The Washington herald., 1908-07-12
ICELAND IS PROGRESSIVE.
Cold but Thrifty Land VIII soon
Become "a Stute.

From the St. Paul Pioneer Press
Iceland, which soon Is TO become an In
dependent state in the United Danish En-
pire. furnishes a remarkable example OF
the effect the climate and conditions have
upon mankind. During a thousand years
Iceland. a cold, uninviung. and al but
sterile island in The North Atlantic Ocean.
has been an outpost Of civilization. and
during much Of that time It's inhabitants
have led the rest OF mankind in the
march OF progress toward an ideal form
Of government. II was the haven TO
which the oppressed in Norway fed ten
centuries ago Its barren shores offered
a livelihood only 20 those with energy and
thrift who could wrest il from the sea or
the fringe Of unproductive acres between
the coast and the snow-capped mountains
Of the interior. The mere struggle for
existence and the necessity for thrift de-
veloped IN the people traits that made
them models the rest OF mankind would
have done well TO copy during the Middle
Ages.
The people Of Iceland organized a re-
public nearly 1000 years ago. They ADOPT
ed constitution and were governed by
chosen representatives when most Of the
world was being 0verrln by the armies
of tyrants. They had trial by Jury near
" 800 years before the Magma Charta
was granted - the people of England
They embraced Christianity more than
500 years ago and long before the Euro
pean forefathers Of the most Of US had
ceased TO pay homage 20 pagan gods.
With the adoption Of Christianity they
took up the art or writing andN developed
q wonderfully rich literature Of eddas
and sagas the undylnE glory OF a re-
markable people They cherished person
al liberty and their freedom as a people.
Their laws relating to the duties and
privileges Of citizens. the care OF the
poor. and other problems OF self-govern-
ment were centuries in advance OF the
times, and some Of them have not been
improved upon since
The little republic was engulfed In the
wars that involved the Mortimer, and,
after 300 years Of success, became a de-
pendency Of Norway and later Of Den
mark. The people. however. never lost
those sterling qualities that had prompt
ed their ancestors 10 establish a republic
on the desolate island During al the
succeeding centuries. when life was an
unceasing struggle, the Icelanders never
were quite subdued In spirit Denmark
granted to the people Of the island home
rule. and now It IS practically agreed to
have Iceland become an independent
state Of the kingdom OF Denmark and
Iceland, the two countries to have one
king and one set of diplomatic repre-
sentatives.
Thus Il Is that Iceland becomes a free
and Independent state again; that the
seed of liberty sown during the days Of
the republic and dormant 7O0 years brings
forth new fruit. The men who have peo-
pied its rugged coast have had to fight
with nature for everything they got. Life
10 them has been stern reality and
they looked at 1t soberly. Had the island
been one of natures garden spots. where
man had only TO reach out his hand 70
take the bounty nature provided. the very
ease with which living was to be had
would have smothered the traits that
have made the Icelander what he has
been through all the centuries. There
would have been no early republic, there
would have been no great epics. and
Iceland to-day probably would be a col
ony exploited by some European SOW
ereign.