Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1909-10-14
NORWAY.

Bjornstjerne Bjornson's health
seems to improve slowly although
there are occasional reiapses that
alarm his family. He was recently
able to sit for seven or eight hours
per day on his verandah and was
strong enough to walk in and out
without help. But a turn for the
worse came about September 10 and
he was obliged to again take to his
bed He IL very much distressed on
account Of his inability to work, as
there are so many things he wishes
to write and attend to otherwise. He
takes lively interest in the Cook
Peary polar controversy, being highly
gratified over the fact that Cook re-
ceives SO much sympathy in the Scan
dinavian countries.
Last week I mentioned the death
OF Minister Seip of the church de-
partment and promised to give brief
sketch Of his life later. The following.
from the Observation-Disclosures, may
suffice: He was born in Christiania
on April 9Th, 1850. His mother was
daughter of Bishop Arup. His father
Hans Christian Caspar Seip came in
1856 as residing curate to Gausdal.
From his seventh year until at the
age OF % deceased became ''kandidat,"
he remained with his grandfather,
Biskop Arup. He finished his theolog-
ical course In 1873. Seip celebrated
on February 10th last the twenty-ffth
anniversary Of his official activity. He
was made knight Of st. Olaf in 1900
for meritorious service in his calling.
On July 9Th he was granted three
months rest from his work on account
OF sickness. The doctors advised him
at that time to cease all active work.
The storthing has passed a law
conserving the waterpowers of Nor
way for the public benefit--a law that
is being highly praised in many quar-
tiers. The Minneapolis Journal says
editorially, the writer being undoubt-
eddy Mr.. w. B. Chamberlain, who Wis
tied Norway in 1905 to study the cri-
sis: The conservation of waterpowers,
which has been the leading public
question in Norway since the dissolu-
tfon OF the union with Sweden, has
finally been settled in carefully con.
sidered law passed by the Storthing.
This legislation is in brilliant con-
trast to the American habit Of giving
away such resources in perpetuity to
private owners. II evinces the Nor
wegian habit Of doing things thorough
ly and we'll BY the terms of the new
law all grants Of waterpower privi-
leges, involving more than 1000 horse.
power, whether made to native or
foreign companies, automatically re-
vert to the State after the period OF
the concession expires. This period
is limited to eighty years and may be
less. At its expiration, not only does
the power become the States prop
erty, but also the regulating workS.
the conversations and their equip.
ment-and this without compensation
to their owners. In other words,
those who obtain power concessions
on the numerous mountain streams
that paint white ribbons on the cliffs
of Norway. do so on the understand.
Ing that for the privilege of improv-
ing and using the power they must in
the end turn over the whole plant to
the State.
According to Christiania news
paper, the socialists Of Aadalen, who
are in control Of the government OF |
that little city, will not be given free
play by the national government in
carrying out their various schemes for
the "betterment Of mankind" The
board sent query recently to the de- |
partment Of Commerce, asking Ii ii is
possible for a community to conduct
commercial Transactions, under the
present law, and the department is
reported to have sent q negative
answer.
King Haakon 4 about to make |
trip to East Totem.