The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-08
NORWAY AMI SWEDEN.


rope Wednesday. June Z, 1905, marks
the beginning of a new era in the life
of the Scandinavian Peninsula. me
lstory recorded in the State Journals
dispatches yesterday from Christiania
and Stockholm means the awakening
of a nation after lying dormant for
centuries.
After having been joined with
lSweden in the Scandinavian Fedora
ton for nearly a hundred years, Nor
way on Wednesday declared the fed
Grafton at an end and took steps to-
ward an Independent government
This action was not surprise to
those who have been watching events
in Norway. but the world at large has
! been engrossed in the more stirring
events of the Far East and the in
| ternal affairs of Russia. and the reso-
luton of the Norwegian storthing on
Wednesday, declaring its independence
| of Sweden, was therefore something
of a shock.
It has thus far been a peaceful revo-
luton. and the good sense OF both the
Swedish and Norwegian people win
probably avert any bIoodshed, but the
event is none the less momentous.
The Morse are a sturdy people. For
generations in the early history of Eu-
rope they ruled the western seas. The
Morse sea kings were a terror to the
coasts of Britain and GauI. But as the
centuries rolled by the Dane arose and
ruled the Morse. For nearly three hum
dred years prior to the beginning of the
nineteenth century they were controlled
by Denmark, but the unrest in Europe
which eliminated in the French Revo-
luton had its effect on Norway, and in
1914 Denmark gave up the narrow strip
of land along the western coast of the
Scandinavian peninsula Russia step
ped in and turned Norway over to
Sweden, at that time ruled by Carl XIII.
But the Norwegians revolted and called
Christian, the crown prince of Denmark,
to the throne of Norway.
Swedish army was raised to in
wade Norway, but Bernadotte, at that
time crown prince of Sweden. the foun-
der of the present Swedish dynasty,
urged a union of Sweden and Norway
instead of a conquest of the latter by
Sweden. The Norwegians accepted this
proposal, remaining nation by them
selves, but dominated by Sweden.
That was the beginning of the feder-
alton which was dissolved Wednesday
by the Norwegian Storthing, or legis-
lature At its beginning Norway was
an impoverished people, with a. pOpula-
ton of little more than a million. Now
it has about double that number and
it has sent 100000 immigrants to the
United States. 1t has a national life
of it's own. which it did not have a
century ago.
While the Scandinavian nations have
many points in common, they also have
their points Of difference. The Nor
wegians are primarily a seafaring peo-
pie, while the Swedes are inclined to
/ agriculture. The former therefore de-
sire a policy of free trade. while the
latter wish protection. The Norwegians
desire to develop their commerce, and
they are hampered by the fact that
their consuls in foreign countries are
Swedes. For this reason they desire to
set up a government of their own, and
I this is one of the prime causes behind
/ the action of Wednesday.
King Oscar II, the present Swedish
sovereign, is one of wisest and best
of European monarchs, but he is 10th
to give his consent to a division of the
two Scandinavian peoples, believing,
/ doubtless, that in union there is
strength. The Storthing has invited
him to Cooperate with it in placing a
prince of the house of Bernadotte on
the Norwegian throne, but it is be-
! 1eVed he Will refuse. This invitation
is for King Oscar to make one of his
own sons king Of Norway, but the son
would have to give up his right to the
throne of Sweden.
The house of Bernadotte, of which
King Oscar is the head, came from
France. The first Bernadotte was one
of Napoleon's marshaIs, but as King
Carl XIII had no heir, the Swedish
people elected Bernadotte as their
crown prince. Bernadotte's loyalty to
his adopted country led him to on
pose Napoleon because the Iatter's
blockade OF Europe injured Swedish
commerce.
Bernadotte succeeded to the Swed-
ish throne In 1918, reigning until 1914.
when he was succeeded by his SON
OscarI. Oscar married a granddaugh-
ter of Josephine of France He ruled
until 1859 and was succeeded by his
oldest son Carl but the latter lived
only a short time, and upon his death
his brother, the present king, Oscar
II, assembled the throne
/ Kansas is considerably interested in
Oscar II. He is not only a good mon
arch, but he has taken a great interest
in his former subjects who have come
to America, particularly to those in
Kansas. The late Carl Swensson of
Lindsborg was a personal friend of
King Oscar, who decorated the dis
z tinguished Swedish with
= royal honors. King Oscar has also re-
membered Bethany college in a num-
Der of ways