Morris tribune., 1906-09-15


fee holders to speak the vernacular
or .peasant language. There has been
much trouble anent the language ques-
ton in Norway during recent years,
there being hard struggle to drive
cut the Danish language, which be-
came the official language and the
polite speech in the period preceding
1914, when Norway was under the
Danish royal house. Since then most
of the books published by Norwegian
authors have been in the Danish lam
guage, and nearly all of the newspa-
pers have used the same language.
Some fifty years ago 1yar Aasen, the
great philologist, and Aasmund Olaf
son Vinse began movement to sub
stitute the peasant language Of the
country, but their efforts were only
partly successful. Ibsen, Bjornson,
Jonas Lie, Alexander Kjelland chung
to the Danish tongue, though Bjornson
and Ibsen modified it somewhat, CIV
ing it a Norwegian flavor. The work
of Aasen and Vinje in behalf Of the
peasant speech was continued by Arne
lesser note as writer's, but the opposi-
ton of Ibsen and Bjornson to their
program was too strong to overcome.
Now, however, when Norway has be-
come independent, when Ibsen is dead,
when Biornson is growing old and
feeble, the tide seems to have turned
and as SOON as the law is passed COM
polling an examination, the dialect
speech will become not only the of
fetal language, but also the literary
language.
The parliamentary elections in Nor
stance, but of 1913 districts there are
siXty-seven in which new elections
must be held and three in which re-
elections have already been held, be-
cause no candidate received half the
votes cast. Of those elected twenty
one belong to the party of the right,
seventeen to the party of the left,
seven are socialists and four are la
Dor democrats, while seven were NOM
mated by both the left and right. It
is not likely that the organized op-
position to the cabinet will succeed in
oyerthrowing Premier Nicholson when
all the final results are known, as
are friendly to the cabinet. The
elections show that there is great con-
fusion as to party lines. These were
broken down to a great extent by the
event of 1905 and it is therefore diff
fcult to classify some of the newly
elected members of the storthing.
The recent meat inspections in the
various packing plants in America
'ops not seem to have in any way in
ed the export business, but has in
stead raised the price on pork 20 per
cent. There is some kicking of course,
but it is now reported that better pork
is being imported from America.
O. Rosholm has founded a legacy
of $4,000 crowns for poor children and
workingmen in Norderhov. Mr.. ROs-
exporting firm and has on many oc-
casions donated large sums of money
to institutions Of charity.
A delegation from Scotland's legs-
latiye committee has during the past
two weeks visited Norway in the in
terests of temperance. There were
twenty persons in the delegation.
DR.. G. A. Hansen, of Bergen, is
mentioned as candidate for the
Nobel prize for medicine DR.. Hansen
iS rooordo6 as ono of tho ah1oct nhv.
sicians in Norway.
The Chinese government will, dur
ing the coming year, engage several
instructors for the Chinese army. The
officers have been offered handsome
salaries
Professor Odland has joined the Sal
walton Army i'll Christiania and latest
reports have it that he will become a
captain in the "army."