The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-12
POWER IN SWEDEN !
GOES TO LIBERALS
New Cabinet Marks Transition
Premier STAFF Expected to Eff
g..
fectuate Electoral Reform.
special Cable to The Journal,


Stockholm, Sweden, Nov. 11.-The
recent cabinet change in Sweden marks
the transition of power from the con
servative to the liberal party. The
coalition cabinet, headed by Lunde-
berg, was organized solely to bring
about an honorable and amlcable set
tlement with Norway. 1t accomplished
the task, and did it well, and when 1t
retired two weeks ago it was the re-
suit of preconccrted action to which
several of the ministers had openly
pledged themselves when they accepted
their portfolios. .
Among the latter was Karl Staff,
whom the king asked to form the new
cabinet. He stood we'll to the fore in
the so-called liberal coalition party,
which scored a decisive victory in the
September elections, making net gain
of twenty-one seats in the lower house
Of the riksdag.
Proportionalism Is Dead.
Both parties stood for electoral re-
form, the issue between them being
merely a question of the system to be
adopted. whether straight majority
or proportional elections, giving repre-
sentation to all parties in the ratio of
their numerical strength. This pet
idea of the conservatives was submit
ted to the last riksdag in the form Of
government bill, but failed to pass and
was then referred back for further
elaboration. The measure is now prac-
som estrength in the upper house, it is
doomed to failure in the reconstructed
lower chamber. Here the parties line
up as followso -, ,~ ,'~
Left or liberals, 112; right or con-
servaaives, 1o1; socialists, IA. But a
number of the conservatives will vote
with the liberals and socialists against
proportionalism, leaving at the very
highest eighty eight votes in favor Of
that measure, with the remaining 142
votes against it.
The new ministry is expected to
bring about the electoral reform en-
phatically indicated by the recent cleo
tiOn.
New Premier Means Business.
The now premier is a. man of deter
mination and Of fxity Of purpose. AS
an extremist among the liberals, he
stands very close to the socialist wing
of that party, and may be depended
on to muster the solid support of these
two allies for measure letting down
the bars and giving to the Swedish
people popular suffrage in a wide sense,
with but few restrictions.
This is the first time that King
Oscar has summoned the majority of
his councillors Of state from the liberal
party. All indications, are that there
was no sinister motive, but that the
king is determined to render every as
slstance in carrying out the policy of
reform: The men selected are not set
up around the kingpin merely to be
knocked down.
Nobility Is Sidetracked.
They are vounp over-zea1ous and
representative to a degree of Sweden s
average citizenship. The predominance
of plain citizens, as against the nobil-
lty, in the new state council is matter
of note.
Premier Carl Staaff, the liberal leader
and of the, department. of Justice, is
45 years old. He is a lawyer of reputC
in Stockholm, and for eight years has
represented one Of it's districts in the
lower house. His prominence in his
party gave him place on the commit
tee Of the dissolution of the union with
Norway, and later seat in tho Lunde
berg cabinet.
Of the other holdover ministers, L
II. Tungsten, Sweden s best strategist
retains the war portfolio, while J. E
Bieset remains at the head Of the de
partment of finance.
The new men are Eric Tolle, wh(
assumes command Oh Cne foreign re
lations at the age of 46, having hell
several foreign positions; J. W. L. Sid
ner, whose position as the head of tn
naval academy assures his effcienc'
as minister of marine; Professor Fritiu,
Berg, an educator Of national promi
nence, who assumes the portfolio O
education; P. A. '. Schotte, minister O
the interior, and Gustav Tamm, ministe
of agriculture.
The fact that the nremier ASSUME q
two portfolios leaves three instead 0
two of the kings councillors withou
any government departments.