The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-21

bOlClJuuc tilc IuCO 10 Dup ViiO
observation of the sun gods rays by
cloud or his daily setting. His spring"
is the sea and the rivers from which he
draws water.
Norweglans Unanimous for Inde.
pcndence.
II there has been any doubt in any
quarter concerning the disposition of
the Norwegian people to sanction the
declaration of independence made by
their national assembly it is no longer
tenable in view of the outcome Of the
referendum taken on Sunday, Aug. 10.
Out OF 100000 voters ses, 1874 went to the
ballot box, and according to the final
returns only one person in every two
thousand voted against the dissolution
of the union with Sweden. In view of
the course pursued by the Swedish Riks-
dag at its recent session we may now
probably take for granted that Norway's
right to secede will be recognized on
certain conditions easily fulfilled.
1t will be remembered that after the
rejection Of the Government bill defin-
ing terms Of settlement with Norway
and the consequent resignation OF the
Swedish Ministry the two houses OF the
deal with the question. The report Of
this committee, which was adopted by
both chambers, declared that the Riks-
dag would enter upon negotiations with
the Storthing for the dissolution Of the
dual monarchy in case the last men
toned body's declaration Of independ-
enoe should be ratified by plebiscite
To this preliminary condition the Nor
wegian Parliament at once assented,
and as the question put to the voters
on Sunday was answered with an aston
ishing approach to unanimity it will be
impracticable for any political party in
Sweden to find pretext for an attempt
to apply coercion to Norway.
We presume, therefore, that delegates
Of the two countries will presently meet
and agree upon the terms on which the
union will be dissolved. The four con-
ditions formulated by the Riksdag were
the following: First, the establishment
of a zone on each side Of the line sepa-
rating the kingdoms, within which zone
the existing Notifications shall be razed
and new Notifications prohibited; Sec
ondly, the right Of pasturing reindeer
belonging to Swedish Laplanders in
north Norway; thirdly, reciprocal
guarantee that the transit trade
through both countries shall be unmo-
Tested by vexatious regulations, and
lastly, such a modification OF the treaty
relations Of the dual monarchy with
foreign Powers as shall relieve Sweden
from responsibility for Norway to other
States With the exception of senti-
mental objection to the destruction of
an historical fortress there Is no reason
why Norway should not feel willing to
accept these terms.
1t will be observed that the secession
of Norway differed in two vital particu-
lars from that organized in some OF
our Southern States in 1S80-8l. In our
Northern States the existence Of right
OF secession, once asserted by the en-
gineers OF the Hartford convention, had
come to be denied by a majority OF the
voters. In Sweden, on the other hand,
it is not disputed that the Act of Union
between the two kingdoms was dssoh-
bic at the will Of either party, 80 that,
properly speaking, we can hardly de-
nominate Norway's declaration Of in
dependence as secession" much less
a revolution" The Norwegians them
selves compare it with the denunciation
Of treaty, though they admit that GER
tain equities which the Swedish Parla-
ment has formulated in the conditions
above named ought to be considered.
Another point Of difference in the case
of the Southern Confederacy is that II
no act of war had been committed in
Charleston harbor. and IL the ordinance
of secession passed by State conven-
tions had been submitted to popular
vote, a considerable minority of the
voters would have protested against it,
even in South Carolina, and it is prob
able that an actual majority against it
would have been recorded in Virginia,
North Carolina and Georgia. If, on the
other hand, plebiscite had been taken
Dixon's line, and the people of those
commonweaiths had pronounced for
secession with anything like the una
nimity evinced in favor of Norway's
independence, it is probable that no
attempt would have been made by the
Northern States to uphold the Union by
force.
We may now look upon an amicable
separation OF the hitherto united Scam
dinavian Kingdoms as assured, and there
is growing belief that the Storthing's
original request that King OSCAR II.
would designate one Of his sons for the
Norwegian throne will after all be ac-
cepted. This solution Of the problem
is said to have been advocated by EN-
peror WILlIAAein his recent conference
80,