The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-18
ICeland's Demand
Self.Government

The lcelanderS are demanding 4
union with Denmark, which practically
means independence, and this was the
object of the recent Danish visit OF
a large number of Icelandic statesmen
The lcelanders were all members of
the legislative body of the island, the
Alting, body which the Copenhagen
correspondent of the Nieuwe Rotter-
damsche (Rotterdam), considers we'll
worth extended notice. The corre-
spondent says in part:
The Icelandic Alting is probably
the oldest parliament in the world.
1t was founded by refugee Norsemen
in 929, and remained the judicial as
sembly OF the island for nearly 1000
years. In 1864 Iceland came under
Norwegian control, and about 1880 it
passed to Denmark, but the Alting re-
manned. Its powers, however, were
reduced at this time to those of a
mere judicial tribunal, and the sittings
were held each year on the Thing
weller in the open air. In 1914 an
end was put to even this semblance
Of jurisdiction-the Vienna congress
declared Norway Independent and also
ruled that Iceland was a portion of
Norway"
But the Icelanders were not con-
quered. and lin 1880 the struggle be-
gan for new Alting; another body
was actually formed about this time,
but it only had advisory powers"
The jurisdiction OF the assembly was
extended during the celebration Of
the one thousandth anniversary Tin
1870 of the colonization of Iceland,
and the Alting was given legislative
powers. although under the condition
that the Danish minister of justice be
the presiding officer" This continued
until 1904, when cabinet OF the
ieft gave Iceland constitution which
Is practically autonomous" The cor
respondent says that, lin the thirty
one years which have passed since
the new birth OF the Alting the Ice
landic assembly has done much for the
country. During this time more than
EDO new laws have been placed on the
statute books, schools have been built,
special branches OF university work
developed, and many other things have
been improved"
If Iceland is substantially independ-
ent and IL the people are prosperous
ana content, what Is the necessity for
the present agitation? The CORE
spndent OF the Courant asked this
very question of one of the members
OF the Alting. The answer was:
we now have our constitution and
we are temporarily content. We wish.
however, more in the future. But it
must be understood that the question
has nothing to do with matters which
concern Denmark and ourselves Joint
ly; for example, question of foreign
policy. military affairs, and so on.
what We demand, however, is to be
completely independent and to estab-
lish a personal union between Iceland
and Denmark-this is mere matter
OF Justice, and the very independence
Will be a strong bond OF union be-
tween the two countries. In other
words, We wish to provide for the well
rare OF our land ourselves, and that
we can do this is proved by the past.
Every lcelandic man and every Ice
landic woman who is worth anytime
VIII help in this work, and when some
thing goes wrong in our country we
Will have merely ourselves to blame.
Only under these conditions is it pos
slble to maintain peaceful relations
between Denmark and Iceland"
The Danish correspondent of the
Hamburger Nachrichten says that the
lcelanders demand the abolition of
the 1871 law by a mutual agreement
between Denmark and Iceland. In adj
iltlOn. Iceland must be included in the
Title of the Danish monarch, who shall
hereafter be called King of Denmark
md Iceland" The yearly appropria-
ion of 10000 crowns-made by Den
mark for Iceland but considered an
insult by the Icelanders-shall be ex-
.inguished by a lump appropriation
,f 100000 crowns, and the nomna-
ion of the Icelandic minister must be
by his predecessor and
lot as now by the Danish prime min
ster The demand is also made that
n future the Icelandic ministers only
consult the king and not the Dan
sh Staatsrat in reference to Icelandic
fairs. and the Icelandic supreme
curt must take the place of the Dam
sh supreme court"
In addition to political matters the