Arizona republican., 1905-06-13
Norway and the House of Bernadotte

Norway and the House of Bernadotte.
 The secession of Norway from the dual Kingdom of which it has formed a part for nearly hundred years marks the first bad luck that has over taken the Rernadottes since the great marshal of that name became king l,y the popular voice of Sweden. All of the other thrones filled by Napole m or by men he had brought into prom thence. have long since been emFtie'' of their tenants and have again fallen under the sway of the families that oy tradition have the divine right 'o rule over the people of Europe. but the kings, of Sweden and Norway have pursued a life as tranquil as May morning.
 The house Of Bernadotte. that has ruled Sweden and Norway nearly century. was founded by Jean Baotiste Jules Bernadotte- one of Napoleon s best marshals. When Napoleon was unsetting most of the thrones of Eu rope, the crown prince of Sweden died, leaving no heir. The Swedes in 1Sl' close Marshal Bernadotte as their crown prince, hoping to gain Napol- cons friendship.
 But Bernadotte and the emperor were not on good terms, and soon af- terward Bernadotte headed the CO., alition of the powers that eventually led to the great conQueror's downfall.
 Norway then was a dependency of Denmark. In the re-arrangins O. Ia tions that followed Waterloo the union of Norway with Sweden was accom- plished through Bernadotte's efforts. It was a schame of dual mona chy, Norway firmly maintaining its posi- tion as an independent king l:n.
 Berradotte ascended tha thrones of both countries in 1SiS, and reigled un- t:I -S44 He was succeeded by his only sen. Oscar, who married Jnseobine. daughter of Eugene Beauharnais. step son of Napoleon. Charles XIV was the next king, and on his death in 1872 the throne fell to his brother Oscar. the present sovereign.
 According tJ the frs! paragraph Uf her own constitution and of the act of union, Norway is free, inie- pendent, indivisibIe and inalienable Kingdom, united with Sweden under one king
 The constitutions Of the two cUun- tries, each of which rests upon it's own fundamental laws, differ greatly from one another on important points.
 srx Sweden has a legislative assembly consisting of two chambers, the Nor wegian storthing is virtually q oHe- chamber institution.
 Both army and navy have been separate for each country. with only the king as a common commander-;n- chief. The governments have been separate also in government off ces, in courts of justice and in customs and finance. The two countries are sop arated by customs barriers for siwe- den has a protection policy anu Nor way is for free trade.
 The chief complaint every Norweg- ian makes against this dual arrange ment is that Norway is without for nal and constitutional organized in huence in the administering of the foreign policy of the two kingdoms. Foreign affairs have been in charge of the Swedish minister, and for years the Norwegians have made demands for CO., partnership in this part CT the government. The act of union failed to cover this point.
 For a number of years up to 1897 Norway was a free trade country. but a rising agrarian movement compelled the imposition of moderate tarin du- ties, chiefly on luxuries. Raw mate riaIs and haIf-manufactured articles are still admitted free. The principal articles taxed are sugar coffee, to- baccos, liquors. meat and cotton goods.