The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-12-25

NS 1890 AASAy NOH
rious trouble. The radicals, one OF
whose leaders is the famous poet,
Bjornstjerne B%jornson, who's ardent
desire is TO make a republic OF the
western part of Scandinavia, have used
the explorer, in truth, as a means tc
their end, and hansen apparently has
cast his lot willingly with them. Leav-
ing out of consideration the merits of
the political question, it is a pity that
he should lend himself at the moment
of his scientific triumph to political in
trigue.
But this evidently he has determined
to do before his return to civilization,
for on the mast of the Fran as she
sailed from the frozen north home
ward bound was the single flag of Nor
way, n not the Swedish-Norwegian
ensign. Nansen's fellow-republicans
in Christiania, therefore, were not sur
prlsed when, at the great festival in
his honor, he poured out his soul in a
plea for an Independent Norway. But
there was one man from whom every
word drew blood-King Oscar, the
scholarly occupant of the double
throne. Although the sympathies of
all Americans are naturally with Nor.
way in its longing to become a repub-
lie, King Oscar, it must be admitted,
nae reason to expect a less reactionary
course from hansen. His majesty has
not forgotten that it was his financial
aid Whitewater the refusal of the Nor
wegians to appropriate a sufficient
| h1al tha ayn1Orpr tn nm
dertake his hazardous expedition.
The king has been obliged to submit
to Sights on many occasions in Nor
way in the last ten years and has
a hard time in preventing the Norwe-
gian storthing from refusing to appro-
pirate its part of the royal salary, or
appanage. But nothing that has hap
pened heretofore has so excited him or
led him to express himself so openly
as have the incidents subsequent to
the return of his protege.
The reception in honor of Nansen in
Christiania, in fact, was at the same
time almost a demonstration against
the king. Although the explorer vas
received as a returning victor, the
king, upon his arrival at the station
to take part in the welcome, was hard
ly noticed. But he did not let this pre-
vent him from giving a gala dinner at
the castle in honor of the returning
traveller. He used the occasion, how
ever, to express in no uncertain way
his opinion of the course things had
taken. Only n toast was given and
this was by the king himself for Nan
-~- T,A H. 4~--4
unexpected bitterness. After referring
to the fact that it had often been said
that he vas no Norwegian, but a
stranger, the king turned d~efiantly to
the radical leader, eX-Minister Steen,
who sat as his side, Inc shaking his
finger significantly, he continued: 81
look upon it not only as my holy duty
but l also consider it my ~irrevocable
right, to be here as the interpreter of
the feelings of my Norwegian sub
~jects."
No one replied to the king, of course,
and the guests were glad when the
time came to leave the castle. But
his majesty's remarkable assertion was
soon under discussion from one end oil
Scandinavia to the other. He had
thrown down the gauntlet to Norway
The indignation of the king grew al
he reflected upon the course of affairs
and he decided to attend no more o.
the series of entertainments in homo
of Nansen. On the morning followins
the castle dinner he received severa
newspaper correspondents, and SPOKE
with a freedom and indignation seldom
known in a monarch. To one of then
he said: 81 have a very difficult place
and admit that the future fills me will
misgivings. The N~orwegians follow
politics more han any other people
That has caused me many an unhapp,
hour ~already-but with the help O
God" and here the king raised hi
voice and his eye bore a determine,
!. look 81 shall attain my goal! l am
, and shall remain, king of Norway.
!, is a hard battle-I shall conquer"
In Sweden it has long since bee
believed that Emperor William ha
won King Oscar as a secret member @
the triple alliance. The Norwegian rad
icals are bitter at this, as they see i
it a danger for the expected Norwegia
independence.
But the dispute, to which fire ha
been added by Nansen's return, wi
= likely end sooner or later in the reput
lie of Norway.