New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-18
DPfU'V RITTLE IN NORU ~.

Tho great electoral contest In Norway appears
N thls timc-and nj this distancc-to he drawn
hattlc Never before in the history of me KING
dom has n general election aroused 50 much IN
tcrcst or deserved so much. The actual voting
HOGAN some weeks ago The campaign was
oncncd months ago. and has been conducted
throughout with n fiery passion, such as we are
ont to o.crib. to mcrcIlrial SOuthrOns. rather
than 70 the placid equally tempered men oi the
North But there IS a good deal of the Bcrscrk
shirt still cxiant We have had in this land of
heated Marty politics few electoral contests more
excited than has all the year been raging from
IIammcrfcst To ChriStiansand. Nor does any
country often have one more important in pos
siblc results The one issue. recognized by bo'h
sides from the outset. has been whether the
Union with Sweden shall be maintained. or
Norway shall scccdc and bccom" an independent
kingdom. or NOR" probably. republic.
\ fortnight or 80 back the Radicals seemed
tc be- winning. They carried Trondhicm. which
the Conservatives had felt sure Of. ana Bergen
partly. It is true. through IN alliance with III"
Socialists. Of which many Of their leaders are
not a little ashamed. But then the conservatives
made notable gains in the rural Province "f
BuSlcrud. and In other places there were Signs
that the peasant propr."iorS were becoming
disguSicd with the Radical Socialist alliance. ana
were, turning back to Conservatism. Ih"y nate
the Swedish connection. but they prefer II 10
Socialism, They would be- Radicals 10 man
br,~,usc of their hate Of sweden Wcr" not mar
party 50 coquctting with Socialism: and their
dctrstation Of Socialism would make them AL
conservatives were not the latter 50 Identified
with the principle Of Mon. But while partial
IL haliing between two opinions. they OH th"
whole inclined toward Conservatism. The d"
Gliding point ~ the contest WAS reached when
tn. election in ChriStiania came on. the other
dav In il the Radicals won. BUT siInlltah'-
ou-ly Their. wcr" Conservative gains elsewhere
and the net result remained ~ before Inc
Radicals had gained eight seats, the '"IiS"rVa-
lives ten "A net Conservative gain Of two. III
the last Storthing there WAS Radical major
Itv ~ fourteen; in the new one. AZ at present
opp.ar~ II will be reduced TO twelve.
PERTAINS this l. Just the best thing that could
have happrncd Fo~ If the Conservatives had
secured a majority they would probably have
proceeded Ia sem, ultra-l nl"ni>t acts when
| would have cXa>p,ratrd the Radicals and per
hap, have CAUSED violent instruction. Many
II the people are in temper for such work.
And II the Radicals had secured a considerably
increased majority. they would have gone I"
the other extreme and probably have voted To-
dissolve the Union. and that would have caused
much trouble. ~ il is, the Conservatives feel
| like yicturS bu' lave 10 power 10 do anything
! while the Radicals. though retaining power.
feel beaten. and therefore will scarcely be- en-
| hollcncd 10 carry cut their ScparatlSt plans.
! The chances are. therefore, that matters VIII
remain for another three years In stltu quo.
The Norwegian Government Will chafe against
the bonds that unite the two realms, and speak
sayagely Of them. but will not actually break
them. Perhaps the most Interesting factor III
the ease 10 be- observed will be- the King him
self who may. indeed, prove to be the deciding
/ factor. In these three years of respite he VIII
! have opportunity To- inGratiatc himself with the
/ NorwcgianS. and perhaps 10y generosity ana
| tact To regain and permanently 10 secure their
! allegiance. II he fails To improve that oppor-
| tunity, the next general election may have far
! different result