The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-17
By olof z. Cervin.

thought here was an opening, and
pointed to the royal palace, which,
eyer since the stern old days of
Charles xI, has lowered above lowly
and even squalid surroundings, quite
eclipsing everything else, be it pri-
vate or public. Moreover, it was
erected at time when money was
scarce; it was more difficult to raise
a million than now it is to raise two.
But he did not see it that way. That
was for the king, and the king stood
for the people. What was done for
the king was good and proper and
no extravaganza. It seemed to him
perfectly in place that the oldest son
of one certain man should be elected,
or, rather, predestined, to rule over
a whole people.
Admitting, as I was very glad to
do, that the present king is as good
as can be desired, and far better than
most rulers, there still remained the
risk of the country's once more being
afflicted with a foolhardy, perhaps i'd
lotto sovereign. Twice has 1t been
| brought to the very verge Of destruc-
ton by supercilious and intractable
| kings.
Eyes, but don't you see,'' retorted
| my friend, "our king is so hedged
| about with constitutional restrictions
and handicapped in every way that
his real power is q mere fiction 2"
] It seems, then, royalty is luxury
/ which the European peoples love to
4 have, think they must perpetuate, and
4 are quite willing to pay for. They Ger
4 tainly do all they can to train care
i fully the young princes, any one Of
4 whom may some day have to ascend
i the throne. If they succeed with the
4 limited material they have at hand,
so much the better. They are very
1 proud of the product, feel they are
4 amply repaid when they know they
1 have a king who keeps UP a grand
I court, pushes the electric button when
. an exhibition is to be opened, makes
! a neat little speech when laying the
I. cornerstone Of a sanatorium, and last,
. but best Of all, is quite willing to sign
Z his name to all the documents that
!. the real rulers, his ministers, place
} before him. You see, it is all done
in the kings name.
), Yes, it is fine thing, very spectac-
. ular and very grand; but, somehow,
a republican fails to see how sem
sible people can be 50 well satls1ed
| as they undoubtedly are with what
J is, even according to their own adj
: mission, a mockery of power.
They do, however, gain one thing:
8 that is stability. Our quadrennial
: distur Dances, when we renew political
5 antagonisms, harrow our feelings and
excite our passions, bring our bust
: spend a year to make UP our mind as
to whom we really want for a presi-
. dent-all this may be quite as much
: of a luxury as to support a royal
/ household, and is not nearly so pic
; turesuue. But each according to his
taste, and we think ours is the better
: way.
J Stability is their real gain. Roy.
8 atty does act as sort of balance
wheel, or, one might say that a good
: king is an oiler He lubricates the
E machinery and keeps the parts work
s ing tremendously, averts clashes ano
S otherwise makes himself useful. Such
/ is King Oscar, and more, too; such
t was Queen Victoria.
a English in High Favor.
e 1t is curious to note the strong in
y huence Of the English language here
. When a translator falls to find a wore
to fit the original, he transfers thu
English word bodily into the Swedish
text A German will go block on
e sion, be it ever SO long and cumber
e some. Such words as 'firt, sport,
e INTERVIEW" start" are used not onl.
: in the written language but in every
It day talk But when they import sucl
o words as trade" factory blum
ders'' and inquiry" one is surprised
: The swedes are very friendly to tn
t, great deal Of prejudice against Amer
e lea. There is far more sympathy will
r England than with Germany, for in
e stance, altho the Germans are close,
e kin 1t is simply incomprehensibl
e how the Germans can do SO nucl
), for Russia and so openly, too. TIL
= Swedes know only too well what tn
n Russians are. They sympathize full
/ with the sufferings of the people il
st Finland, sufferings Of which we hay
IL no adequate comprehension. Yet Rus
STA claims to be Christian nation.