Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-06-13
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The storthing or April "a voted the
necessary funds for a great exposition
at Christiania during the summer OF
1914, two years from now, when Nor
way celebrates the Tooth anniversary
of its independence. This exposition
has long been in preparation and a
committee has been working on the
plans, but there have always been
dlfncultles In its way and much oppo-
sition. AS is usual on such occasions
the question of a suitable site has
been the object Of much d~issension.
some wishing to have it in Christi
ania, others to have 1t built on a large
Island near the city. This question
was finally settled some time ago In
favor of the so called Frogner park,
where, for many years, the American
consul general, Mr.. Gade, used to live.
When the question of the necessary
money grant came up In the storthing
many representatives tried to kill the
whole scheme on different grounds,
but finally the bill passed In good
form. The principal argument in
favor OF the measure was that Norway
ought to prepare a great exposition
for all the Norwegian-Americans who
are expected to make a visit to the old
country during the summer of 1914.
One question, however, remains un-
settled. which is of great importance.
and that is whether or not il shall be
allowed to sell wine and alcoholic
liquors within the grounds. The ex-
position committee finds it necessary
to have this license granted in order
to make ends meet, but prohibitionists,
who are numerous in this country,
insist that it shall be a temperance
exposition. A motion has been made
In the storthing to this effect, but the
probability is that it will be voted
down by a small majority. The expo
s1tion will not be international in
character. The intention is merely
to show the conditions of industry and
art in Norway and show what progress
has been made during the past 100
years.
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Norway's Independence Day, the 18th
OF May, was observed all over the
civilized world, for there is no corner
OF the earth where there is not a col.
ony of Norwegians and no such colony
ever overlooks the 18th of May. The
Gay is the anniversary of the promul-
cation Of the Norwegian constitution,
May 18th, 1914, at Eidsvold, Norway,
in which the people declared them
selves free and Independent of every
nation in the world and particularly
that OF Sweden and Denmark. Then
they got ready to fight and there were
BONE minor skirmishes, but happily Il
was possible to reconcile the Swedes
and Danes for the time being and a
~sanguinary war was averted. Sweden,
which had received Norway from the
great powers after the fall of Napole-
on, agreed to recognize the Norwegian
constitution and Norway consented to
the union with the king of Sweden as
the appointed monarch. The date,
May 17,swas not generally observed
as a public holiday for many years
after the Eidsvold meeting, but Verge
land, Bjornson and other patriots en-
couraged public celebrations on that
day and now it has become the great
national holiday of No. way. This
celebrations took place not only
throughout Norway, but in the United
States and Alaska; In London, Berlin,
Rome and Barcelona, in Europe; in
Sydney, Australia, in Buenos Ayres,
and In several places in
the Orient.
The Titanic disaster has been an
all absorbing topic of interest recent.
~ in Norway. There were not many
on board, but the horror
of the calamity made a deep impress
sion upon everybody, so that even
public meetings have been held in
several places to express the grief and
experienced by the Norwegian
people. In spite of the fact that prob
ably no nation has such strict rules
the safety of passenger steamers
the Titanic disaster has led % still
control Of what Is already de-
handed and new rules will require a
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