The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-09

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with foreign Powers, which previously
had been made for the two countries
oonjointly, had to be transformed into
separate and different agreements. The
necessity Of conforming TO these distinct
agreements made a joint Consul's posi-
ton one Of great delicacy and difficulty
He often found himself reduted TO the
alternative Of doing nothing at all, or Of
forwarding the one lands interests at
the expense Of the others Commercial
rivalry became sharpened in the 'oos
in consequence Of Swedens repudiat-
ing the previously existing arrangement
with Norway which bad allowed trade
between the two countries 10 be carried
on more or less duty free. The two
kingdoms, being now forced more and
more to seek foreign markets for their
goods, came OF course more acutely
than ever into competition. Under the
circumstances, the desire for a separate
Norwegian Consular service naturally
arose, and took definite shape after the
alteration in 1855 Of the Swedish 4Grund-
low or Constitution, whereby the e1-
elusive control of foreign affairs, includ-
ing the appointment Of Consuls, was
transferred from the King who hitherto
had been at liberty to place, II he chose,
a Norwegian at the bead Of the Foreign
Office, 10 a Swedish Foreign Minister
responsible TO the Swedish Parliament
alone. 1t is not Norway, therefore, but
Sweden that has given the offence lead
ing to the III feeling that now exists be-
tween the two countries.
Norway's demand for q separate Con-
sular service has been a factor In practical
politics since 1891. On this question all
Norwegian parties are united, and the
Democratic party goes 20 far as TO insist
that Norway should have its own Foreign
Office. The Swedes, on their part, main
tanned for time that the appointment OF
Consuls was inseparable from the man
agement OF foreign affairs, but in 1902
committee named at the instance Of
Sweden, but representing both countries
unanimously reported that It was posi-
BILE to appoint separate Norwegian Con-
suls responsible solely to Norwegian au-
thorities and separate Swedish Consuls
responsible solely to Swedish authorities
II was the committees conviction that
the Swedish Foreign Minister should
cease to give any instructions respecting
Norwegian Consular affairs, except SO
far as the Consul's status should be con-
cerned. Upon this report negotiations
between the two Governments took
place, and resulted in a preliminary
agreement, signed on March "a, 1908,
that separate Consular services should
be established for Norway and Sweden.
On Dec. p Of the same year the prelim-
mary agreement was placed before the
two Governments; il was unanimously
adopted, and was signed by the King
as a joint resolution. In pursuance
thereof the two Governments cove
nanted that each should forthwith pro-
coed TO work out it's own plans for sepa-
rate services. Norway set 10 work at
once, and is ready, whereas, on one pre-
text or another, Sweden has omitted to
take any definite step in that direction.
The result is that Norway still lacks the
separate Consuls to which Sweden has
acknowledged her TO be entitled. 20
Mr.. HANSEN, for his part, denies that
his oountrymen wish to break the union
Of the two Scandinavian countries, but
they are determined. he says, to have
their rights. II denial Of those rights
leads to the rupture of the union Sweden
will have only herself to blame.