The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-28
RETOINDER TO PROF.
BREDA'S ARTICLES
Minneapolis Takes the Cud gels in Behalf Of the Liberals Of
Norway-He also Defends the 'Iandsmaal the National Ian
guage Of Norway, in Vigorous Fashion.

the enemies of Norway's Independence!
Of course, the Swedes are sweet lambs
who do not even bleat unless those rad
icals,'' those wolves of Norway, ypounce
upon them with their unreasonable t'chau-.
vinism!" Among the 'fools," as the
professor calls them, who :retaliated i'm
Kind" was no less a person than Grown
Prince Gustav 1t is not very many years
since he talked of a Swedish promenade.
into Norway, meaning a Swedish inya-
sion of the country of which his father
is king and whose successor he. is lex
pected to become
The "Joint Commission" Succotash.
AS to the report of the Joint commits
sion" the professor Is also wrong! He
says Norway Is to establish her own con-,
sular service, the relations Of this cons
sular service to the joint foreign office to,
be regulated bylaws which cannot be
changed without prejudice to a possible
future Encouragement Of the foreign Of
fice."
AS to the ''joint foreign office" there
Is, fortunately, as yet no such office. As
temporary arrangement the foreign af
fairs of Norway, much to the country's
detriment. have benin the hands ofsthe
minister Of foreign affairs of Sweden;
VI perhaps IL may il1Oto COIISCIly U0 Sdlu,
| that this has been SO on account Of the
want Of an arrangement. The words
without prejudice to a possible future re-
arrangement Of the foreign Office must
be the product of the fantasy of some
ones fertile brain. According to the re-
report given and signed by the Norwe-
gian cabinet itself, the said laws cannot
be changed without the consent Of the
law-making powers or authorities Of both
kingdoms. In other words, Norway was
to give Sweden an absolute veto with re-
gard to laws pertaining to Norway. OF
course, Norway ought to consent to no
such abrogation of its Independence The
minister's Stang and Konow, would not
consent to it, and SO were forced out of
the cabinet.
Professor Rreda's Astonishing GullbIIity.
How man Of any pretension to re-
spectability can be willing to peddle such
idle gossip as that about Minister G..
Stang is incomprehensible. 1T seems the
professor is ready to believe anything.
however absurd, about members Of the
liberal party. He tells us In good earnest
that it was the Intention of G.. Stang,
the secretary Of war, to commence war
against Sweden. This G. Stang could
not think of doing. because he did not
have the authority to do 1t. If. the king,
the only authority in Norway that can
lawfully declare war, were to commence
war against his own subjects, the stor-
thing no doubt would take the necessary
steps for the defense Of the country.
-. Swedish Threats Of War. !.
The consular service, which is the pres
ent subject Of contention between Norway
| and Sweden, is a matter, with regard to
| which Norway has a perfect rightsto take
whatever steps it, pleases. After the union
| between Norway and Sweden was sestab !.
lished, however,, the government sefa Swed !
en- took the appointment Of consuis xfor
| Norway, as well as SWed en, into dts own
| hands, and for several Reasons NorWa
did not protest. AS a writer says: 1.-The
diplomatic and consular administration Of
the united kingdoms proceeds from a sys-
tenn of officers to which Norway pays an
| annual contribution, but over the organ
I ization and direction Of which it has no
right to exercise any control" In 1895
| the Norwegian storthing resolved to es-
taollsh separate consular service for
| Norway. The Swedes threatened with y
military execution2--in other words to
make war upon Norway. TheIatter coun-
try was not prepared for an attack. and
the law about separate consdls did not
go into operation. 55.J.:
Necessity Of Defensive Measures.
But the opinion became general moi
4 only among the liberals, but also arnone
inc conservatives, that everything posi-.
Die ought to be done to hinder the re.
currence of such a situation by puttins
the country in a state of defense.
pan was laid with this object in view
and both liberals and conservatives we've
united in voting money for the necesaart
expenses. When G.. Stang was appointeS
secretary of war he went to Worlsss4l
execute the. general will of the nation
! In building the. Notifications about swIicE
such hubbuba has been ra ised he simply
executed a plan which dates ever az ,r1IIe,,y
years back With remarkable energy AM
, ability he succeeded in ACCOMPLISHING :
work which none before him had pos
sessed the courage or the ability to do
7 And In spite ofzall> assertions to- the con
trary, he did the work comparativel,
cheap. sit isI said. that the erection of tn,
tnlrty-tWo fortresses cost no more thai
the third part Of what an ironclaf battia
ship costs. =. Asoele
Minister; Stang denies most emrhaticaI
~ that he has had any. intention !" .
bringing. on. q war with Sweden, and con
. tlnues as follows: 1T has also becom
complished their purpose. Not = : s ii uai
!. voice in Sweden has now uttered tbr,eaf
. OF war, and 1T appears from the pIro
ceedlngs IN. the first cham Der Of the die
that the significance of these prepara
IONS o1,I mas been fully understood
: p.ae ieae ..pIeparatlons then, and not, a
Fro1essore BFeda says, Russian oppressio
OF FINLAND, are most probably what Ia
caused more reasonable attitude. on til
: part OF Sweden. It can scarcely be sun
posed that Swedish statesmen have eve
peen blind to- whatever danger there ma
: be from Russia tA-e
Fro1essor Breda says: MIR. Stang evi
/. IDENTIFY never thought Of the nossibi1it
: OF a war with Russia.'' Now, the fact Is
That while Sweden has made threats {
war against Norway, Russia has not. Re
sides, Russia is at present fully occupie
IN the east: There is no reason why Nor
way should throw out a challenge to R,,a
Sia. bY building fnrti6 90 tio.,..- - 80