The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-05-12
GOOD PROGRAM
BY N0RWEG|ANS
Observance Of Independence Day
in Laurlum Saturday


The observance of the centennial Of
Norwegian independence under the
auspices Of the Norwegian Fremad So
ciety in the Laurium bank hall Satur-
day evening promises To he one OF the
most notable i'm the history Of the cop
per country where hundreds of Nor
ways sons and daughters have made
their home for years, ANA where their
peace loving habits and respect for
law and order have caused them To be
regarded as one of the highest types
| of citizenship.
The committee in charge Of the pro-
gram announces that Rev. Vogt Of
Hancock will be the principal speaker
Of the evening and that one of the
main features of the program will he
| the musical numbers which are being
prepared under the direction of Miss
Mildrid Romsdahl. Refreshments also
will be served.
Norways independence, the centen-
NAL anniversary Of which is to he thus
nttingly observed followed the trouble
| some days Immediately after the
| downfall of Napoleon.
Norway Given to Sweden.
Norway was given over to Sweden
| in the draft of the treaty of Kiel, con-
Sweden and Denmark. 1t was consid-
| cred just gift. England had fought
Napoleon throughout his career, from
| the time he directed the guns upon the
| fort at Toulon and, as an artillery lieu
| tenant, made his first reputation. Der
mark had shown sympathy for France
and had indeed cast her lot with the
great adventurer in that alignment of
the powers that preceded his final ov-
| erthrow, while Bernadotte. former
marshal of France, but then crown
prince of Sweden, had carried that
country into the anti Napoleonic alli-
ance.
Norway and Denmark relationship
had been close. But il was decided
that in the realignment. Finland,
which had been conquered and civllig-
ed by Sweden, should go To RUSSIA,
and Denmark should cede Norway u
Sweden. 1t was all settled and mu-
ing the plan.
Norway was not satisfied. Harald
lIaarfagre (the fair haircd had
founded his kingdom in the year 1913
and for 900 years Norway, although
the scene of much fighting, had been
an independent political entity until
the union with Denmark. For 1000
years, unconquered andTindivisible the
people of the country whose rocky
coasts stretch north to the midnight
sun. had maintained their political in
dviduality. They would not, and they
did not acccde to the plan, the nation
al spirit reawokc, ana May II. 1914, at
| lIidsvold. there was adopted the fam
GUS constitution of Norway, which has
been pronounced the most nearly per-
feet constitution for a democratic
monarchy that ever was devised.
Norsemen as World Conquerors.
The voyages Of the old Vikings,
their dauntless daring in unnumbered
exploits, their unquenchable taste for
adventure and war ardor which led
them even to far Off America, have
been told in song and saga. Histor-
ians have dwclt upon the tremendous
influences these voyages excrtcd on
European affairs. 1t was the North
| men who conquered England and Ire
land, discovered and settled Iceland
and Greenland and took "A whole prov
ince from France aud gave 1t the name
Normandy, which to this day it bears.
The Norscmen dominated the Baltic
sea and the North sea. and in their
craft that To our modern eyes seem So
frail and small they went boldly into
the great Atlantic and south To the
| Mediterranean, and To Byzantium.
And il was their descendants, coming
from Normandy into England that
conquered and brought about great
| changes in that kingdom.
Was it strange that such people
| should have resented a diplomats
bargain by which their country was
parcelled out in the European rear
| rangcment? Was it strange that they
lrevolted?
Although tho Swedcs and Norweg-
| ians are identical in blood and origin.
| divergence in their character began
early to appear. Difference in environ
ment and occupation brought this
about. Sweden was largely "A lowland
country easily accessible and adapted
| to agriculture. But Norway was
mountainous and inaccessible, with
| deep valleys where the arabic land lay
as il i'm pockets over the country. Into
the mountains. deep and extending far
inland in their picturesquencss, enter
| the great nords, and the sea called
| them and the people sailed forth ~
search of adventure and plumber. Thus
| the feudal system of Europe found
Judgment in Sweden, as IL did In other
| countries. and nourished. But by en-
vironment the Norwegian was made
less sensible To It's influence and so Il
happened that while the two natiors
| developed side by de, they followed
| divergent lines
Constitution Is Enduring.
After the convention at Eidsvold
had PROMULGATED the Norwegian con-