Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1898-08-03
!: NORWAY

building is to be ready for use in 1900.
NORWAY!
Forty timber owners in Osterdalen
are organizing the mselves into COM
pany for the purpose of manufacturing
wood pulp on large scale.
| On June 90 the Thermometer regis
tered 80 degrees in the shade in the
city of Trondhjem.
Norwegian granite was used for paw
ing few streets in Antwerp, and the
satisfactory results induced the city
council to propose that Is other streets
be paved with the same kind of ma
terial:
The Laxevaag machinists in Bergen
returned to work without obtaining
higher wages.
! New cases of smallpox are occurring
at short intervals in Krlstiania; but
the board of health claims that the
disase is under its control.
| The city of Tonsberg will borrow
$50, 900 to put into the proposed Tons
berg and Eidrfos railway.
| Beef is sold in quarters at as high as
ID cents pound in the open market
in kristianla, and the retail price is
considerably higher; hogs, IL cents;
and veal, Is ceats. No wonder poor
people have to fall back on the good
old mackerel, which sell at from six to
ten cents apiece.
The electric railway of Kristiania
carried 337, S11 passengers during the
month of June.
Some of those who wish to see Nor
way as independent as possible hit
upon the idea of celebrating St. Olaf's
day in memory of a purely Norwegian
king. They thought it would stimu-
late the exclusiveness and patriotism
OF the common people to put up King
Olaf, not only as national saint, but
also as national hero. But St. Olaf,
who introduced the Christian religion
in Norway in the beginning of the
eleventh century, was Catholic, like
all other Christians of his age. Nat
urally, the few Catholics in Norway
began to advocate the proposed cele-
bration, their official organ, 'St.
OLAF" devoting much of Its space to
this matter. Now, again, the oppo-
nents of the celebration seized upon
the attitude of the Catholics as an ar
gument against the celebration, say
ing, in substance, ITO make S.. Olafs
day national holiday means that the
Norwegian people will be gradually
led back into the Catholic church"
The discussion is waxing quite warm
as St. Olaf's day approaches. and Olaf
Holm, clergyman in the state church,
defends the cele bration thus: 1T has
been claimed that this movement is
connected with an attempt to return
to Rome. This is by no means true.
l am willing to admit that there is a
slight tendency in that direction, es-
pecially among the educated classes.
But there are good reasons for this.
The dark view of Christian life which
held supreme sway in Norway until a
few years ago treated knowledge and
refinement among our people in such a
way that the educated and enlightened
began to feel like exiIes, they hardly
knew what to believe; aud when a
church comes vested with such au-
thority that even Bismarck must
yield to it, there needs be no wonder
ing why those estranged people begin
to ask themselves, Isn't tn at something
better? But do declare most en-
phatically that those of US who have
joined this movement never intended
to betray our own church. The peo-
pie may be sure that we do not banker
for the worship of saints or those other
terrors which are painted on the wall
when thoughtless people are to be
awed. But we do hold this view, that
we ought not to wage unnecessary
wars against our old mother church.
We claim to be as good Lutherans as
any, and we defend our creed in sea-
son and out of season; but we wish
that Lutheran Christians, too, speak
sensibly about things which are so apt
to cause disagreement as is the cues
ton at ISSUE" St. Olaf's day cannot
be celebrated as a legal holiday this
year, but the matter will surely come
up at the next session of the storthin9.
1t is expected, however, that the gov
eminent Will permit the use of at least
some of the church buildings for the
celebration this year.
DENMARK.
| L. S. Swenson from Albert Lea,
MIMI, our minister to Denmark. had
made up his mind to see Norway, the
land of his ancestors; but the govern
ment in Washington has instructed
him to stick closely t. his business as
long as the war lasts.
! General Booth has just visited Cop
enhagen.
The East Asia company has procured
a new freight steamer.
/ Mr. Hansen Norremolle who about
one year ago led political mass meet
ing at Rodding. German Upland; in
singing the Norwegian national song,
Il Will Protect My Country" was
fined S13 for this act. The case was
appealed to the Berlin court of supreme
judlcature. and the decision was sus-
tanned. the court holding that said song
by B. Bjornson was seditions.
| The Urania steamship company in
Copenhagen is going to start new
steamship line between the Baltic
provinces of Russia and some seaport