The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-08

for its own territory. subject to royal veto.
Both we're represented in the Cabinet.
From the very first Norway was indie
pendent and sullen. A strong liberal party
arose, in which there grew up an under
current OF sentiment for independence
As the Nationalists in Ireland have tried
to create national feeling by encouraging
the study OF Celtic, so certain liberals tried
to make literary language OF the Morse
dialect by the peasants, modified Danish
being the official and literary tongue Of
Norway. Norwegian legislation has al
WAYS been more liberal than that Of Sweden.
Norway had constitutional government
from the hrst. Sweden gained it's full con-
stitution only in 1850. In Norway all adult
males and all adult females having an in
come of more than 800 kroner are voters.
In Sweden the franchise is so limited by
property qualifications that the proportion
OF electors lie small.
The fight was carried on in the last half
Of the nineteenth century over several
minor issues. The Norwegians. through
their liberal majority, again and again
refused to vote adequate funds for the army
and navy. They tried to replace the regu-
lar military establishment by a militia on
which they could depend in case Of actual
separation. Failing in this, they opened,
in 1880, the agitation for separate Minister
OF Foreign Affairs for Norway, with sepa-
rate consular service. They had some
reason above the general desire to create
friction, for Norway is free trade country
and Sweden has protection.
Oscar H.. the present King, called the
ablest crowned ruler of Europe, has had his
hands full with the Norwegians. He
managed to keep the peace until this year
when, during an abdication made necessary
by his age and illness, the Norwegian
Storthing passed the bill creating a sepa-
rate 90 nsular service. The Kingireturned to
his throne. The Norwegian Council Of Min
listers presented the bill for is signature.
He vetoed It, as he was expected to do.
The Minister'S resigned, as they were ex-
pected to do. The King asked them to re-
consider. making it plain that there was no
immediate way OF forming a new Ministry.
They refused. Neither would they sign
a protocol of the proceedings; and this
refusal. by the peculiar constitution of
Sweden and Norway, made the Kings veto
void. At this point in the affair all Scandi-
navia understood that the break had praoti-
cally come. The action Of yesterday was
little more than Formally.
Norwegians of New York rather incline
to the opinion that in asking for "a Prince
of the house Of Bernadotte" the Norwegians
have their eye on Oscar, the Kings second
son, who had to renounce his right to the
dual throne when he married for love a
oommoner. a woman Of patrician though
not of noble blood. He has always been
popular in both kingdoms.
Bernadotte married a descendant Of the
old Swedish dynasty, who had also strain
of old Norwegian royalty in her veins.
The children Of Oscar and his wife thus
unite three royal lines with plain Scanda-
navian. This and the poetic justice of
giving a crown to a man who renounced
a crown for love is said to appeal to the
literary men and sentimentalists, who are
strong in the Norwegian movement for
separation.