The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-28
a nannnnra+ie kinadom,

father. went westward to England the
chosen men in Norway followed nllh.
and Norway was so emptled then ina
such men have not since been found! IN
the country" But that was nearly
1000 years ago, and things nave
changed considerable since the DAYS
of those husky old pirates n tree-
hooters, who helped to lay the SONG
foundations of civilization in England:
The early sagas of the kings OF
Norway give us pictures of Norwegian
life and character in viking times.
They describe q monarch1al repupLc
in which the king was sort of travel
ing overseer, with little real authority,
boarding around on the farms OF his
subjects in rotation. He called 1t go
ing INTO guest-quarters". In q poor
country, with a scattered poIulatlon'
that was the only way in which ne
could collect his pay as king.
They were excellent persons those
INorsemen - honest, straightforward,
action. Though not especially addict
ed to drink, they had a singular pre-
objection for homicide. The sagas tell
curious stories. TWO n~eighboring
kings, after a sociable dinner together,
ran their swords through each others
body just for diversion. Another PAIR
ride out for a frolic and each crushes
the others head to crafty their CRAY
ing for excitement. A farmer STICKS
his hayfork into a king to amuse the
bystanders. And so on.
But If the early sagas are sanguln-
airy, telling how the Norsemen loved
danger and courted death, the later
ones are of finer and nobler strain.
When the shores of England became
so thickly settled that there was no
longer any profit in piracy, the vik-
IN orc xHynnt into 0nn T0nrRn UVhnr thew
displayed equal courage and skill.
King Olaf was quite right. The pi-
ratical expeditions from Norway ex-
hausted the country. For nearly 500
years Norway was practically q sub
1ect province of either Denmark or
Sweden, though among the peasants
the spirit of nationality never wholly
died out. And when, 100 years ago,
the opportunity came to Norway to
assert her independence to Denmark
in a union with Sweden she seized 1t.
Naturally the union with a far more
powerful country was in some re-
spects a jug-handle affair, and it's dis
solution nine years ago was the logic
al consequence.
Since then Norway has been in re-
ality what she declared herself to be
in 1S14-"a free, INDEPENDENT and in
Invisible kingdom"-and what h was
in ancient times. Although the peo-
pies of the Scandinavian peninsula
are OF Teutonic stock, they did not
blend and make n nation. Dissimi-
lar traits developed in them. Norway
was the home of the vikings. Looking
out on the boisterous Atlantic, she
nurtured a race of sea-rovers' m
hardy, fearless men. Wild shores,
rugged mountains, bracing air, foster
ed her independence and the rude,
manly virtues. The Norweg1ans have
never been respecters of persons.
Though in the middle ages their gov
eminent was an absolute monarchy,
they maintained democratic institu-
tions.
These traits help to explain the po-
I.ast 100 years. What's bred in the
bone will show in the blood. The
child is father Of the man. So mod
ern Norway, inheriting the principles
of democracy, is more democratic
than many a republic.
And it is a progressive sort of de-
mocracy. Direct elections for mem
bers of parliament. universal manhood
suffrage, municipal and then the full
suffrage for women, a ministry re-
sponsible to parliament and not to the
king. compulsory school attendance
| between the ages of 6 and IA, old-age
pensions, sickness and unemployment
Insurance, a rational handling Of the
liuuor problem and of other social
questions, a steady growth Of liberal
sentiment-these are all found In the
little kingdom on the North sea.
And the Norwegians have a quiet,
easy way of doing things, even revo-
lutionary things. For instance, in 1908.
when women first had the privilege OF
voting at the elections for members
Of parliament, and incidentally elected
a woman to that body, there was not
a ripple of excitement anywhere
nothing to indicate that an event OF
the first Importance was taking place
the admission of women to their fuil
political rights. What the English
suffragets have to break windows and
| slash LECTURES to obtain, their NorWe-
| gian sisters got for h asking.
The granting of the suffrage was
followed within two years by the
enactment of q law which has apI'ar-
emily solved the divorce problem to
the satisfaction of the Norwegians by
making divorce simple, easy and
cheap. instead of difficult and expen-
sive. The law had the support Of all
parties, and Is frankly based on the
principle that love is the only moral
basis for marriage. If both husband
and wife desire divorce the law grants
It without inquiring into the reasons;
but as security that the step is not
taken rashly, a year Of separation
must intervene between the applica-
tion and the actual granting of the d.
vorce. II the application is made BY
only one of the parties, two year o.
| separation must precede the actual d.
yorce. The services Of a lawyer are
not necessary and the cost is a mere
trie. Precautions are taken to guard
the welfare and the rights of children.
The ratio Of divorces in Norway Is
only about e-sixth of the ratio in
the United States.
Thus is Norway, O. monarchy, max
ing experiments in democracy, and
thus far no great cataclysm has an
sued.