New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05
WHAT NORWAY WANTS.
c1c,rpD 1RsEN.s STATEMENT OF HER
TROUBLES AND THEIR CURE
INDEPENDENCE THAT SHALL CONSIST VT
ANOTHER MoNARCHY-THE DiSCONIhNi
WITH THE SWEDISH ALLIANCE.
INDEPENDENCE


Sir: As yet Norway has no distinctive Morse
dyras,v nor a foreign Minister Of her own. but
in default OF a royal house she has a house or
family scarcely less imperial and imperious the
Ihsen- Thomson family, who are collectively her
oracle foreign ambassador and general ad'hlh-
isfrator constituting about as good Mdn-oi-dH-
work as the indefatigable Oscar H. with the one
evcention Of being unable to bestow DECORATIONS
unon the deserving All mandates, DEGREES
words Of wisdom and sage prophecies emanate
from, the Ibsen- Bjornson source. and wonderful
indeed have been the revelations during the last
year or two. Bjornson. individually mas gone
around to foreign countries Offering them aroi-
tration treaties much in the same way that the
plous Prince oscar Bernadotte and his wte nave
distributed tracts, the venerable Henrik lDse"
has sat sin in majestic tranquility, receiving
the homage due him FOR his four thousand pages
OF dramatic productions. while his son Sguru'
through the columns OF his no" "eehlS'
"Ringcrcn." has been trying TO spur the NOT
wcgians 70 the dramatic action when the "orlu
confidently expects Of them. but for when they
somehow seem snguarly unqualified. To TINS
Off which others have filed most jealousy
before him Sigurd himself has given the name
Of rationale aescdrivere national donkey-drlV-
.rs, ,monr whom he names Henrik Wergeland,
Jonas Arton Helm, Johan Sverdtup Born
stjernc BIornson. Ernst Sars and Arne Garoorg.
a Distinguished group Of politicians poets. edi-
tors and historians.
The eighth number Of "Rlngeren" had An ar
tcle by him on "DOnkeys and Donkey-driVers.
describing operation OF this sort when ne
witnessed in Italy and lamenting that it was
the principal political operation in Norway
where donkcys were practically the only breed.
with the exception u the elect who tired all
known means 70 get them 10 move on.
But Thou Heavenly Father he exclalms In
desperation. what has not been required in
Norway 70 sharpen this sense. elsewhere so
strong. but here so imperfectly developed, Pa
triotic songs have been composed and sung in
season and out Of season. and the 18th Of May
has been celebrated with flags and music. with
hurrahs and PROFESSIONS and 81. Olaf has been
invoked out u his grave and with him all the
memories from a brilliant history. and high
strung words have been uttered about the glor-
Gus Morse race and sanguine words about our
Norways future. and bitter words about our
political degradation. and hooking words about
our national timldty. and admonishng words
about the danger Of notwithstanding has
been lcn untried that could appeal to the fancy
spur nub ION burn itself into the cOnSc BUSINESS.
set the mind into activity
And 10 his own question. what has come out
u all this scenic and oratorical apparatus" he
IL forced TO confess-next to nothing The leaders.
both men and organs he declares. are always
afraid therein lies the sum OF their political wis
dom afraid u Sweden. afraid OF foreign nations.
afraid Of the Right. but now they begin God
help me-. u also be afraid Of themselves OF their
own party Ohc LefO. their own majority and
the Obligations IL can bring with 1t. And they
try to hold back with all their might"
WHAT DO NORWEGIANS COMPLAIN OF,
All u which is marycllously true and a mar
veously strange fact for any Norwegian to
acknowledge. much more publish. This seemed
a hopeful sign. for TO confess ones nnrmities Is
the beginning Of wisdom well as progress In
his article. Union psychology" c'Ringeren." No
-. Sigurd Ibsen refers to the question OF a high
Swedish official. which Is also the question every
where asked outside OF Norway. whether he
knows il or not What is il that the NOrwegians
complain or They must know that We are not
Russians"
NO" this editor afrms. the Swedes are not
Russians: they do not desire to rule us with
Fnout and censorship. for this does not at all lie
In their rather phegmatic temperament What
Sweden desires ls certainly only 10 be 10 US a
good-natured master. but the fact is that tn.
posed to have any master. 1t is this that the
Swedes cannot get into their heads"
Naturally. for the KirS is their master and
they cannot see why Norway should not be
ruled by him as we'll AS they A comrnendable
spirit Of independence OIL :he part OF Norway,
says the outside republican minded world jump