The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-12-13

the funeral Of King Oscar, who died
Sunday morning at the age OF rs, are
under way. The whole nation is in
mourning. Stockholln's streets are
almost deserted and most of the
succession to the throne Of Sweden
now passes to Oscar Gustave
Adolphe, duke of verland. the Oldest
son of the late king. At a meeting of
h council of state Sunday afternoon
the new king took the oath Of allegiance
under the title of Gustave ", and
adopted the motto, with the people,
for, the fatherland."
The last hours Of the expiring mon
arch were passed In Inconsistencies,
and up to the end he gave no sign
of recognizing those about him. The
queen was grief stricken because he
could not bid her farewell and she is
In a serious condition.
A Lover Of Peace.
Oscar H., fourth Of the Bernadottes
who have ruled Sweden, and a mon
arch as sincerely beloved by his people
as any of modern times has crossed the
bar. That great marshal Of Napoleon
who, When onc he found himself as
sured of the northern throne, found 1t
enemies Of his old master, was the only
one of the Napoleonic brood of new
made monarchs that was able to found
an enduring dynasty. He transmitted
to his grandson, the dead king, the
Bernadotte capacity for statecraft, but
Oscar was ever a lover Of peace. The
thought of bloodshed and war was alb
horrent to him always, and it was the
desire closest to his heart to bring his
long n prosperous reign to q close
without the disgrace Of one smirch of
blood across 1t.
In Crisis Of 1905.
The first Bernadotte secured Norway
for his appanage by invading and
been delivered into his hands by Eu-
rope. Yet he took counsel of HIS bet
ter self and granted 1t the Eidsvold con-
stitution. The fourth Bernadotte per.
mitted Norway to go her way again,
more in sorrow than in anger. He
raised no hand to prevent what he
thought an illegal and unconstitutional
act. He permitted no member of his
family to countenance the ak that
was rife Of belligerent reprisal. He
caused it to be known that no matter
what might betide In that tense crisis
of 1905. he would never consent to wal
unless Sweden was attacked. The un.
ion, he declared, was not worth the
blood n treasure that would AVE
to be expended IL 1t were to be saved
ny war. once DeIOre, IN 1895, he had
with firm hand put down a war part,
that had arisen. led by his own son
who now succeeds him. Gustaf wa:
young and h%otblooded then and he
wanted tc lead Swedish soldiers to thu
gates of Christiania to settle the crisi.
then impending. Immediate trouble
was averted. but for ten years the con.
i%troversy between the sister countrie.
continued. until the Norwegian.
brought it to a sudden head in June
1905.
There were many other forces 70,
peace that summer in Sweden, beside,
the king. The socialistic workingmen',
organizations had made a solemn vow
that they would not bear arms agains
their Norwegian brethren, and that i
necessary to tie the hands of the gov
eminent they would declare a Krea
strike.
The cautious and conservative peas
ant party. too, had made up it's min,
not. to be hurried into war. But ther
was In military n aristocratic circle
a strong desire to punish Norway.
and II this lingo policy had been SUP
ported by the king, war would hay
been almost inevitable. 1t is, there
fore. no exaggeration Of the facts L
attribute h peaceful solution Of tn
union crisis. first and foremost OF al
Swedes, to King Oscar.
Oscar was a man of fine qualities
Born a third son, his royal destiny wa