The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-22

|
! certainly Is against him.
| Crown Princes Wise Move.
The crown prince has established him
self still more firmly in the popularity
he has recently won in Norway by his
prompt action during the reconstruction
week just passed. When Mr.. Steen had at
| last given in his formal resignation, at
the same time suggesting Mr.. Blehr as
his successor, the crown prince did Just
! the proper thing in disregarding this sug
gestion of Mr.. Stems and in requesting
! C. Berner the speaker of parliament to
form new cabinet Mr.. Berner, who is
man of great ability and of unblemished
reputation in every way. undertook the
| task assigned him. An entirely new deal
with Berner and Ibsen at the head would
have satisfied the best elements in the
liberal party and would have given the
country a government to which all citi-
zens could have looked with confidence
and respect. Such combination would
probably have given the liberal party
| long lease of life and would have been a
guarantee of sensible and patriotic treat
ment of the questions at issue with Swe
den. But Mr.. Berner found himself baked
at every step. He was not persona grata
with the clique in power and it is runOred
that it was also urged against him that
Mrs. Berner is too deaf to do full justice
to the social duties of premier's wife.
On such trif1es do the fates of empires
hang.
Mr.. Berner was forced to report his fail
ure to the crown prince and Mr.. Blehr
was entrusted with the task of forming a
ministry. new slate was Immediately
fixed up with all the old members of the
Steen cabinet remaining and Mr.. Ibsen
minister of state in Stockholm. All
seemed serene, but at the last moment
letter arrived from Mr.. Guam pere1hp-
torily dema nding the position as minister
Of state in Stockholm for himself. His
will was law, DR.. Ibsen meekly acquiesced
and the final arrangement was submitted
to the crown prince last Sunday morning
just as he was preparing to go to church.
This, in brief, is the history Of this re-
markable event in Norwegian politics. A
| peculiar feature of the affair is that the
| question between Blehr and Berner was
virtually decided in a meeting of the I'M
official liberal parliamentary club where
ballot was taken, on which Mr.. Blehr
received 27 votes, Mr.. Arctander 20 and
Mr.. Berner 10 votes. Twenty seven un-
named member of parliament thus vir-
tually arrogated to themselves the. royal
prerogatlve secured by article u of the
constitution OF Norway, which runs as
follows 1.-THE king himself chooses a
council of Norwegian citizens above the
age of 30.' But this ds in keeping with
the rest of that unique thing called t'Nor-
wegian parliamentarism.''
I Parliamentary Rule.
The parliamentary system" as prac-
ticed in Norway has made parliament the
absolute master of everything and abol-
ished almost every check on party rule.
This was the avowed object of the mem
bers, but it was also urged that it would
bring about more effective control OF
the executive power and an increased
, ministerial responsibility In this respec,
1.-The system has signally failed. Under the
Old conservative regime the opposition in
, parliament was always after the heads
OF the government departments with a
sharp stick. It expenses were not kept
strictly within limits of appropriations
, made by parliament, or if moneys granted
were not expended strictly in accordance
with instructions given by parliament, of
Tending heads of departments were al
once taken to task and made personally
responsible. Under, the present liberia
regime, the heads of departments, ap-
, pointed and supported by the overwhelm
ing party majority in parliament, can d.
pretty much as they please. Of late years
1t has happened, time and again, that ap.
preparations, notably for railway building
nave been exceeded by hundreds. of thou
sands of crowns. Without any appropri
ations having been made, without even in
forming parliament and asking for in.
struct1ons heads of departments have
undertaken transactions in real estate in
volvlng hundreds of thousands in some
cases involving severe losses to the treas
ury. In the frantic haste for improyins
the defenses of the country against ou1
r brothers in the union large purchases
nave been made of material for the arm,
. ana navy In foreign countries at mucf
hlgher hgures than the same articles coul,
nave been secured at home, thus discrim
: mating against home Industries and en-
: failing useless expense to large amount,
3 on the public treasury. The conservative
minority has done it's best to have the Of
/ tending parties, called to account, but tn,
=, result IN every ca Sc has simply been tina
the majority have closed up in solid ar
t ray IN defense of their own parliamentar,
minister.
Recently the minister for public works
= Mr.. Lovland, in parliament admitted tha,
in his department appropriations hat
= been exceeded by about half million
). but he blamed it all to his subordinates
= an exclamation which seemed to- be per
e fectly satisfactory to the ministerial ma
= jority in parliament! -.
= Results of Extravaeance.
The national consequence of this loose
t ness In the mana cement of the finances
d OF the country, in connection with extrav
+ agant appropriations for military pur
e poses, is that the public debt is constant
: ~ increasing and that oppressive taxa
# ton becomes necessity. Municipal
= taxes IN some places amount to II pc
cent Of a mans income When to thi
is added a considerable direct government
tax on all incomes ard the indirect tax
alton through internal revenue and Gus
5 toms duties, the Norwegian taxpayer find
. his lot not a very enviable one. In thi
s present session of parliament the duty o.
Q tobacco has BEEN materially increased an,
: a new STAMP tax on commercial pape
= and an inheritance tax have been i'm
q POSED in order to fill the deplete
!, treasur Il
e The supposition when the parliamentary
Z system was Introduced was that when
. cabinet minister suffered a defeat in par
e lament or any important measure h
q should resign in favor of a new man il
n possession Of the full confidence of par
: Lament. In this respect the :practica
: working Of the system has not quite com
y up to expectations. Parliamentary min
: listers lave repeatedly. been obliged t.
g see pet measures overwhelmingly defeat
q ed. Only week or wot ago Mr.. Stang
y the present energetic and able ministe
q for public defenses, met with complet
n defeat in regard to his plan for acquiring
+ submarine boat for the navy Only@th
o other day Mr.. Wexelsen, the; minister 70
: public instruction, met a similar defea
e with university measure and was taunt
: ed with 1t by one Of the leaders in parlia
n rnent. They have both pocketed their de
y feats and have remained in their posi-
n lions, as has been done by other member
: on previous occasions. Then again, Of
e other occasions .the> ministry have take
= 1T into their heads to haye.ssorre measur