Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-05-10

sale Of mines, forests, and waterfalls
to limited foreign companies. The bill
is only temporary and new and
definite law dealing with the matter
will be passed before the storthing is
dissolved at the end of May. This
temporary law will be enforced In a
hurry. as the government has learned
that Spectators intend to sell forests,
mines and waterfalls to foreigners.
The permanent law will not prevent
foreigners from purchasing mines and
waterfalls, but will stipulate that part
Of the control must be in Norwegian
hands, in order that the natural riches
Of Norway shall not pass entirely into
the possession of foreign capitalists.
The wall will. therefore, prescribe
that at least half the capital Of min
ing and industrial companies shall be
Norwegian. In Industrial and mer
camille circles this measure is found 10
be too rigorous and it meets with
strong opposition. 1t is declared that
Norway has insufficient capital 10
utilize the mines and waterfalls, and
that great national industry cannot
be created without foreign can a..
The stipulation that half the capital
shall be Norwegian will practically
shut the door to foreign enterprise 1t
is supposed that the government will
modify the proposal, as the stOrthing
is unlikely to adopt it in its present
form"
The political separation Of Sweden
and Norway has resulted in the adop-
ton Of new tariff by the latter
country. The Norwegian tariff is
double maximum and minimum tariff,
on the French plan with the differ
ence that while in France the maxi
mum is the general and the minimum
only applies TO favored nations, in
Norway the minimum tariff is the gen.
eral and the maximum is applied only
to products of countries discriminating
against Norwegian imports.
They are going after the Mcrmons
in the neighboring of Trondhjem In a
determined fashion. Several of them
have already been fined by the police
for conducting illegal baptisms ana
communion services. One fine was for
500 crowns and two others for 80
crowns. The missionaries have refused
to pay the fines and formal court pro-
ceedings will therefore be commenced.
The matter is of some importance, as
1t affects the legal standing of the
Latter Day Saints in Norway.
An improved model of the Fidjeland
rifle was recently tested in the pres
ence Of King Haakon, the commanding
general Of the Norwegian army and
party of officers, including. the for
eign military attaches. 1t was pro-
nounced decided success. 1t fires on
a holder of five cartridges in five sec
onds and can be loaded so rapidly IS
to permit the firing of forty shots a
minute, which is almost FIVE times as
rapid as the present rifle in use in the
Norwegian army.
According to the Lofotposten, the
oldest man in Norway at present is
Mikal Nielsen Trostenaes. He lives
in Hammer. Norrland, and recently
celebrated his 102d birthday. As a
young man he arrived in Bergen, but
soon moved up to the mountains,
where he has lived care free life
in a little hut ever since. In spite Of
his advanced age he is still enjoying
excellent health and Is still capable of
planting and hoeing his own potatoes.
Christlania had visit few days
ago from the Chinese imperial commits
sion, which is making tour of the
world. 1t was by far the largest par
ty Of celestials which has ever visited
Norway and their presence In the city
attracted good deal Of attention.
Attempts at sugar beet culture will
be made in all parts of Smalene this
year. II sugar beets can be success
fully raised in this section of the
country sugar beet factory will be
erected there next fall.