Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-01-31

quently seen in civilian clothes and a
derby hat walking or riding in the
streets of Christiana. He is fine,
intelligent-looking young man, erect
and perhaps six feet tall, rather thin
in flesh and about 35 years old, mod
est, affable and democratic. One sell
dom converses with Norwegian here,
who, upon learning that you are a
foreigner, does not in course uf his re-
marks refer to the new King with an
apparent air of national pride, which
is quite pardonable, after 400 years Of
no chief executive whom they could
call their own. A country loses much,
yes, very much, when it loses its in
dependence.
The writer wohld inquire why they
called him Haakon and why they
could not have given him more eu-
phonious name, when they would
answer that it sounded good to them;
besides that, the Haakons reminded
them Of the time when Norway was a
world power and "bloomed'' as they
call it, long ago. One Of their Haa-
kons was offered the title of Roman
emperor by the Pope and held many
territorial possessions including Ire
land, by vassal King.
The writer would, also, inquire,
why, when they were making a change
that they did not make Norway re-
public when they would answer that
they did not believe in the frequent
presidential elections and that the
consequent tearing up Of things every
few years would be disastrous to the
poor, debt-burdened country like Nor
way; that they desire to work out
their own destiny in peace and do not
wish too many Statemen and dema-
godisms developed, which frequent
elections would be certain to breed;
besides they expressed themselves not
entirely convinced that as chief ex-
etutive, an impartial King, always
bound to follow the wishes Of the ma
jority, was cot preferable to party
president anyway, as long as they, the
Norwegian people, as electors, really
held the power just as much as in a
republic.
Queen Maud is also quite popular
and SO, of course, is the little four
year old Prince Olaf. The picture of
the royal group seems exhibited for
sale everywhere one goes, In stores,
hotels and cafes and is, also, said to
adorn the walls of most homes.
In commerce, the balance Ut trade
is always against Norway, in other
words, they buy about one hundred
million kroner more than they sell
every year; which would naturally
mean that they would 20 "butsted" :"
entirely, but the earnings from the
shipping business more than offset
this balance. Norway has namely: A
merchant marine of 7,267 ships aggre-
eating one and half million in tom
mage, SO by being packhorse on the
water, it manages to pay its bills and
the country seems prosperous though
in a country where wages are low and
chances to save are nleagre and where
the young emigrate and leave the old
behind, and the sea each year claims
many lives and makes many widows
and orphan children, there is yet an
undesirable percentage of pauperism
or dependents for public support.
The number of persons who received
relief last year numbered $4,000 which
was provided mostly by local taxation.
This system is now, however, going
to be changed and a general compul-
sorry national life insurance scheme
put in vogue, to entirely wipe out the
poor-house proposition and remove
the humiliating stigma attached to
the receiving of public support, when
anyone is unfortunate enough to be so
situated, as to require public relief.
The scheme has been thought of
and worked upon for years and dur