The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-04
THE NORWAY CRISIS.
An Intelligent Statement Of the
Pending Trouble.
NO LOVE LOST ON THE sWEoEs
How the Two Countries Were Bound
Together Under One of Ma
poleon's soldiers.

habited by a race Of people intelligent,
patriotic, frugal, industrious and intensely
liberty loving. They are at this moment
drawing the attention of the world 70 their
country. The development OF Norway in
the last forty years has been marvellous
IN all branches OF her Industries; ut par
ticulariy as a maritime nation, possessing
today "a merchant marine ranking third
among the nations of the world. 1t is
true, that her large fleet WAS mostly of
wooden ships. bat with commendable en-
ergy. she is now replacing the former with
hrst-class iron and steel vessels, mostly
steamers. and they are building them az
home thus utilizing their own material
and labor. While the returns are not as
remunerative formerly. Norway's flag
IL seen In all waters, and as fast as the
ships are finished there seems to be char
ters awaiting them. On the budget OF the
storthing for last year was found large
sum as expenses and salaries for special
civil agents sent out by the Norwegian
government 10 different parts of the world
10 work up markets for the different pro-
ductions and also procure charters. These
men are selected with great care, being
mostly young men of experience in bust
ness. These agents are entirely tndepend-
ent OF the official consular agents, APP
pointed for both Norway and Sweden, and
would be unnecessary If Norway had sep
consuls and diplomats. however, are
Swedes. especially in Europe \ great
many are appointed through court intiu-
ence. many being encountered noblemen
and aristocratic sprigs with no experience
TO represent maritime nation ike Nor
way. the Swedes being more of an agri-
cultural and numbering people, with con-
siderable effort at manufacture.
Here is where the present controversy
comes in. Up 10 date the diplomatic and
consular appointments have been vested
with the Swedish minister of state who
only consulted the Norwegian minister
when the appointment went to the latter
country There Is not one word mentoned
in this act of union, or riks act, about
diplomacy or consular service, ana the
Norwegian storthing claims that what IS
not mentioned I'm this act OF union does
not concern either country oTlglnahy IL
was allowed TO exist, from economy. as
the two countries are entirely independ-
ent of each other. having separate gov
ernments, parliaments, laws, dlffereqt
custom regulations. independent navles
and armies. separate postal regma tons,
different flags and, in fact, are Inherent
people. with different languages, so that
10 the ma jonity translation Is necessary.
The only thing common Is the KING, ana
indeed his position at present Is not 10
be euvied, as he has sworn TO support the
constitution
govern accordingly. His sympathy I'M
doubtedly is with Sweden, where he was
educated and truly belongs. ana whose
language he properly speaks.
The constitution of Norway is one or
the most liberal in the world In fact,
a copy of the American and that OF the
first French republic, and under lis
shadow there is not much glory ieft 10
the monarch. The power of appropria-
tion belongs exclusively to the storthing.
A bill passed and vetoed, II passed the
third time, becomes law without me
ROYAL signature. War and peace are lodg-
ed with the storthing. Under this conSti-
tuition Norway has developed TO one or
the most progressive and civilized coun-
tries in the world. Particularly have re-
forms followed one another in parlia-
mentary way so rapidly in the last few
years as to almost take the breath out
Of the conservative party in Norway
and the still more conservative Swedes.
Norway has no nobility and no great
landed estates. The land is mostly owned
I'm small holdings. The parliament OF
Sweden. as late as 1866 consisted of four
houses. a relic Of the dark ages, respec-
lively the mobiles the priesthood OF the
state church, the burghers of the city,
and at last the farmers. Any one can
imagine what progress a country could
make handicapped by such a classified
and Anticipated body as that. The same
spirit OF classes is manifest there today.
There is a large and powerful nobility
with great landed estates and privileges.
while the upper house Of the Swedish
parliament today Is more properly
house OF lords. the election to IL is so
difficult and complicated that there are
practically none hut counts and barous
and wealthy aristoerats sitting there The
great masses are OveTawed, and only
limited number Of her citizens have a
right 70 vote The press, with a very few
OK options is intensely conservative, and
consequently tho nation IS politically ecu
Gated that way. ard t1e masses ook up
10 royalty as S1cr ,3lv "a OF cid. II Is,
therefore. no wonder that the two eouu-
tries do not harm lui se roliti lily. Other
wise there IS more intimate onion he
tween the two people. ~oIiEioUelr IN 1T
eTature. in arts. n t1LI". in viii n -hty
have come nearer together. NORWAY had
ABOUT 40 Years. experience o. a VOIuu-
tar union with Denmark. up 20 lSlf ard
consequently does not wish any closer
union with any one aFter such a fatal
mistake Norway IS. Indeed able 20 take
care of itself When Sweden aided
by England. was not able 70 onqlet their
country in lSlL thu population thcn bsirg
only 900, t.erkrupte1 Icy Denmark. left
without dollar IN their --raSury, 10
credits. no allies. only ore old wooden
for a navy. a failure of crops for th~ce
consecutive seasons the nSna-i"s of no
benefit 10 them. = their CoaS,s was
h!ockaSed b. an ElEi sh Sect Swedish
army in 'wo divisions threatening their
border IN IN" - e Stlll they did rot
yield. but ~ith ttcic brave r'th army
we're able n KEEP tse hiSh-1au6,d rob
hers ost. ST'lon eaiuci only an l1sse-
ni1rant border fortress and i'm mos; az
the errs x~rr7nuts chs YofrtN.s t,-c-o ,..
tortcrs, th1ASh battling. beside. against
famine AMI poys--Y. Some cs Encl.nd's
late h..t NOS Dr2uipsut s.a ...srnay, l.e,e
r'te-ed words thar X VAS - ~, e,-,,~-
lasting shaHfe ~ G~-a' FErttat, tl.,t tl..,,
ai1ef sweden in the war Norurv ola
0ot owe one penny % either Sweden or
FnElart. Sho was IN no yvav ras-,7- ~,
f- -at' artS o. Denmark When. t1a~e-
:cre. R"rratotte, the Swedish king. saw
b" ce1i3 not possess tAs far4 Which VS.
given 70 him ty {ha Treg,sers h do ~hA
1ENt sssesr '-7tt-s-he o1fare1 a union OF s.7s
Two coa1rries. ir3s~-n<Ient ~ ore A.
~ AN-. ari ofTe-ei 20 accept the t1,7stitt3-
f,c' ~ Norway as 4 was Tue outcome
"aS the Riks act or uuaon. but me old
Frereanain was tricky AMI trtt.a4ro,,s
aE3 a1rerwaI1f trseei 60 u4tIhfv tn., ta--
gliu. 5ioweve~. ira. stt-tf.s.,sr Mas ever
N---A--.t. ana tatlei him every t3-re.
Eat N-Aat could be expected q one zy3.o
--r1S3 a-a.rsc his own country ami w.ta
az s1suy - lo0tc SWcIes Joined ne o 7n.ergs
tnAt CF-lslcI Napoleon az Wats-.os7g Tat
was undoubtedly Ire 5-st Tor the world
nut e VAS rut ~onstS,e0t fo< BeTra As-rs
"a 80, ssld would save }ssaa accua4rsl tsfltvi
Ns.-1-< TIRE haB4fA - Swe1es. hrlt re-
WAS "a ne zine t1se only ore % Nar-~
te10. o-ea.urss sovereign LEFT ia power.
Ie undoubtedly Felt uneasy 81 as posse
son. aIsi wanted to - ecs-s.-,ail5s, - 49,
S.s1'e the TcWerS - s. sad -na- When