The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-01-06

the year Round-Looking 90 Norway
while Great Britain and Germany show
Their Teeth-Europe' Mighty Armies.
Especial Correspondence.l
WAsHNGT0N, Jan. 4.-Ihat there viii
BE a great war I'D Europe before many
years have passed is the belief Of a num-
Der of foreign ministers at this capital
with whom 7 have privately talked dur
ing the past few days These diplomatic
gentlemen keepin close touch with what
is going Oh across the water and have
special means Of knowing what tire tenn
per Of their governments and peoples Is
Without exception those with whom
have spoken on this subject say the
chances are that the long impending war
in Europe cannot now be deferred be-
yond few years. just where on how it
will come they do not pretend to say.
and are rather discreet, on the whole, in
their remarks on the subject. was
struck, however. with the declaration of
one experienced and important diplomat.
s.YOu people here in America" said
he. do not appear to appreciate the sig
nIhcance Of the news which comes from
Norway There, fear. is to be found
the touch Of finder which is needed to
set great explosion OH in the old world.
The jealousy that is sprlnglng up be-
tween Norway and Sweden. the constit-
uent parts of the Swedish empire, does
not amount to 50 much ia itself Tt is
what lies behind it that concerns Europe
particularly and the world in general
Russia is the dark cloud looming mp be-
hind the growth Of 8 separatist feeling
in Norway, and if Russia carries her
point there 7 am very much afraid she
viii have Germany and Great Britain
confronting her with warlike menace.
BussIa's Envious Eyes.
ssThe situation is this continued tbs
diplomat. Russia has no seaports that
are open to ships the year round. This
places her at q tremendous disadvantage
both from the commercial and the naval
point Of view. The Ice closes up the Bal
tic early every winter and keeps it closed
TIM the spring 3 wei advanced. Russia
has for long time been looking about
for some winter ports that should give
her ships free access TO the sea at all
eimes Of the YEAR Germany blockaded
her desire for territorial al QUESTION on the
southern side of the Baltic and Sweden
on the western side. Nothing remains
but the Norwegian ports. Upon these
Russia has long cast envlous eyes.
THE most norrherIy ports in Norway
are open all winter. Even Iromsoe and
Vadsoe, which lie far up within the arc
tic circle almost as far north rs some Of
YOUR arctic explorers have gone in the
Greenland waters, are winter ports.
This is due to the influence Of the great
gulf stream. which washes the coast Of
Norway with water that il compare
lively warm. and filing the bays and
6ords prevents freezing even IN the
coolest winters. tit is a remarkable fact
that these Norwegian fiords extend for
many miles back into the interior. but
they are as deep as the sea itself-lnere
slices cut out of the coasts by glacial ac-
ti0n-and the warm water from the gulf
Of Mexico fills them and keeps them open
the year around
Parallel Between Norway and Sweden
The Norwegians and Swedes are radi-
cally different people 1t is true their
who live III one country can easily un-
derstand those Of the other. Their htera-
ture is interchangeab But they are
not the same people in characteristics or
aspirations. 1t is a common saying in
Europe that the Swedes are more like
the French and the Norwegians like the
Germans The upper classes of Swedes.
who are highly educated and very refined
people, affect to look down upon the
more simple Norsemen. All the aris-
tocracy there is ia Scandinavia, outside
Of Denmark, has its Judgment in Swe-
den.
POLITICALLY Norway and Sweden have
a good deal ia common, but not as much
ais most people think. They have the
same king. the same diplomatic corps.
and that is all Each country has abso-
lutte home rule. Each has its parliament.
ana ia am internal affairs they are en-
tirely separate save that both have the
same executive head in the crown. Dur
ing the last few years a strong feeling
has sprung up ia Norway I'LL favor Of
complete separation from Sweden. The
movement had its origin in a desire for
separate diplomatic establishment.
The u orwegians are proud, even If they
are poor, and they do not like to have
their presentatives ia foreign lands
known as the representatives Of Sweden.
They want Norway to have her own
representatives throughout the world.
on the globe ia which there IS more pa
triotism than in the rocky region Of the
Norselnen.
Look Out For a General Eruption.
s'This movement for a separate diplo-
matte establishment has gone on and
gathered weight till it is now an open
question whether or not it can be con-
fined within the original lines laid down
for it. From this basis it has developed
till 1T threatens revolution. So many of
the Scandinavians have visited your coun-
try or have relations here. where / am
told they make the very best citizens,
that the American republic has seemed
to many of them model form of gov
eminent. I have travelled IN d Norway, and