The Irish standard., 1905-06-10
SToRTHING DECLARES UNION
WITH SWEDEN UNDER ONE
RULER is DISSOLVED.
MONARCH PROTESTS
AT BEING OUSTED
Action in Refusing to Let Regent
Grant Consular Reforms Costs Him
His Throne-Prince Called to Wear
Crown.

resolution by the storthing declaring
the dissolution of the union of Sweden
and Norway and that the king had
ceased to act as king of Norway. The
storthing further empowered the pres
ent state council to act as govern
nent of Norway until further notice
and to exercise the power heretofore
appertaining to the king.
Seek Prince for Throne.
An address to the king was adopted
declaring that no ill-feeling was en-
tertained against him, his dynasty or
81. the Swedish nation, and asking him to
cooperate in the selection of young
prince of the house of Bernadotte to
occupy the throne of Norway.
1t is not anticipated that King Oscar
will consent to any prince of the house
of Bernadotte accepting the Norwegian
crown. Should the king refuse there is
possibility that the throne may be
offered to Prince Waldemar, the third
son of King Christian of Denmark.
The people of Denmark are largely in
sympathy with the Norwegian de-
mands.
Monarch Makes Protest.
King Oscar sent a telegram to
Premier Nicholson as follows:
"Have received the communication
of the council of state and record the
most decided protest against the
method and action Of the government" I"
.. Resolution ousting King.
At the opening of the session the
government Informed the storthing
that it relinquished Office from
Wednesday. The storthing thereupon
unanimously and without debate passed
the following resolution:
Whereas all the members of the
council of state have laid down their
Offices, and
Whereas his majesty, the king, has
declared himself unable to establish a
new government for the country, and
Whereas, the constitutional regal
power thus becomes imperative the
storthing authorizes the members of
the council of state who retired
to-day to exercise until further
notice, as the Norwegian government
the power appertaining to the king in
accordance with Norway's constitution
and existing laws with those changes
which are necessitated by the fact that
the union with Sweden under one king
is dissolved in consequence of the king
having ceased to act as a Norwegian
king.
M. Nicholson, the retiring premier,
accepted in behalf of the government
the honorable and difficult task with
which the storthing has intrusted it,
Five social democrats dissented from
the address to the king. 1t is expected
that the storthing will issue a procla-
nation to the Norwegian people re-
garding the dethronement of the mon
arch.
Cause of the Crisis.
j The dissolution of the union between
Sweden and Norway has been pending
for some time and had its growth in
the desire, which grew stronger as
!, time, passed, for the establishment of
separate consular systems for the two
countries. King Oscar recently We
;'toed at Stockholm the measure pre-
scented to him by the council of state
providing for separate consular repre-
sentation, and the Norwegians main
i:tained that the king by so doing and
partly by his absence from Norway
had suspended his rights and duties as
king of Norway. One of the. causes
for the desire in Sweden and Norway
for separate consular systems was the
fact that Sweden is protectionist and
Norway is for free trade, and also be-
cause of Norway's more extensive sea
trade and other Emergencies of COM
mercial interests.
The crisis became acute May 26, when
his majesty, after three months rest,
during which the regency was confided
to Crown Prince Gustave, resumed the
reins of Office. The council of state
Immediately submitted to him the con-
sular bill, which he May % refused to
sanction, arguing that any action must
receive the sanction of the mixed coun-
Gil. The Norwegian council of state
thereupon resigned and the king re-
fused to accept their designations, as
in view of the state of public opinion
It was impossible to form a new gov
ernment Demonstrations were held
throughout the country indorsing the
action of the council of state. The
consular bill, while apparently of lit
tie importance, was designed to open
the whole question of foreign affairs,
which Norway desires to manage inde-
pendently of Sweden.
Although the action was anticipated,
It caused considerable excitement in
this city on account of the anxiety as
to what action the king would take.
Crisis Expected in 1899.
The Scandinavian question" has
been a troublesome one to Europe for
years, and it was thought in 1899 that
the crisis which came Wednesday was
at hand. 1t was averted because. in
October, 1899, it was announced that
King Oscar, in accordance with the
constitution, had finally sanctioned the
promulgation of a resolution, which
had three times been passed by the
Norwegian storthing, abolishing the
emblem of the union in the Norwegian
national flag. This resolution then was
aggressively significant of Norway 8
trend toward rupture of the slender
thread binding her politically to
Sweden.
Even then King Oscar was not ex.
pected to sanction the further revolu-
tiOnarv declaration 0f tho domin a nj