The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-25
Correspondence of The Journal.


CEHOLM, Feb. 9.-Having
~ been away in England to follow
- the electoral campaign there,
it has been impossible for me to write
before now Of the political news here.
But, to speak the truth, nothing much |
has happened. Parliament was opened ,
as usual with the old-time pomp and
state, and the speech from the throne
read by King Oscar himself did not
contain much over the usual forecast OF
bills to be brought in by the new gov
eminent. Of course the dissolution of
the union was spoken Of in well-meas-
ured language. The coming franchise
bill was Of course the most prominent
feature. Such billion the lines Of
the one brought in by the liberal party
last year-will be placed before parha-
ment very early in the session and ASH
nave said in a previous letter, the
premier, Mr.. STAFF, has good hope OF
carrying it. The upper house. would
indeed be guilty of no little, reckless
ness if it threw 1t out, because the next
would be far more radical. In the
speech from the throne the king, speak
ing for the government, urges both the
extreme right and the extreme left (the
social democrats) to abstain from in.
sisting upon their ideals in this direc-
tion and take what is practical under
present circumstances. The debate
which followed, was to say tho least,
very tame in both houses. In fact it
was mostly beating in the air, general
ities with no practical political aim. :
The Royal Grants. "a. d
The only matter which was Of a sen
sational nature, altho the discussion
ran away in the sands, was the question
of the royal grants. After the disoiu
tion Of the union, the king and the
royal family have had their incomes
diminished the amount which came
from Norway. The present govern
ment had not asked for a corresponding
increase in the Swedish civil list, but
in connection with the budget said that
this was matter in which the parlia-
ment ought to take the initiative.
This gave cause to some bitter remarks.
It was. said that the STAFF cabinet,
while not daring for fear of their radi-
cal friends to make a proposal for
increasing the civil list, still wished to
express a desire for such q compensa-
tion to the king. ,fs
The most5pregnant remark made was,
since no part Of Norway grant was
spent in Sweden, and the necessity for
spending anything IN Norway being
gone, there is noEcause for an increased
grant. : s:ES i
New Alignment Of Parties. 81 *
At the same time it is remarkable
how the position Of the conservatives
towards the throne and its eceupier has
changed since last summer. The loyal
lists are no longer to be found among
those who formerly were always clamor
ing for support to the throne and who
sang loudest the praise of royalty
The peaceful attitude Of King Oscar
and his family, the position they tool
in the troubled days before the Karl
stad conference, has changed all that
Now the liberal and radical parties sup
port the throne against those who saw
their dreams Of a conquered Norway
shattered-thanks to the conduct o.
King Oscar, who did not wish to see the
evening Of his life clad in blood-rei
skies and both peoples over which h
had reigned ruined in body and soul fo
generations to come.
The c1auvinists had even gone so ia
that they planned a kind of boycott
on the celebration of the kings birth
day. A movement was set on foot try
ing to persuade officers and others t.
stay away from the court ball, wit
which the king IS birthday, the 21st o
January, is celebrated OF course i
did not succeed, but even the fact tina