The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-09

the Norwegian radicals as stated. are
partly sentimental and partly of a more
material nature. Although Bjornstjerne
Bjornson, the journalist. novelist and
poet, is not a member Of the StrOthing,
for twenty years he has been the voice of
TIE Norwegians who desire separation
from Sweden. In his writings he calls at
tention to the differences between the
two nations In a manner hat Invariably
arOuses the radical element among his
cOuntrymen. Sweden. he says. is an aris-
tocratic country. while Norway Is the
most democratic land in Europe. Be
tween the two peoples there exists but
slight sympathy, and this Is largely due,
he claims, 10 the fact that during the
reign Of Oscar II the monarch's sympa-
thies have clearly been with Sweden. 50
that by all foreign nations Norway is
regarded not as equal with Sweden. but
in the light Of a dependency. This foreign
view and the growing dislike of Oscar II
as king by the Norwegians, he adds, are
augmented by the fact that whenever the
monarch goes abroad ne travels as King
OF Sweden only. never adding the name of
Norway to his title.
IL was not until comparatively recent
date that their present stand was openly
taken BY Bjornson. Engelhart, Nielsen.
Steen. Rand, and others who now advo-
cate separation. For a long time they
claimed to believe that their demands
would be granted II only they could show
sufficient strength in the Storthing. Now,
however, they frankly advocate not only
separation, but the establishment of a
Morse republic, and claim for their side
the sympathy of the common people and
the middle classes of Norway. even as the
conservatives claim the sentiments of the
masses to be with. them. 1t is hard to
see what chance the Norwegians would
have in the case of war with Sweden,
since, on Bjornson's own showing al
though there is a Norwegian army and
Norwegian navy separate and distinct
from the Swedish army and navy, the Nor
wegian Warlike forces are inferior to those
of Sweden. 1t is also possible that not all
the Norwegian fighting men would turn
against the Swedish forces. so that, I'M
less helped by some outside power, like
Russia, for instance, Norway would be at
great disadvantage in a fight.
In the meantime King Oscar and the
conservatives are not idle. 1t is said of
the monarch that, while he is exceedingly
diplomatic, he can be extremely firm If
necessary, and that it will not only be i'm
possible to bluff" him into granting Nor
wesian demands which he deems unwar-
ranted, but that he will be prepared at
the proper time to crush any real uprising
To this end the manoeuvres of the Swed-
lsh army and navy this year are upon a
much grander scale than usual, fully 20.-
COO Swedish troops being massed at one
time near Westergothland, near the Nor
wegian boundary and fifty vessels Of the
Swedish navy having been put into com
mission in May, to remain in service until
October.
Concerning King Oscar H.. it is claimed
by his admirers that he is one of the
ablest rul in all Europe His first
kingly ant or, Bernadotte, was the son
OF a provincial notary and was born
In the city of Pau. in the south of France.
When, by a series of extraordinary turn
ing of the whirligig of time he was seated
upon the Swedish throne. ne at once dis
played most kingly qualities. Berna-
dottes wife was the daughter of a wine
merchant Of Marseilles, but the descend
ants Of this couple sprung from the French
middle classes, have intermarried with
some of the most ancient reigning houses
of1Ehrope, and in quality of responsibility
Sc higltly priced by everyday mortals they
haNei' always been at the head, while
it'll the present reigning repre-
sentative of the family suffers
d. reversal during the present
crisis, II will be the first that has ever
befallen the line.
Before her marriage to the King of
Sweden, the queen was known as the
Princess Sofia of Nassau. and her father
was the Prince OF Weld. Oscar was a
third son. and the death of his next elder
brother, Gustav, while yet his eldest
brother King Charles XIV, was chidless
was the occasion of the present Kings
making a tour, which included most of
the courts of Europe. in search of a con-
sort. SO romantic was OscaT's .courtship
that he felt moved to write a poem, in
which its incidents are embalmed in
graceful measure. To the royal couple
whose mating is understood to have been
true love match, four sons have been
born.
These are Gustav, the Crown Prince;
Oscar. Prince Bernadotte; Charles, Duke
of Westergothland. and Eugene, Duke of
Nerika The crown prince in 1881 married
Princess Victoria of Baden, the grand
daughter of the late Emperor William of
of Germany, and, curiously enough great
granddaughter Of King Adolf Of Sweden,
who was banished from Sweden nearly a
hundred years ago.
The second son, Oscar, is simply Prince
Bernadotte, instead of Duke of Gothland.
his original title, because, having fallen
in love with pretty Ebba- Munck, his moth
er's favorite maid of honor, he insisted on
marrying her, against the wishes of all
his family and despite the fact that by
reason of his marriage to a woman not
of royal blood he is cut off from the sue
cession. Prince Charles is a great trav-
eler, and a writer of some ability. Prince
Eugene has a talent for painting, and has
passed much of his life studying art in
Paris Some of his pictures were exhib-
tied at the Chicago worlds fair, and to
one of them a medal was awarded.
Both Sweden and Norway have sent
hundreds of thousands of sturdy broad
shouldered. brawny sons and fair-haired.
blue-eyed daughters to dwell within the
boarders of the American Republic and
to help build up its greatness To-day
they and their children number about
three millions of good citizens who are
loyal to the land Of their adoption and its
institutions. and possess here an able
press, great church organizations and a
half score of institutions of the higher
learning. Yet their hearts still beat warm
for the rugged peninsula whence thew
came, and they are watching with the
keenest interest for the signs which shall
show whether or not the union. in manv
ways so beneficial to both nations. shall
last or is now upon the eve of dissolution
And all Europe is watching with them.
Dexter Marshall.
English and American Debts.
From the London Saturday Review
Il