Morris tribune., 1911-10-27
OF INTEREST TO
SCAND|NAvIANS
Recent Happenings in This
Country and Abroad.
SURPRISE TO CONSERVATIVES

Recent Swedish Elections First to Be
Held Under New Suffrage Law.
Leading Danish Actress on Lecture
Tour in Norway-Women of Iceland
Lead the World in Complete Equal
ity With Men.
j. j. j. i. \ j. i. + i. :. i. i. i. + + i. X
j. SWEDEN. 4
The Minneapolis Journal in it's is
sue of Oct. 18 has the following inter-
esting editorial on the Advance of
Swedish Democracy" which we be-
lieve will interest many readers OF
this column. It says: 'Sweden's re-
cent elections were the first held un-
der the new law granting universal
manhood suffrage. They were held
for the Second chamber only, the
First chamber-corresponding some
what to our senate-remaining un-
changed. The results were stunning
surprise to the Conservatives, who had
counted on retaining sufficient strength
in the popular chamber to hold on to
power. The complete returns show
the parties to be thus represented in
the lower house of the riksdag: Lib
erals, 1O2; Socialists, 64; Conserva-
tives, 64. When the Conservatives
three years ago were forced into per-
mitting the universal suffrage meas
ure to become law, they succeeded in
making a part of it a peculiar system
of proportional representation, where
by the minority was to have it's pro-
portional share of the representation.
They hoped in this way to retain their
strength in the Second chamber. This
they had usually been able to domi-
nate under the old Swedish system of
property qualifications, which per-
mitted only about 8 per cent of the
adult men to vote. But the Conserva-
tive hopes proved Elusive, and both
the Liberals and the Socialists have
made tremendous gains at the expense
of the old party. So great, in fact,
was the overturn, that on joint ballot
Of the two houses the Conservatives
will be outvoted. Under the Swedish
when money measures
cannot be agreed on by the two houses
acting separately, joint session is
held and the result of the vote OF both
is decisive"
That Miss Alma Hedin, sister of
Sven Hedin, the famous explorer. has
been elected to the municipal council
Of Stockholm, as stated in recent cable
is not surprising in view
Of the Importance assumed by women
and by people of culture and attain
ment in public affairs of Sweden. The
success of Miss Hedin is probably not
all in the way of tribute to DR.. Sven
Hedin, although his daring and toll
some journey overland to Peking, de-
scribed in his book, Through Asia"
made him something of a national
hero and gained for him worldwide
reputation. DR.. Hedin himself was re-
Gently honored by election to the
Academy of Sciences.
A Swedish-American tenor, who,
however, has little financial means at
lis command, has arrived in Stock
lolm, where he was given an oppor-
unity to try his voice for the we'll
Known Swedish composer, Peterson
Berger, who declared that the young
nan has a wonderful voice and a. most
future. Even in spite of this
excellent recommendation young Mr..
5ronlund has not been able to find
my of the prominent vocal teachers
n Stockholm willing to accept him as
/ pupil.
Ellis Olson Ellis, said to be the fore
most comic actor and singer in Swe-
len, will Arrive in this country Nov.
o make a brief tour as a star in the
tile role of "sten Stensson's Saga"
Or. Victor Nilsson of Minneapolis has,
Lfter negotiations extending over sew
,ral years, at last succeeded in hav-
ng Mr.. Ellis come over to appear
With Swedish-American companies in
cities of the East and West
Sven Hedin's latest book, entitled
From Pole to Pole," has just now
)een placed in the market by the AL
,ert BONNER Publishing company of
Stockholm and will be translated into
lot less than twenty-one languages.
Literary critics pronounce it singu-
arly interesting book and predict that
t will have an enormous sale in the
countries and also
lmong Scandinavian-Ameri
L. Brante, a prominent Swedish
surgeon, who has just re-
urned from an extensive tour through
Germany, states that the trade agree
nent between Germany and Sweden is
being violated every day in Germany
Ind that 1t is up to the Swedish gov
to see to it speedily that the
:rade pact is enforced. Sweden, claims