foremost Of his people and folk are begin
ming to speak of him First President OF the
Republic Of Norway
Although the Norwcgians and the Swedes.
together with the Danes. all sprang from a COM
mon stock. there is to-day radical difference
between them as great. perhaps. az between
the Germans and the French. There Is an old
saying that the three great social castes Of the
Morse race instead Of living together as in
other lands separated from each other and
dwet apart, the nobility in Sweden. the bour-
geOsie in Denmark. and the peasantry in Nor
way. This at any rate. gives "A singulary ac-
curate general view Of the characters Of the
three peoples. Biornsterne Biornson has ex-
pressed the same idea with respect his
country In his memorable apostrophe, Norway!
the land Of cottages--no castles!" The contrast
between Sweden and Norway is also strikingly
seen in their capitals ana parliamcnts At
Christiania the Storthing meets in big build
ing conspicuous for its painncss and rather
aggressive lack Of prctenson. The President OF
the Storthing occupies n plain seat on "A slightly
elevated platform. and another equally unpre-
tentous seat raised perhaps few Inches
higher, Is reserved for the King. There His
Majesty sits at the opening Of the session.
alone and unattended. There are no Hveried
retainers and pages, no brilliantly uniformed
guards. There are no royal robes. no crown no
sceptre. The King wears only the simple uni
form OF n General OF the Norwegian Army. and
bears himself with democratic simplicity. But
at Stockholm the Diet is far sumptu-
ously housed. indeed it has "A veritable palace
Not there, however does the descendant OF
Bernadotte and the successor Of Vasa deign to
meet it at its opening Both Houses repair to
the great hall OF the Kings own palace. "A
stately apartment richly adorned with hang
ings of velvet and cloth Of gold. An army OF
pages and of men-at-arIns In the picturesque
Of lima
hand The great officers Of state arc there
In full court dress. ablazc with decorations
The Princes Of the blood are there. In royal
robes and wearing coroncts Of gold The Queen
and Princesses and ladies OF the court, In gala
attire look down from a low gallery. And in
the midst Of all the King. arrayed in ermine and
gold and red and purple robes and wearing the
ancient crown Of Nasa. sits upon the silver
throne Of Sweden. In scarcely any other capi-
tai Of Europe Is the opening Of the parliament
marked with much of pomp and circum-
stance as In this splendid "Venicc Of the North"
This contrast between Christiania and Stock
holm extends through all the countries In
Sweden ranks and titles are as much social
fetichcs ever they were III feudal times. In
Norway. on the contrary. all such things were.
two generations ago. abolished and prohibited
by lava law passed in spite Of three success
sive vetoes by the King. In a word. Sweden
is perhaps the most arisocratic and Norway
the most democratic. Of European countries.
Neither Sweden Norway. a ma
tion, desired the union regarded II as
permanent arrangement. The constitu-
tion granted to Norway. with its assur-
ance Of absolute autonomy. did not nearly
satisfy the Norwegians. while the Swedes
thought IT conceded entirely too much. Accord
ingly, the anmosity and friction between the
two peoples have constantly increased One has
grown more democratic: the other more aristo-
cratic. And the query has continually been In
every mind. and continually growing sharper.
When and how is II all to end?
Although ostensibly autonomous for some
years after the union Norway was largely sub
ject to Swedish domination. Swedish Governors
General tyrannized the Norwegans: and
Norwegian merchant ships were forced to fly
the Swedish flag. In 1929, however. Norway got
rid OF the last Swedish Governor. and nine years
later Norwegian ships were allowed to fly
Norwegian flag when they were In distant
seas. though not anywhere within a thousand
miles of home. Four years later the right 10
bear the flag OF Norway anywhere was granted.
but 1t was decreed that the flag OF each nation