Willmar tribune., 1899-12-27
SCANDINl A IAN NEWS
Interesting Notes From Across the
Ocean.
HAPPENINGS IN THE FATHERLAND,
Principal Events that Have Occurred in
tie Old, Countries About tho
North Sea Within q Week
or So Just;Past.

|
the Old Countries About the
| North Sea Within Week
| or So Just:P
The liberal leaders in the storthing
have been treated to a severe rebuke.
The committee on nominations pro-
posed Boegh as director of the main
office of the state bank of Norway,
while the conservatives united on
| Wium. The former is "layman." the
latter an experienced banker, and in
few days the whole nation sided
with the conservatives on this ques-
tiOn. The vote was Sc for Wium and
SO for Boegh.
Some of the Kristiania dailies are al
most frantic in their demands for
more strict legislation against the in
f1ux of undesirable foreigners They
are also inclined to emphasize the fact
that the Swedes contribute about 10
per cent of the paupers and criminals
of the city.
Said Bjornson in an aftermidnight
address at the great national banquet
which was given to him Nov 26: "It
has been said that work is the aim
of man. l do not think so. Our aim
is to be happy and still have a sur
plus of Joy. Work is only means,
but the most POWERFUL might say
the only one that gives happiness and
joy. The joy that the idler obtains for
himself is not sufficient. It is not
full joy, he lives in a waste which
nothing can fill. But joy on the con-
trary, which blossoms from work is of
more modest kind; we are contented
with much less because we get great
Joy even out of small things. 1t has
been said that the Norwegians, as a
rule, are not diligent, that their
movements are too slow; indeed, there
are many who say that we are lazy
people. My dear friend, Professor
Ernst Lars, has a palliating excuse for
every blemish laid at the door of the
Norwegian people. This explanation
is that originally we were a race of
noblemen, nation of great lords, who
enjoyed the privilege of not working,
yes, who even despised him who de-
scended from his heights to share the
work of his subjects. When the con-
ditions of the people were changed,
compelling those lords to take lead
IN the work of their laborers, they
were more venerable in their move
ments. And this habit we have kept
until this very day. Our laziness, or
| WhafaVor If NAV ho oo1lo1 e, 4loro
fore, really mark of nobility. But
now we have become a democratic
people, and we are responsible for our
own happiness, this happiness will
come in proportion to our own work.
Let us, therefore, take hold and work,
and let us begin to do so from the age
of YOUTH
The quarrel about the question, To
what extent should the Norwegian
dialects be used? is engrossing the at
tentfon of the public more than any
thing else at present, and even the
Swedes and the union question are
enjoying an informal armistice. A
Swedish paper calls the language con-
troversy in Norway ''civil war;"
Gram, an ex-member of the cabinet,
has been offered the position of Nor
wegian-Swedish minister to Berlin,
but he is not in a mood to accept the
appointment. It is claimed that he
expects to succeed Count Lewenhaupt
as minister to England in 190o
Trondhjan has had more rain this
fall than ever before within the MEM
ory of the Oldest inhabitant.
Many language reformers who ad-
vocate compulsory use of Norwe-
gian-Norwegian, scold their opponents
in the Danish-Norwegian language,
which seems to prove that their zeal is
greater than their discretion
| SWEDEN
| A young carpenter at Brantevik
wrote most lackrymose letter to
the king, asking his majesty for
speedy help and much help. To make
the game a dead sure thing the
writer also said that he was defect
ive,' and thus unable to support
himself. The king returned the letter
to the young mans pastor and asked
for further. information. This led
to entirely unexpected results, and
whatever is done with this aspiring
| letter writer it will be a cold day
when he writes to the king again.
Unusually large quantities of grain
have been imported to Sweden this
season. Even oats is included, while
Sweden under ordinary circumstances
is an exporter of this product.
King Oscar rides free of charge on
the Norwegian railways. But when
he makes trip to Norway he has to
pay his way on the Swedish railroads
to the boundary line. This arrange
ment has just been changed. Hence
forth the king, as well as the crown
prince when he takes the place of the
king, shall ride free ON the Swedish
railroads whether he is on his way
to Norway or not.
It is estimated that the amount OF
water passing over the Frollhattan
water falls in the dry season is from
300 to $40 cubic meters (from $4,000
to $4,000 cubic feet) per second. OF
this quantity Is cubic meters is used
for the ship canal and II cubic meters
for manufacturing purposes. The
average available power of the falls
canot be under less than 100000 horse
power. No wonder the capitalists are