New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-13
NORWAY'S SEPARATIST CAMPAIGN

To-day will witness the beginning OF prob
ably the most important electoral contest Of the
year in Europe. A new Norwegian Storthing IL
to be chosen in place Of that whose constiu-
tional term OF life was ended last month with
the conclusion Of it's third annual session. Ord
narIly such an election would have little more
than local interest, since the dual Scandinavian
kingdom does not rank among the Great Pow
ers and it's domestic dongs affect but slightly
the progress of European affairs. In the pres
ent election, however, there Is one dominant Is
sue which no one interested In current events
can regard with uncOncern. That Is. whether
or not the act OF Union between Sweden and
Norway shall be maintained There is really no
other question before the electorate, and every
ballot cast will, in effect, say yes or no 10 1t.
That indeed, was the chief question before tho
late Storthing which was elected in 1891. There
was Radical majority In that body, and at
first the Administration was also Radical. In
Norway. Radical does not mean Socialist as in
England and France, but Republican and anti
Swedish. Accordingly, open attacks were made
again and again. upon the system OF joint Dip
lomatic and Consular service for the two king
doms, and upon the authority Of the Crown IL
self. Relations between the Christiania and
SIOCknOllU governments were S'IlouSl!
even TO the extent Of talk about actual force
An open collision seemed imminent Then the
Radical Ministry resigned So far as the Rad
ical campaign against Sweden was concerned.
this was great tactical mistake. For the
Crown, and for the temporary peace Of the dual
realm. 1t was good thing. Thenceforth the
Radicals were impotent. They passed votes OF
censure against the Conservative Ministry, which
the latter calmly ignored. They passed various
acts OF legislation, hostile to the Crown. which
the Crown vetoed They could not compel the
Ministry TO resign. although 1t was In the mi
nority, and without the executive as well as the
legislative power they were helpless beyond
mere agitation The sessions were, therefore,
singularly barren Of tangible results.
The veto Of the Crown is, however. not final
but merely suspensive. And while 1t was pos
sible to keep a minority Administration in office
for year. that procedure could not be- repeated
with the new Storthing should 1t contain a
Radical majority. The result Of the ballotng
which begins today Is therefore awaited
with the keencst interest. both at Christana
and Stockholm. If the Radicals win, by good
majority. they are morally certain to renew ut
their battle for dissolution Of the Union
And. with legislature and executive both in
their hands. II Is difficult TO see how they can
be restrained, unless by actual military force
They are irrecOncllable. There Is no possible
compromise that would satisfy them, no conces
sion that would for a moment check their ardor
for independence. They mean to be free from
Sweden. and to have Republic instead Of
Monarchy; and II they carry the elections. as
they are straining every nerve to do. a formal
legislative decree TO that effect may be expected
The elections to-day will be held In the
northern provinces only. Five weeks later, On