Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-28
s~<pEN s AND \ NORWAY
AN INTERESTING dTALK ON THAT
y
KINGDOM BY MINISTER THOMAS.
The COmmeree OF tho United States
With Sweden In Grow.
ST u
ine Every Year.

W. w. Thomas. United States minister
to Norway andoswedeh. was at the White
House a few Minutes, today. Mr.. Thomas
arrived in this country Friday and Is at
home on a leave of absence Of sixty days.
He came over to attend the thirtteth
anniversary Of the establishment OF
thriving Swedish 5, colony in Maine.
Mr.. Thomas founded the colony, bring
Ing fifty people with him from Sweden
The colony now numbers 20O6 Mr.. Thomas
has with him an autograph letter from
King Oscar of Norway and Sweden, con-
veying his best wishes to the colony and
sending along photograph Of himself that
was taken in April. This photograph does
not indicate that King Oscar. Is suffering
from any of the numerous alleged incurable
and fatal maladies represented IN recent
years to be cutting his life short.
Some Stories Denied.
II know there are lots Of these stories,
said Mr.. Thomas. ''but from my personal
observation Of King Oscar and from what
am informed he will live ten or twenty
years to rule over his people. He Is seven
ty-three years old, but he shoots and r1des
as well when a young man. and l re
member him thirty-fve years ago. Inere IS
also no truth in the stories that Norway
and Sweden are on the point of dissolving
their relations. King Oscar Is beloved by
the people Of both countries, and nave
seldom witnessed greater contentmene anu
happiness"
Mr. Thomas gave an interesting chapter
Of the commerce between the United states
and Sweden. He says that 1t mas never
been more satisfactory, and IS constantly
growing in bulk and value Although GER
tain laws were passed in Sweden that at
first put obstacles in the way of the impor-
tation of American products. these vanished
under proper presentation OF the matter
by the American minister. Before his pres
ent term Mr.. Thomas spent eight years IN
Sweden as representative Of this country
and married a Swedishlady. His official re
lationS are not as stiff as those usually
found in foreign courts.
American Lard.
One of the laws passed by Sweden was
designed to prevent the importation OF
American lard and sailed horse flesh. The
law went under the name of pure food leg1s-
lation. One of the first shipments Of lard
was seized and a local chemist pronounced
it impure. This contisoated the lard and
placed a heavy fine on the shippers. MIR.
Thomas talked with the foreign minister
and succeeded in having an analysis made
by one of the first chemists of Sweden. He
pronounced the lard pure and the product
has never since been molested Much Amer
lean pork goes into the country. Pig rails
ing Is carried on extensively in Sweden. but
months of age for use on English tables,
and this necessitates the purchase of hog
meat and lard from the United States. The
Swedes get as much for their little pigs,
however, as they pay for twice as much
American hog meat :.
Importation of Horse Flesh.
Mr. Thomas also had some trouble with
the Swedish officials about American horse
flesh. 1t is little known In this country
that sailed or picked horse flesh is sent
abroad in hundreds and thousands Of bar
rels. There are several slaughter houses
in Chicago and Brooklyn for horses. The
meat Is sailed. A great part of the output
goes to Sweden 1t Is consumed there as
reindeer meat, and the Swedes eat it like
many people in this country formerly ate
oleomargarine-under' the impression 1t was
butter. Smoked reindeer meat is consid-
cred one Of the greatest delicacies SWede
has. The reindeer Is flrst sailed down and
later smoked. Owing to the scarcity of
reindeer the product has been diminishing
a long time. Some Yankee discovered that
horse meat would take the place of deer
meat. So horses are killed and sailed in
barrels for shipment. When the barrels
arrive in Sweden the meat is taken out
and smoked The Swede pays for 1t as
reindeer meat and cannot tell the difference.
Experts can hardly tell the difference. The
industry Is countenanced by this country,
as every barrel that goes abroad is prop
erly labeled by inspectors Of the Depart
ment of Agriculture.
European Nations Jealous.
Mr.. Thomas says that Europe has grown
alarmed at our wonderful export trade, and
the jealousy of the European nations had
led to the passage of laws hostile to our
trade Sweden has, however, been remark
ably fair.
ut is estimated that Sweden and Norway
send about 1890 or 10000 people to the
United States each year said Mr.. Thomas.
Notwithstanding this the population of
the two countries has increased at the rate
of about per cent each year for a num-
Der of years. 1t is now over 5O0O.OOO peo-
pie.