The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-14
NORWAY AND SWEDEN.

The New York Herald printed dis
patch from Christiana yesterday which
indicates that the strained relations
which have existed between Norway
and Sweden are almost ready to snap
in open war.
A constitutional conflict has been in
progress for years. 1t has been gradu-
ally growing more serious during the
last three years. Norwegians have
complained of national stagnation and
the so-called Swedish yoke, in spite of
the fact that Norway is regarded as one
of the most prosperous countries in Ell
rope.
This, however, may be the real secret
of Norway's application for a divorce.
1t may be what Lord Salisbury calls
1.-The struggle bteween living and dying
nations"
But neither of these Scandinavian
state is degenerate. Commerce and
arts flourish among them. Their people
are Industrious and progressive. They
are skilled artisans and their ingenuity
in fashioning wood and iron are known
the world around. No fault can be
found with their moral health as "a race
or their physical preservation. And
their government is economical and
pure, compared with that OF other royal
courts.
But, as yesterdays dispatches say,
Norwegians are not pleased with the
temporary government of the crown
prince, who is much stricter than his
father, and has now shown that he will
not allow Norwegians any little demon
strations of independence.
This is rather amusing, in view of
another dispatch of the same date tell
ing Of "a popular demonstration
against Prince Gustaf, recently ap-
pointed regent on account of his
fathers illness. He was returning from
the military club when he met crowd
of people who hooted him, Kissed him
and pelted him with snowballs.
Surely. Norwegians will not claim
that their opportunities of little dem
ontsrations OF independence" have
been curtailed altogether. But many
indications of open enmity to Sweden
have been allowed to appear in Chris
tiania of late, which are for the most
part provoked by the foreign trade in
terests of the two countries.
Their political ideas are Numerically
opposed to each other The Norwegian
storthing and the Swedish parliament
are constantly clashing. Norway is a
free trade country and Sweden a land
OF protective tariff. Yet one ruler pre-
sides over the destinies of both.
They quareled over the national flag
several weeks ago. The last dissansion
is over the appointment of a delegate
TO the cars peace congress
The Herald dispatch says: Some
days ago war between Sweden and
Norway was limited at during debate in
the storthing and Colone Barsoe took
the opportunity of pointing out that the
Norwegian fortresses were good for
nothing in case Of war;
For some reason or other there has
been ordered both in. Sweden and Nor
way of late an ominous increase of the
military and naval forces, with clearly
one object in view, namely, to support,
if necessary by force, ali claims which
may lead TO an entire separation of the
two countries.
Prominent diplomats assert that a
complete severance of the two countries
is imminent. Present conditions have
become unbearable to the Norwegians,
and their manner Of resentment must
be equally exasperating to the royal
house Of Sweden.
1t is to be hoped that war may be
aveTted, but it is very doubtful if
peace can ever be entirely restored ex-
cept by treaty after the separation Of
the two countries