Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-05-13

void, May II, 1874, when krlstian
Frederik Was Chosen King Of Nor
way.
anything about amendments to the
constitution itself. Now the storting
claimed that the amendment was a
part of the constitution, having been
passed by three successive stortings,
while the king maintained that he had
an absolute veto" with regard to
amendments to the constitution. The
whole nation was aroused. The stort-
ing was pitted squarely against the
king and his Norwegian cabinet. The
storting impeached the cabinet, and,
after a trial that lasted more than six
months, three members of the cabinet
were fined $4,000 each, and the others
were deposed. The king still tried to
thwart the will of the storting, but
the opposition was so determined that
he had to yield.
Norwegian Cabinet Resigns.
At the beginning of this century the
Norwegians made q demand which
finally broke up the union of 1914.
They wanted separate consular serv-
ice for Norway, chiefly in order to ad-
vance the particular commercial in
terests of Norway in foreign coun-
tries. Negotiations were carried on
for years, but the king and the gov
eminent of Sweden could never be
induced to yield to the Norwegians
on this point. Finally the Norwegian
cabinet resigned.
Every sound-minded Norwegian telt
that this was most critical moment.
Instinctively the leading men turned
to the storting, which Johan Sverdrup,
the ablest statesman that Norway pro-
duced In the nineteenth century, had
called the sheet anchor in the hour
of danger" The storting held a Sc
cret session June 6, 1905, during
which plans for the future were care
fully laid.
The next day, the historic seventh
of June, was bright and sunny. Peo-
pie began to gather around the stort-
ing building early in the morning.
The doors were opened at 1890
o'clock. Every seat was occupied
Solemn silence reigned. Every word
could be heard and no words were
wasted
Dissolve Union With Sweden.
President Berner occupied the chair.
Premier Christian Nicholson an
nounced that the cabinet would as
sumo the responsible task.
A resolution was passed to notify
King Oscar II of what had happened
and to ask him to see that a prince
OF his family be made king of Norway
After few days the king declared
that no prince of his family should
occupy the throne Of Norway.
Premier Nicholson was the moving
spirit In this dangerous drama, and
so resolutely did he act that the
Swedes hardly realized what was CO.
ing on until the union was past his
tory.
To show how poorly the swedes
understood the temper Of the Norwe-
gians it must be mentioned that they
asked for a popular vote on the Ques-
ton. A vote was taken in Norway
August 10 and it was found that 1874
votes had been cast in favor of the
union and 368,208 against it.
Both countries sent thousands of
soldiers to the boundary line ready
for action on few hours notice.
Meanwhile joint committee met at
Karlstad, Sweden, to settle the de:
tails of the dissolution of the union,
Norway abolished her nobility by
an amendment to the constitution in
1921. The nobility of Sweden were
anxious for war with Norway In 1905.
but the king was opposed to blood
shed and large majority of the COM
mon people of Sweden could see no
reason for fighting the Norwegians.
Failing in it's attempt to obtain. a
king from Sweden the storting pro
ceeded to elect Prince Carl of Den
mark. This was the last act In the
drama which put Norway on the foot
Ing Of absolute independence which
she had not 9njoyed since 1880.