Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-07-09
NORWAY.
Chrtstiania.

An American newspaper writer
speaks as follows OF the plan to sep
arate church from state In Norway:
THE resolve OF the Norwegian storth-
Ing to create a commission 10 consid-
er the separation of church and state
is a momentous move. The storthing
is 10 name five of its own members
and the king is to name four others.
Since 1881 the Lutheran church in Nor
way has been part of the state. 1t
is administered through a department.
OF the ministry, which also has educa-
tional matters In charge. The bishops
and priests are paid partly by the gov
ernment and partly from the tithes and
ground rents on former church proper
ty. Almost all the people of Norway
are, at least nominally, members of the
state church. The tendency of recent
years has been to put the churches OH
a self-supporting basis gradually. The
storthing now means to see whether a
divorce can be safely accomplished.
An English squadron with fifty-three
vessels arrived at Christlania and
constituted the largest and most pow
erful squadron that has ever been seen
in Norwegian waters. The Brit sh YES
sells occupied every available space In
the harbor. The city was decorated
with flags and flowers in honor OF the
visiting squadron and thousands of
people came in from the country dis
tricts to view the imposing spectacle.
by request OF the temperance societies
Of Christiania the British tars were
only permitted to remain on shore as
late as s o'clock and only COCO men
were allowed shore leave at one time
on Saturday evening, June %, King
Haakon rendered banquet to the Of
ficers of the squadron at the royal
palace.
Captain Roald Amundsen and Collin
Archer have inspected FRAN" the
vessel that Nansen made his attempt
to reach the North Pole with, and have
found II to be in rather good shape. 1t
is the belief of Captain Amundsen that
If the vessel will be properly repaired
that II is better equipped than any
other vessel to make dash for the
Amundsen Is contemplating another
tour into the distant north, this time
for the purpose OF reaching the pole.
A number of Christiania students
have gone to Fetsund and vicinity to
engage I'm road work. The students
receive their board and two crowns
day. A number Of years ago it would
have been considered the next thing
TO disgrace for Norwegian student to
do manual labor, but times are rapidly
changing.
The central business quarter, located
on the western side OF Fredriksstad,
was Quilted by fire early on the morn
ing OF June 27 The damage Is es-
timated at $4,000. 1t was one OF the
most disastrous fires that has visited
this section of the country for many
years.
At country funeral in the vicinity
of Skien the other day the hearse
tipped over and rolled into a ditch.
The coffin fell against stone, crack
ing it so that the corpse fell out Two
women tainted and the horses threat
ened to run away.
The International Norwegian Fish
cries exhibition will be opened In
Irondhjem July IA In the presence Of
the king and many other OF Norway's
prominent men.
OF government money there Is at
present 6O,OO0,OOO loaned to the city Of
Christiania The government has also
loaned 100000 crowns to the city of
Bergen.
Consul Gads of Chicago is at present
enjoying q visit TO Christiania. The
"Aftenposten" refers to him as the
Norwegian-American consul general.