Morris tribune., 1905-04-15
Items Of General Interest from
the Old World and
the New.
NORWAY SWEDEN DIFFERENCES
Interesting Article Concerning the
Feeling Anent the Question
Of Union.

| columns an interesting view OF how
the feeling anent the ''union difficult
| ties" manifests itself in Norway at
| present: "When Mr.. Bostrom COM
/ relied Mr.. Lagerheim, the chief pro-
moter of the consular negotiations, to
resign, it was declared that this IN
cident had nothing to do with the con-
sular affair. The king said to the Nor
wegian ministers that if Mr.. Bostrom
| would jeopardize the preliminary con-
sular treaty of March "a and Dec. 81,
| 1908, he would suspend him. Mr..
Bostrom did jeopardize the treaty by
putting forth conditions outside and
against the treaty as we'll as against
| the constitution Of Norway. The king
| had not courage enough to keep his
word, and instead Of suspending Mr..
Bostrom he suspended himself for
time, letting the crown prince try to
| settle the affairs when the consular ne
| gotations were broken off. The Nor
wegian government like whole Nor
way was deeply disappointed by the
| Swedish governmental breach Of word
and DR.. Hagerup, the prime minister,
declared to the storthing that there
was no hope Of coming to an under
| standing in the present union. 1t was
necessary to work for its replacement
by another form of cooperation be-
tween the two nations Meanwhile
the common feeling in the country and
in the storthing was for more concrete
action. During twelve years Norway
has fought for consular reform. 1t is
necessary for Norwegian commerce
and shipping that Norway shall have
it's own cOnsuls. The union treaty, the
'rigsakt' STIMULATES no joint consular
service, the Norwegian constitution ON
the contrary plainly implies it's own
consuls, and the negotiations now have
shown that a separate consular service
can without difficulty be practically ar
ranged even under the present system
for handling the foreign affairs by
Swedish minister. The general opin-
ion therefore is, that Norway ought not
to drop this affair and take up a new
one including the whole union. In the
consular affair Norway is in it's full
rights, as will be understood by all
nations when it proceeds to carry out
the consular reform by it's own reso-
luton, even against the will Of
Sweden, which has no union right Or
any other right to impede. If Sweden
likes to have the union broken over
this affair, then let it have it's will and
let it take the responsibility; Norway
only wants to have its constitutional
rights within the union. Such are the
general views of the situation. The
Hagerup ministry took no steps for &C
ton and formed no plans for any, it's
members not agreeing on whether they
should take up the consular affair
alone or the union question on the
broadcast basis. The documents from
the negotiations were submitted to
stOrthing committee for ton,
but it was an awkward situation, as
there no longer was any leading minis
try which in full inner agreement
could guide the committee and the
storthing as to the political course to
be taken AS the general opinion was
and is that this course must go in the
consular direction, the two ministers,
Nicholson and Tchoning, who were for
this course. brought on the resignation
of the whole ministry. The crown
prince regent accepted the resignation
but viii not form a new ministry be-
fore he has seen to what conclusion
the stOrthn@ committee will come He
has sent letter to the committee,
against the counsel of the ministers
and outside the constitutional forms,
in which letter ne shows himself as a
Bostrom partisan. His letter has
caused that the opinion still! more than
before adheres to the consular action.
There is only some difficulty in the
general opinion as to whether the
storthing should take the contingent
union crisis Immediately by consular
vote once for all, or vote Il law ON
which the crown can use it's suSpensiye
veto for five years when the law will
be valid in spite Of the veto. It is
possible that the committee will take
a middle way and propose fixed date,
in order to let the crown make it's de-
cision"
Thousands of Danish-Americans in
Guiding many children, celebrated the
centennial anniversary Of the birth Of
Hans Christian Andersen, writer Of
fairy stories, in Lincoln park: Chica-
go. The statue of Andersen, who was
eulogized as "the story teller for chill
dren," was covered with wreaths.
Among the tributes was one from the
queen of England, read by Miss Maria
l.. Sheddock of London, Eng The
Rev. E. A. White said Andersen NO
longer could be confined to one nation,
hut. like SHAKESPEARE, belonged to all
peoples He said: "He was not born
OF princely blood. nor Of the lineage
that commands and rules. He came Of
the princeiy line Of those who strug-
gle and succeed. He did not write OF
knights and ladies' He wrote only OF
the commonplace things-the things
hat nd - h hi