The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-08-12
FARMER BECOMES
DANISH PREMIER
Rise to Power of One Who Has
Proved Working Man
Fit to Rule.
is PRACTICALLY A DICTATOR
For Centuries His Ancestors Had
Lived On One Small
Farm.
PRACTICALLY A DICTATOR.

COPENHAGEN, July 25-J. c. Chris
Jensen, Premier of Denmark, Minister
OF War and Marine as well, is one Of
the most remarkable men in Europe
Born on small farm in a desolate
part OF Denmark of poor parents, in
public career of only fourteen years
| ne not only rose to the highest posi-
ton in the land, but demonstrated the
final triumph of the downtrodden and
despised class from which he sprung
The coming into power of Christen-
sen is said to be due to luck. ell was
one of the minor leaders in the efforts
OF the Opposition, or Left, to overthrow
what was known as the professor
regime" during which the rulers of
Denmark, which had in 1S4S become a
constitutional monarchy, were driven
from the ranks of the professors and
| scientists The real leader of the re-
volt of the common people was Chris
ten Berg, but just when the back OF
his powerful opponents had been
broken and he was about to reap the
reward, he died. Christensen jumped
into the breach, was made Minister of
Education and four years later Premier
and Minister of War and Marine.
1t is utterly impossible for any one
outside Of Denmark who does not UNI
derstand the gap that separates the
peasant born and the accidentally
graduated, royal official to realize the
| full significance of Christensen's rise
to power. Today he is to all intents
and purposes a dictator, whereas for
generations upon generations the farm
ing class among which he was born
| and bred, and which he today repre-
sents, have been trodden under the
heel, despite the fact that they form
considerably more than half of the
population of the country.
Although Berg and his associates in
the leadership of the opposition proved
that they were masters of the game of
politics, it remained for Christensen to
demonstrate that the yeomanry class
was capable of governing. And he has
demonstrated it beyond the shadow of
doubt by his enormous energy, his
efficiency and his clear view of prac-
ltical affairs.
This remarkable man was born in
Jutland fifty-two years ago. There is
every reason to believe that his an
cestors had lived on the same farm
in uninterrupted possession for CEN
turtles. There are many farms like
this in Denmark, which owe their es-
cape from the clutches of the nobility
to the fact that they are too barren
and desolate to repay seizure. 1t IS
from these freemens farms, especially
in Jutland, that the opposition has Sc
cured its recruits.
AS young man Christensen showed
an inclination toward study and a love
of knowledge. So he was sent by his
people to an academy for young peas
ants. Later he became a teacher in a
popular country school and remained
there until work in the Rigsdag, to
which he had been elected, forced him
to give it up. In the legislative cham
Der he quickly made himself known by
an Unsuitable desire for work. After
only ten years in the Rigsdag he be-
came Minister of Education and later
succeeded to his present post.
Personally Christensen is a thickset
man. His large head is capped with
a great mass of tow hair. There is a
tinge of gray here and there, but his
ffty-two years have not brought any
diminution in his forcibleness and en-
thusiasm. He is a this fat-toped desk
twelve hours of the day and sometimes
far into the night. He throws off the
work of his triple Office with ease, and
insists upon attending to a great deal
of the detail work of each. His asso-
ciates declare that if he had his way
Christensen would administer every
Office of the Cabinet himself.
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