Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-09-28


WORLD.
tenn Of government control is claimed to
be a great success. 1t is only the short
branch lines or feeders that are operated
by companies.
Sweden is naturally divided into three
great provinces and Norrand. the most
northern, was largely unnhabitcd when
in the session of 1923, the riksdag or
national parliament, Rotod to complete
this trunk line through it. In 1866 the
line from Stockholm to Upsala was opened
for trade In 1856 it reached Solleftca
where the great Angermauna river was
crossed, and there the scheme was aban-
dOned for some time. 1t was soon proved
however that the virgin forest beyond
was of immense value, and now Norrland
supplies one fifth Of the export lumber
trade of the world, more than Canada and
twice as much rs the United States. The
tourist and sportsman have new field
opened for then. Yosemite has n rival in
the mountains, all sorts of game are in the
woods, and the many streams, as yet I'M
Xed by line CT seine, abound in fish
Lakes are so numerous in Sweden that
they are estimated to cover II, 600 Of its
17l,750 square miles, and in them are
some 20 kinds of edible fish.
Bodon, near the gulf of Bothnia, is the
terminus Of the government road or trunk
line, and there is the intersection with the
short road from Lula, on the gulf, to the
GCllivura mines. 1t was at BOdon, there
fore, that the ceremonies took place, excel
ling in magnifconce any previous display
in the far north long train of fcstal
coaches, decorated with the national colors
bore the royal family and principal Off
cialS, with many Swedish noblcmen ard
capitalists. The little town put on its
gayest attire, and the king, in the midst Of
complimentary reference to the United
States, expressed a hope that this place
would become the Chicago of the Swedish
north Be It remembered that the most
southern point in Sweden is If degrees
north Of Chicago, and that Buden is Is de-
greos north Of Winnipeg and it will be
seen that the king has great faith but it
is also to be noted that the climate is much
mildcr than in the same latitude in the
interior or on the eastern coast of either
continent. There is II concerted movement
all over Sweden to induce emigration to
Norrland, and it is expected that the prov
ince will absorb the surplus population for
many years, reducing immigration to
America to minimum and greatly
strengthening the kingdom.
Sweden still has less than 8, 900, 600 PEG
pie, and more than half of them live in the
southernmost province, or Gothland, the
region from which the Goths started, near
ly |, 800 years ago, on that great movement
which ended in the destruction of the Ro-
man empire of the west and the establish
ment of the Spanish kingdom and people.
it was not till the twelfth century that
the Swedes were Christianized and in
1898 Professionalism was made the national
religion Everybody has read how Gus
tavus Nasa freed Sweden and founded the
royal line in 1923, and how, n century later,
Gustavus Adolphus raised her to the high
est rank, but that royal line long since be-
came extinct, and the present King Oscar
is the grandson of Jean Baptiste Jules
Bernadotte, "a French soldier who became
king of Sweden as n result of Bonaparte's
wars and intrigucs.
Despite the general intelligence and nat
urally contented disposition of her people,
: seden is now involved in sea of trou-
bles. The friction between her and her CO.
partner in the kingdom, Norway has
grown until the latter is in a political re-
volt and demanding Independence. Since
the two We're united under one king Nor
way has constantly struggled for larger
share of self government until now the
radical party, led by the famous Born
stierne Bjornson, demands complete sep
Iration His eloquence in the Norwegian
tongue is described as something wonder
full, and the latest accounts are that he
and his partisans are sweeping all before
them. The Swedes are determined not to
allow a separation, averring that it would
result in n renewal of those bloody strug
giles which once distracted the Scandina-
Wan countries. From this distance it Is
not easy to see how the issue can be set
/ tied peaceably. There is also an internal
struggle over the economic and fiscal sys-
TEN, especially the worldwide issue of free
trade and protection.
j. f. WILLoUGHBY.