The Durham daily globe., 1894-11-03
| STRANGE IMBROGLIO.
Premier Estrup's Contempt for the
Will Of the Danish People.
The Close of Long and Most Curious
Political ggle-CharacteristiCs
OF the Bismarck of
nH RI

The late resignation of Jacob Estrup.
prime minister of Denmark, brings to
a close one of the longest and most
curious political struggles of the pres
ent century, says the San Francisco
Call. To understand it it is necessary
to go back nearly thirty years In 1866
the present constitution of Denmark
was approved by the monarch. Under
it the executive power was lodged in
the hands of the king and the legis-
lative power in those of the diet con-
sisting Of the landsthing and the
fOlkesthing. Under this constitution,
in 1873, Jacob Estrup became prime
minister. Five years afterward the
king and his ministry resolved to un-
dertake system of Notifications which
were to cost large sum of money and
to involve heavy taxation. The folkes-
thing-which corresponds to our house
Of sentatives-refused to assent
to the project, and took that oppor-
tunity of insisting on it's right to initi-
ate financial measures and to require
the resignation of a ministry which
could not command it's support. Both
demands were negatived by the king.
He claimed the right of choosing his
ministers without regard to the wishes
of the folkesthing, and he insisted on
framing a budget to suit himself.
Estrup haughtily refused to resign
office
The dispute ended in a compromise
by which the king yielded everything
except the right to choose his minis
f1~Tr R1of no
afresh with increased virulence Four
times the monarch dissolved the folkes-
thing, but at each election the lib
erals gained strength. In 1888 a vote
of want of confidence in Estrup was
passed by a large majority, and the
supplies were reduced to a minimum
before they were voted. Estrup went
on administering the government as
though there was no such body as the
folkesthing in existence. The king ut
terly repudiated the idea that the peo-
pie could dictate his choice of minis
try, and in retaliation the popular as
sembly threw out every measure which
Estrup proposed.
The agitation gained strength until,
in 1885, the foll1esthing absolutely re-
fused to vote the budget, and left the
obnoxious Estrup ministry without
means to carry on the government.
The king retOrted by dissolving the
diet. Thus freed from popular inter-
ference he and his ministers prOnul-
gated a royal law embodying a list of
appropriations and empowering the
ministry to collect taxes and make all
necessary expenditures for the conduct
Of government. In other words the
constitution was suspended. This alb
normal condition of affairs has gone on
ever since. The king and his ministers
frame provisional budget, which is
approved by the landsthing, or house
of lords, and is rejected by the foll1es,
thing. 1t is nevertheless put into
force, the taxes are collected and the
government is carried on. The pop
ular house protests, but it has never
seen its way to enforce its protests by
an appeal to arms. Whenever a com
promise has been proposed the king
has insisted that it should embrace a
bill Of indemnity for the unconstitu-
tional acts Of the past eight years, and
the leaders of the popular party have
IS1uScu 70 lll6u
right of impeaching the usurping min
listers.
The protracted existence of this curl
Gus anomaly has been due to various
causes. In the first place there is no
one in Denmark who can compare in
energy and persistency with Jacob
Est-up. He is like a rock against
which popular clamor dashes itself
with idle spray. He is not to be moved
by threats or argument. What he has
resolved upon has got to be. And he is
backed up by a house of 1ords-the
landsthing-which merely exists to
register his desires. King Christian is
a well-meaning, honest man of the
Bourbon type. He believes he knows
what is wisest for Denmark far better
than the people do. In political af-
fairs he is like Charles II. of Eng
land and Charles y. of France rolled
into one. Personally he is delightful
man, genial, kindly, familiar with let
ters and art, and admired by all who
come into contact with him. He is the
father Of large family; one of his
sons is king of Greece, one of his
daughters is empress of Russia, and
another princess of Wales. 1t may
safely be assumed that the leaders of
the folkesthing were notified when
they fell out with his majesty that be-
fore proceeding to extremities they
had better consider whether England
and Russia might not feel imr<lle6 by
family ties to take hand in the con-
trOversy. Now at last Estrup has re-
signed and new minister will prob
ably be disposed to seek his own COM
fort by composing his differences with
the people of Denmark.
L uCk farming.
1t i worthy of rote that the Chinese
very. very long ago hatchnd out their
ducks hy artificial hcat. and the incu-
hat"rs that seem 50 wonderful to US
;lt the poultry shows @n1 country fairs
were 2n old story in the east long be-
fore orr 2t-@randtathcr5 we're born.
!