Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-01-11
OF INTEREST TO
SCANDINAVIANS
Recent Happenings in This
Country and AbrO,1.
SWEDEN TO Be NEXT IN LINE

Ideal Holiday Weather Marks the
Christmas Season In Norwsy-Wo.
man Suffrage Making Considerable
Roadway In Denmark.
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The American Review Of Reviews,
In an article in it's December number
entitled THE World Movement for
Woman Suffrage" says:
Sweden gave municipal suffrage to
t~axpaying widows and sp~insters in
1862. At that time and for many years
afterward not one-tenth of the men had
a vote. Then came the rise of the Lib
eral party and the Social Democracy,
and by 1909 the new franchise law
had been enacted, which immensely
increased the number of men voters,
extended the municipal suffrage to
wives, greatly reduced the tax qualif-
cations, and made women eligible to
all offices for which they could vote.
At the last election thirty-seven were
elected to the councils of thirty-four
towns, eleven In the five largest. The
Woman Suffrage association is said to
be the best organized body in the
country, Its branches extending be-
yond the Arctic circle. 1t has over
1900 paid members and has held L.
$50 meetings within a year.. In 1903
a bill to extend the full suffrage to wo
men passed the Second chamber of
the parliament unanimously, but was
defeated by four to one in the First
chamber, representing the aristocracy,
This year the Suffrage association
made a strong campaign for the Lib,
eral and Social Democratic parties
and a large majority of their candi
dates were elected. The Conserva
tive cabinet was deposed and the king
has called for a new election of the
First chamber. AS it's members are
chosen by the provincial councils and
those of the five largest cities, and
women have a vote for these bodies
and are members of them, they will
greatly reduce the number of Con.
sentative members Of the upper house.
On the final passage of a suffrage bill
the two chambers must vote jointly
and it seems assured of a majority.
1t looks as IL Sweden would be the
next country to enfranchise women
A rumor regarding the recall of the
Swedish officers who went to Persia
to help train the Persian army has re-
Gently appeared in the H~elsingfors
Dagblad. The recall should, accord.
ing to the rumor, have been ordered
by King Gustav himself at the polite
request OF the Russian government.
This is all that Is known at present,
except that when last heard from the
Swedish officers were in Baku, which
would indicate that they we're actually
on their way to Persia. Inasmuch as
German, French and British army off,
GERS have many times been engaged
by smaller countries to give military
instruction the fact that twenty Swed-
ish officers have been engaged by the
Persian government to give military
instructions to its army is not looked
upon al anything unusual in Sweden
or other European countries.
+ 1! +
The Lund University Male Chorus
gave a concert in Copenhagen recent
ly. Several members of the royal fam.
lily were present. The Danish news
papers were p~rofuse In their praise of
the singing and seemed to vie with
each other in giving the singers a
send off. The Politiken said: They
were applauded as only the irresistible
are %applauded. Swedish male singing
Is and remains a national specially
which we Danes only can admire,
never attain. Its organ strains, its
crescendos and diminuendoes, it's Pc
culiar lyric ring, must create beauty,
must make al impression"
The Crown Princess M~argareta, her.
self an enthusiastic sportswoman, has
In several ways evinced her interest
In Swedish sport. She Is very much
interested In the ski sport and can
handle herself on a pair of skis in a
most graceful and skillful manner
She has decided to award an annual
prize contest In which Sweden's fast.
est and cleverest jumpers will partici.
pate.
+ + +
The revised hymn book for the
church OF Sweden Is now ready for
the press and the revision committee
has given It over to the ecclesiastical
department for publication. The new
book will have 636 hymns. About
seventy hymns OF the book Of 1918
have been omitted and about 200 new
ones. not found in the edition Of 1919
have been addet in the new book.
+ + +
A Swedish correspondent states that
Premier Staaf has issued . lengthy
communication on his policy with re.
gard to the military defenses. He
uses strong language At several Joints
but his opponents seem to be right
when they claim that they fail to ind
any definite plan In his g~littering gen,