The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1904-05-17

that if was nothing to be ashamed Of
to be a peasant and a yeomarl.
s@s The honor extended to Bjornson was
not because of his fame as an author,
poet, novelist and dran1atist. The honor.
accorded him is because of his ufidaunt-
ed patriotism. In fact he was more than
that, he was the conscience Of Norway.
He always lead the people to right and
Just. He left political parties when they
became corrupt He defeated the great
liberal party because ii persisted in
travelling paths which were not the
paths OF honesty and justness to all.
Right, justice, honesty to man and man.,
and honor to Norway were his watch,
words.
The speaker had heard that some peo-
pie had rcfrained from joining in honors
to Bjornson because they did and could
not agree with his religious views He
knew the man when his heart burned
with religious fcrvor. When he turned
away it was because he could not coufl-
tenance the growing intolerance and
5hypocracy. Bjornson, in everything, was
honest to the core of his heart How
ne was respected in his religious views,
Mr.. Arctander read quotation from a
letter which priest of the church
wrote to Bjornson, in answer to some
criticisms which the great patriot had
sent to the press regarding the work of
the church. The quotation was as fol-
lows
But yet-because you have SO warm a
heart,
And manly battled for what was right
you thought.
An open ear did have for need and pain
of life, s..5
And never tired of the strife of battle
Because you were the pride Of Nor-
ways valleys,
Because you loved SO much our father
land,
Because You were so bold in thought
and speech,
We cannot help but love you, grand old
man
Let us all hope that the end Of the life
|of Bjornstjerne Bjornson will be beau-.
|tiful one and further hope that the God
Iof all will let, the rejecting light Of hea-
ven shine towards him for the great
good he has done to his people and to
the world.
Now let the little lady unveil the
stone erected in his honor"
4 Miss Helga Trovaten, who looked a
perfect picture in her typical costume!
of a young girl in Norway, pulled the
ropes and released the Norwegian tri-
scolors, which hid the stone from view,
and they fell to the ground and the
Sbauta stem was in full view of the thous-
5ands Of curious eyes. ss
The vast audience then broke out in;
great applause which lasted minute Or
two. 5ssi
To an accompaniment BY the North
Dakota State Band, under the direction
sof Mr. Rudd for this one number, the
great audience sang, with feeling and
patriotic expression the Norwegian ma
|tionai anthem Ja, vi elsker dette Lam.
.det.8 Editor John Blaauw Of The Ta-1
coma Tidende very ably directed the
singers.
Introducing Dr.. FjeIde of Abercfon,-|
bic, the chairman of the bauta stem COM
|fnittee, Professor Halland stated that
while the committee had done much
II must Be remembered that il was from
the doctor himself which had come the
inspiration the enthusiasm and the en-
Icotirag cement to carry out the idea Of
the erection ofs the il,onolith The idea
with Dr.. Herman o. Fjelde..
sof Abercrombie. whose heart today was
Iprouder and. his love for the fatEerlandl
and for his adopted country was strong
ser because of what had been accom-
spIisfed with the aid Of his fellow coiiri-l
itrynlcn of this state.
II devoIvSd upon Dr. Fjelae rs make
the formal presei1f ion of the abatita to'
President Worst Tor the al Tficiilturall
Icollske and siil doing Sd lie read the foi-s
4 KS now ths time that I. as chairman
for fIe BjorFlson bauta| Soiadlittss 81 silaii
|ts'rla over AZ Rlornst tjsrne Bjornsoll
s Ses5 ss /. Th's i;,9sd %Ss
States As that kind of a monument
'<l<f liking kiIeks efected ID honor
their heroes. The same Is now done w
Isl, their descend ants, to honor the one,
tyllo Gave tl3e new Norway their national
sane and other eloiis gifts, whereby
Ql35 peQple are n ttt0 IN their own eSti-
as ~ ~ ofiier ilati0fis It
! 4 4 !