The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-09-25

mont toward tho islands and ..
approached stockholm from the Baltic
@1a left IL r-rough thu lakes. Ne @.N 4
great many summer cottages and
watched the GOATS carrying .aeir
Car-oe~ Of passengers 10 and fro
S0 eGeu.s lakes are so numerous and
~ large that about eight rer cent u
her entire area X given up - these ia-
tsrnal waterways. and they probably
account for the fact that her people
had "a large domestic M be-
fore the era OF railroads These axes
are 50 situated that by connecting
them by canals water transit aas been
secured between Stockholm on thu
cast coast and Gothenbnrg OH th~
west. The boat trip through -leS"
lakes and canals is one Of the most
pleasant to b. found in Europe.
The SWedes who have come IL the
United states are such excellent
arIners that | was surprised To- fiud
but y Der cent. 81 tae area OF @We-
den devote - agriculture and 81 per
cent. described as woodland. Only %
per cent Of the population is now N
gagged in farming, the proportion hav-
ing fallen from - per cent. since 1870.
while the proportion engaged in other
cent.
LAUNDERING, fishing. and saipping
each gives employment to a .argc
number of men. and iron mining long
q l'dLiIIS illlliSiIN ', II sun IlllIDI ANT,
although, owing TO the development
Of mines elsewhere, sweden now fur
"ishes but one per cent. of the entire
output OF ore. as against ten per cent
in the eighteenth century. The fact
that she had such an abundant sup
ply of the raw material early gave her
a conspicuous place in iron manufac-
lures. and to familiarity with this
metal may be due the fact that SWe-
den was quick to TAX e~advantage Of
the railroad. the telegraph. and the
telephone. In electrical appliances
she now claims second place among
the nations. a large use has also
been made Of the water power Will
which the country abounds. notably at
N~orrkoping. where All Industrial eX-
position is now in progress.
We spent q day at this exposition
for the urpOse Of gathering informa-
ton in regard to Industrial sweden.
While the agricultural display was not
ready, the exhibit Of the products Of
the factory was exceedingly Interest,"
ing. The articles shown included
metal work Of all kinds and varieties.
from heavy machinery to parlor orna-
ments. In one section came fruits
were displayed. in another great rolIs
Of Iinoleum and oilcIoth, n in still
another textile fabrics. The cIota
was especially worthy of notice. be
ing Of superior quality and of every
shade of color. There was also 3
comDlete assortment Of dairy nipple
ments and farm tools. so skiiIful
is the Swedish artisan that the Inter-
national Harvester Company has re
Gently established d branch factory at
Norrkoping. and with the aid Of
American foremen is preparing to
manufacture reapers and mowers
there, not only for Sweden. but for
northern Europe.
In addition to the machine made
exhibits. there were specimens of the
handiWork Of peasants and Students. :
These included many varieties Of nee
die work, wood carving and decorator.
on leather and bark. Peasant girls in
native costume presided over thea,
displays and gave the visitor a glimpse
Of the picturesque garb now fast dis
appearing before -rosaic dress of the
cities. At Skanscn, i'm the suburbs of
Stockholm, II at a few Of the enter
prisins stores this quaint costume may
still be seen, but it is not generally
worn now even in the country.
There is a gallery at Norrkoping
exposition where IL may see a col
lection of Swedish and Danish art,
the pictures not onIv portraying tha
familiar features and faxen hair OF
the north. but recalling the lOngh
and the winter scenes Of that
latitude.
SWeden is a pioneer in the mat
ter Of universal education and has ut
CppsaIa a state university founded in
l4II-15 years before Columbus sailed
for America. She has also had a col
lege of medicine for more than a hun
dred years, and her sons rave taken
high rank in all the departlncntS of
science Her grammar schools run
back to the time of GustaVOs AdOlph-
US, and her common school system is
almost as old She has given to the
world, among other things. the Sloy I
system Of teaching. which combines
M "a n I u I Jl n or y1-if h no 81 .-,a- ]
ton. Sweden has Shown by her
prominence in literature. science. art.
and music hat the higher attitudes
do not chill the imagination or repres.
genius, and yet the country is even
more noted for the high average -
Intelligence among the people than
for the extraordinary accomplish
ments of a few.
The Swedish language contain 80
many words that resemble the Eng
liSh that the Swedish newspaper looks
much more familiar han the Greek or
the Russian. but it is not always safa
to rely upon the similarity III spelling. |
For instance rum" means room. and
when 1t appears in Il window or on a
door. it is only an innocent announces
ment that travellers can find accom-
within. The word. bad
means bath. and bad Rum" there
fore, is a familiar sign in hotels,
oWeOef mas her political problems.
Ill all the other nations. and just
now her people are absorbed in the
question of extending the suffrage.
The upper house is an ariStOcTatiC |
body composed of representatives OF
the Weather classes. In electing
members of this body a rich mans
vote count for more than q poor
mans vote, it being possible for the
richest person to have about ten times
as many votes as the poorest. As
might he expected. the upperhOuSe
is conservative and tands i'm the Wav
Of some Of the reforms proposed by
the more popular branch.
The last MINISTRY was a liberal one. |
but resigned when the upper house
defeated the measure for the extan-
sion of the suffrage. The new minis
try has at its head Mr.. dina a
business man who represents the /
commercial and conservative element. /
and his party is willing to accept an
extension OF The franchise provided it
is coupled With minority representa-
ton, the aim being 10 fncro,.o the