Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-02-11
Recent Occurrences of interest
in Sweden, Norway and
Denmark.
THE FAMINE IN NORTH SWEDEN
Desperate Fight Against Starvation
Continues-King Oscars Illness
Causes Much Concern.
SWEDEN.
Stockholm.

North Sweden's great need and her
desperate fight against hunger con-
tinues. One great trouble is that
many of the stricken districts are from
100 to $50 miles distant from the rail-.
way. Owing to inadequate railway
transportations the supplies are al
ready exhausted and the people in
these districts are in a most deplorable
condition. Fodder for the cattle is
| just as urgent, as these are the main
, tay of Norrland's economic life. If
the animals could have been decently
fed they would have been capable Of
producing enough to sustain the peas
| ants, but in most instances the beasts
have already been slaughtered and
eaten. In conjunction with the ravages
Of famine caused by floods and frosts,
Norrland has been struck by COM
plete industrial paralysis. Timber-cut-
ting, which normally affords liy eli
hood for thousands of persons not eL1-
ployed in farming, is now at a perfect
standstill or done for starvation
wages, averaging in many cases less
than what is actually required for the
daily support Of the men and horses
engaged. The timber companies, or
rather the so-called timber barons,"
excuse the payment of such pittances
on the plea that the market price of
lumber does not warrant anything bet
ter, but unprejudiced authorities insist
that the timber barons'' are actuated
by purely cold-blooded motives. In
spite of this the sufferers from hunger
are showing fine pluck in the face of
distress. They receive no relief unless
il is worked for, either by improving
the public roadways or bettering con-
ditions on their own property in antici-
patton of the return of the fair wealth.
er day.
There is lively interest beginning to
manifest itself in all parts of the Swe-
dish financial and commercial world
and significant Is the statement of Mr..
WaIIe1berg, director of Stockholm's
bank, and one of the leading financiers
of Sweden. Mr.. Wallenberg says in
part: 1.-THE trust system is epidemic.
~ HAS OhEpk 1AOilS llUll tllC L uG1uC "
the Atlantic and now it has come to
invade Sweden Even in Sweden q
timber trust has lately been formed.
1t Is the only one in Sweden and is
called the Nordiska 1Tayaro Bolaget,
and its board of directors has its seat
in Stockholm. There Is also much talk
of forming q steel trust, but nothing
dnGn{+a ho 1.svx ,,,Is ID
this direction. When the trust cpl
demic once crosses the Atlantic and
spreads itself generally throughout Eli
rope, Sweden, however. will be the last
country to be greatly affected by it,
because the royal Swedish envy will
doubtless make 1t almost impossible
for trusts to be formed here to any
great extent. But even il multitude
of powerful trusts would cripple the
power of the trade associations, we are
sure to get protection from the govern.
ment"
King Oscar has been stricken with
a weakening attack of illness and his
condition occasions serious concern in
closely guarded circles where the full
truth is known. No official Informal
ton has been received from Stockholm
as to the exact condition OF his males
ty, butthere is grave fear that the aged
and popular monarch will never rise
from his bed The government of the
country has therefore been intrusted
to the crown prince Gustaf, who as.
sumed the duties of the regency of the
Kingdoms on Jan. 81. The crown
prince Gustaf has already acted as re-
gent in the Temporary resignation by
his father Of the reins of po,ei. King
Oscar was seriously i'll for some months
at the end CT 1900, suffering from
paralysis, and the crown prince, who
is Al years old, was then duly appoint
ed regent scting in that capacity until
King Oscar resumed the sovereignty
on his birthday, Jan. 81, 1901.
After long disappearance herring
shoals are, returning to the Swedish
coast. On. Jan. 20 it was reported that
shoals of herring are standing thick
outside the west co1st of Sweden. af-
fordfng a rich harvest to the fishing
communities. These fish have not
been seen for a generation. The infiu-
enccs that govern their migrations still
belong to natures greatest mysteries.
During the middle ages the herring
fisheries of Sweden produced great
wealth, but the fish disappeared for
three centuries, reappearing at the end
of the eig Ateeuth century. and after
another interval OF absence returning
about the middle of the nineteenth
century.