The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-21

is the sea and the rivers from which ne
draws water"
Norwegians Unanimous for Inde-
pendence.
II there has been any doubt in any
quarter concerning the disposition Of
the Norwegian people to sanction the
declaration Of independence made by
their national assembly it is no longer
tenable in view Of the outcome OF the
referendum taken on Sunday, Aug. 10.
Out of 100000 voters $685. went to the
ballot box, and according to the final
returns only one person in every two
thousand voted against the dissolution
Of the union with Sweden. In view Of
the course pursued by the Swedish Riks-
dag at its recent session we may now
probably take for granted that Norway's
right to secede will be recognized on
certain conditions easily fulfilled.
1t will be remembered that after the
rejection of the Government bill defn-
ing terms OF settlement with Norway
and the consequent resignation Of the
Swedish Ministry the two houses OF the
Riksdag named a joint committee to
deal with the question. The report Of
this committee, which was adopted by
both chambers, declared that the Riks-
dag would enter upon negotiations with
the Storthing for the dissolution of the
dual monarchy in case the last men,
toned body's declaration Of independ-
ence should be ratified by plebiscite
To this preliminary condition the Nor
wegian Parliament at once assented.
and as the question put to the voters
on Sunday was answered With an aston
ishing approach to unanimity it will be
impracticable for any political party in
Sweden to find pretext for an attempt
| to apply coercion to Norway.
We presume, therefore, that delegates
OF the two countries will presently meet
and agree upon the terms on which the
union will be dissolved. The four con-
ditions formulated by the Riksdag were
the following: First the establishment
of a zone on each side Of the line sepa-
rating the kingdoms, within which zone
the existing Notifications shall be RACED
and new Notifications prohibited; SEC
ondly, the right Of pasturing reindeer
belonging to Swedish Laplanders in
north Norway; thirdly, reciprocal
guarantee that the transit trade
through both countries shall be unmo-
Tested by vexatious regulations, and
lastly, such modification of the treaty
relations Of the dual monarchy with
foreign Powers as shall relieve Sweden
from responsibility for Norway to other
States. With the exception OF a senti-
mental objection to the destruction Of
an historical fortress there is no reason
why Norway should MOI feel willing to
accept these terms.
| 1t will be observed that the secession
of Norway differed in two vital particu-
lars from that organized in some Of
our Southern States in 1s8O-el. In our
Northern States the existence Of right
of secession, once asserted by the en-
gineers OF the Hartford convention, had
come to be denied by majority Of the
voters. In Sweden, on the other hand,
it is not disputed that the Act Of Union
between the two Kingdoms was dissolu-
Bile at the will OF either party, so that,
properly speaking, we can hardly de-
nominate Norway's declaration of in
dependence as secession" much less
a revolution" The Norwegans them
selves compare it with the denunoiation
Of a treaty, though they admit that GER
tain equities which the Swedish Parlia-
ment has formulated in the conditions
above named ought to be considered.
Another point Of difference in the case
of the Southern Confederacy is that il
no act OF war had been committed in
Charleston harbor. and II the ordinance
Of secession passed by State conven-
tons had been submitted to a popular
vote, a considerable minority OF the
voters would have protested against it,
even in South Carolina, and it is prob
able that an actual majority against it
would have been recorded in Virginia,
North Carolina and Georgia. II, on the
other hand, a plebiscite had been taken
! in all the States south Of Mason and
Dixon's line, and the people Of those
commonwealth had pronounced for
accession with anything like tho una
nimity evinoed in favor Of Norway's
independence. it is probable that no
attempt would have been made by the
Northern States to uphold the Union by
force.
We may now look upon an amicable
separation Of the hitherto united Scan
dinavian kingdoms as assured, and there
is a growing belief that the Storthings
original request that King OSCAR II.
would designate one Of his sons for the
Norwegian throne will after all be &C.
cepted. This solution Of the problem
is said to have been advocated by En-
psror WILLIAM in his recent conference