The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-02-25
1IDIvCS FROM
SCANDINAVIA
News Of General Interest
from Three Countries.
THE SWEDISH PARLIAMENT

Il II
First Meeting Since the Election Hello
Last September, Which Brouqh,
About Some important Changes ir
the Distribution of Seats-Expecteo
TO Be the Last Parliament Elected
Under the Present Restricted suf
frage.
SWEDEN.
A Stockholm dispatch states: .The
parliament session just opened is in.
vested with more than usual interest
lt IS the first meeting of parliament
since the election of last September
winch brought about some important
changes in the distribution of seats
IT will also, in all probability, be the
last parliament elected under the pres.
ent restricted suffrage. If the elector.
az reform bill passed by the last par.
lament receives the approval of this
one-Which according to the constit,,.
ZION 1t must receive to become law
and which there is every reason to be,
heve 1t will receive-the next narlia
nlent will be elected by universal suf.
trage on the basis of proportional rem.
resentation. This will constitute the
greatest innovation in the constitution
OF 1909 since the reforms of 1866
which transformed the four estates
into two elective chambers. PENDING
the final adoption of this important
electoral reform, the, question OF
woman suffrage will remain in abey.
ance, although the usual motions in it's
FAVOR may be brought forward by
1ervent advocates in the lower house.
a lew days ago the king received a
reputation OF women, who presented a
petition from the Female Suffrage
league. His majesty assured them of
Ills personal sympathy with their as.
plratlons, but reminded them that the
electoral reform bill now awaiting par.
nament's final action had taken manv
years to force it's way into public IA
Tor. When the cause of female suf-
rage had won the equal hold of the
public mind, he would be glad to give
it his support. There can be no doubt
that the movement is gaining ground.
ana the day may not be very far off
when parliament will have to deal
with 1t seriously. It may be added
that the Swedish 'suffragettes' COM
pare very favorably with their sisters
elsewhere, and their conduct of the
movement has done much to win sym.
pathy. The president of the first
chamber, Count Spare, having retired
on account of age, Vice President M.
Christian Lundeberg, former prime
minister in the coalition cabinet of
1905, and leader of the conservative
party, has been chosen to succeed
him."
The decision of the Swedish govern.
ment to refer to arbitration the cues
ton regarding the ancient rights of
swedish Laps to summer pasturage in
Norway, as was provided by the Karl
stad convention, in case that mutual
agreement was not arrived at, has
been dictated by the necessity of
getting the matter definitely settled. It
was found that notes of evidence tax.
en- by the Swedish and Norwegian sub
commission on the spot differed so
widely that the decision to be taken
by the mixed commission then might
possibly be prolonged indefinitely. It
was thought preferable, therefore. to
further delay in order to enable the
arbitrators to investigate the matter
ana come to Il decision before the
term OF the existing agreement was
over The Norwegian government
seems to share this view of the mat
ter. Says a recent Stockholm dis
patch: THE commission pursued it's
work last year in northern Norway.
Ihls year the investigations were to
be carried into northern Sweden. Nor.
Weglans maintaining the view that the
Laps are able to find pastureage for
RENDERS on the Swedish side of the
frontier during the period preceding
June Is. One of the articles of the
karlstad treaty confirmed the ancient
right of the Swedish Laps to summer
pasture in certain parts of northern
Norway, though it was stipulated that
they should not cross the frontier be.
fore June Is. The Norwegians main
tanned that to fix an earlier date would
be detrimental to the stationary popu.
lation and in their cultivated lands.
An exhibition of art, handicraft and
industrial art, will be open this year
under the patronage of the king of
Sweden. The idea of the promoters is
to let those carrying on artistic
work throughout the county have
an opportunity of exhibiting the latest
results Of their work, so that a gener-
al idea may be gained of the present
position of Swedish handicraft and in
dustrial art. The situation of the ex.
hibition will be an exceptionally beau
tiful one, the king of Sweden having
given permission for it's erection in
picturesque locality in the neiglbor-
hood of Stockholm known as the ROYAL
Park. Among the art industries repre-.
sented will be porcelain and glass