The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-18

minister. In the hurry last autumn to
get the crisis wound up by the election
Of king, this important question, tho
not overlooked by the liberals, had to
be postponed, but once raised, it will
certainly not be dropped until it is car
ried.
Position Of the Ministry.
Besides the electioneering program
there is another question on which pub
lie opinion has lately differed in no
small degree. This question concerns
the ministry itself. When Mr.. Michel
sen IS administration was formed, nearly
twelve months ago, it was formed by
men Of all parties except the socialists
on the all-absorbing program to carry
thru at any cost the consular service
question in which the whole nation
agreed. On June 7 the government got
unanimous vote of confidence by the
storthing, which entrusted it with the
leading Of the state in the place Of the
deposed king after the dissolution of
the union with Sweden. On the ascen-
sion to the throne of King Haakon, Mr..
Nicholson g administration again be-
came parliamentary government in
the ordinary sense of the word. The
great time had passed with its lofty
sentiments and it's rallying events. Be-
| fore them lay the prospects of par
liamentary season which cannot avoid
| to be barren of political interest. The
question then rose: Which is the posi-
ton Of the ministry7 Do its members
consider their work as ended or do
they prefer to take the risk Of the
coming elections7
The president Of the Bergen Liberal
association considered it his duty at
the liberal party meeting to address
this question to the liberal members Of
the present administration-Mr. Loev-
land, the foreign minister, Mr.. Arc
lander, minister of commerce, and Mr..
Bothner, minister of justice. The two
forl-er ministers replied to the effect
that the liberal faction Of the govern
ment found it their duty to remain in
Office until after the final settlement of
all questions in connection with the dis
solution of the union. Couched in other
phrases this means that the three gen.
tlemen will remain in office until after
the establishment of the important
branch of our public administration en-
bracing the foreign office service, which
is now being worked out in detail, and
which will be discussed in the storthing
at no distant date. AS for the premier
himself, it IS generally confirmed that
he has promised the king to remain in
Office until after the coronation, which
is likely to take place at the end Of
June.
To foreigners it may seem curious
that ministry in close touch with the
nation will break up like this immedi
ately before the elections, but it ough
to be borne in mind that in Norway
ministers in Office are not eligible and
} that as a consequence the iloeral frac
} ton of the ministry, in case Of a con
servative victory, which seems at pres
emit the most probable eventuality, vii
be excluded from our public life fol
the next three years.
Finally, there is another argument
in favor Of the liberal members Of tn,
government leaving the ministry befor,
, the elections. The liberals want t,
keep the 9th Of June govern
ment' outside the conflicts of an ordi
, nary election campaign, and hand it
3 memory down to posterity as nationa
l standard to fly over the best aspira
: tions of the Norwegian people in day
4 | to come.