The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-12-12

Stockholm, Dec. Interpretations for
the funeral of King Oscar, who died
Sunday morning at the age of Is, are
under way. The whole nation is In
mourning. Stockholm's streets are
almost deserted and most of the
business places are closed. 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
the council of state Sunday afternoon
the new king ook the oath of allegiance
under the title Of Gustave w., 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 INC he ave 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 o
arch as sincerely beloved by his people
as any of modern times has crossed the
bar. That great marshal Of Napoleon
who, when M he found himself as
Sured Of the northern throne, found 1t
eXpedient to make common cause of the
enemies of his old master, was the only
one Oh the NapOleOnlC DrOOu 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
not the Bernadotte fighting spirit. For
Oscar was yer a lover of peace. The
thought of bloodshed and war was alb
horrent to him always, and 1t was the
desire closest to his heart to bring his
long and prosperous reign to a close
without the disgrace Of n smirch Of
blood across 1t.
In Crisis of 1905.
The first Bernadotte secured Norway
for his appanage by invading and
threatening the country, after 1t had
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-
United Norway to go her way again,
more in sorrow thar 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 talk that
was rife Of belligerent reprisal. He
caused 1t to be known that no matter
what might betide in that tense crisis
Of 1905, he would eve consent to war
unless Sweden was attacked. The un-
ion, he declared, was not worth the
blood and treasure that would have
10 De expended II 1t were to be saved
by a Once before, in 1896, he had
with firm hand put down a war party
that had arisen, led by his w son,
who now succeeds him. Gustaf was
young and hotblooded then and he
wanted to lead Swedish soldiers to the
gates Of Christiania to settle the crisis
then impending. Immediate trouble
was averted, but for ten years the con-
troversy between the sister countries
continued, until the Norwegtans
brought 1t to a sudden head in June,
1905.
There were many other forces for
peace that summer in Sweden, besides
the king. The socialistic workingmen's
organizations had made a solemn VOW
that they would not bear arms against
their Norwegian brethren, and that If
necessary to tie the hands of the gov-
eminent they would declare a great
strike.
The cautious and conservative peas
ant party, too, had made UP it's mind
not to be hurried into war. But there
was In military and aristocratic circles
a strong desire to punish Norway
and II this lingo policy had been sup
ported by the king, war would have
been almost inevitable. It is, there
fore, no eXaggeration Of the facts to
attribute the peaceful solution of the
union crisis, first and foremost of ali
Swedes. to King Oscar.
Oscar was a man Of fine qualities,
Born a third son, his royal destiny was