Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-05-13
TO CELEBRATE
IN MINNEAPOLIS
Norwegian Nations Independence
Day Centennial Celebration Will
be Big Event at Minneapolis
This Year.
CONSTITUTION SIGNED MAY IL.
OBSERVED AS HOLIDAY
Hundreds of People From DecOrah
And the County Will Leave Fri
day to Participate i'm the
Celebration.

The seventeenth of May will not
be celebrated to any great extent in
Decorah this year, owing to the fact
that Luther College closed so early,
on account of the Centennial in Nor
way, and the big celebration of the
Northwest will take place at Mime
apolis, and hundreds from Decorah
and vicinity will attend.
A hundred years ago this spring,
by the treaty of Kiel, Norway was
ceded to Sweden following the over
throw of Napoleon, with whom an al
lance had been formed by the King
of Denmark, with which Norway has
been united for almost 500 years.
The Norwegians, when the anti-Na-
poleonic victory gave Norway to
Sweden, held a convention at Eids-
void and planned to safeguard their
rights as nation. This convention
adopted a constitution which declar-
ed Norway to be a free and indepen-
dent kingdom and which established
a representative government for the
country.
This constitution was signed on
May II, 1914, and since then the day
has been observed as a national holi-
day, a Norwegian Fourth of July.
May 18th next will mark the one
hundredth year of the existence of
this constitution, and will be cele-
brated by Norwegians all over the
world.
For nearly a hundred years Nor
way and Sweden were united under
the same king, but in 1905 Norway
withdrew from this agreement, and
since then has been pursuing her
destiny under a king of her own, the
same constitution still remaining the
supreme law of the country.
This year the great celebration of
the day in the United States will be
held at the Minnesota State Fair
grounds, midway between st. Paul
and Minneapolis. There are practi-
cally million and a half American
citizens of Norwegian birth or de-
scent in the United States, and this
celebration will be the principal one
held in the country.
The initiative in the celebration in
America has been taken by the
"Bygdelags," organizations of per-
sons who trace their origin from
some particular civic or geographical
division of Norway, similar to our
states or counties. There are now
organized some thirty of these organ
izations representing practically ev'
cry portion of Norway.
These organizations have combin'
ed for the great celebration at the
fair grounds. There will be a thu ee
day celebration. Saturday the 16tf
will be devoted to the meetings o.
the various "Bygdelags," concluding
with a general meeting and display
of fireworks in the evening. On the
18th, Sunday, the exercises will be OF
a character BETTING the day. A mum
Der of bishops of the Church of Nor
way will be present and will conduc
the religious services. In the eve
ming a great concert will be held IL
one of the largest buildings on tht
grounds. On Monday the great civi,
celebration will be held. Hon. H
Bryn, Norwegian minister to thu
United States has been specially del
egated to represent the Norwegia:
government at this meeting and will
bring message from Norway. Al
attempt is being made to Undue,
President Wilson to attend the meet
ing, and he has promised that if h,
is unable to be present he will sent
a representative Of the government
probably Vice President Marshall
There will also be present a numbel
of governors, members of congress
and other distinguished people from
all over the states that have larg,
Norwegian populations. g.,.a.,
Senator Knute Nelson of Mime
sofa, who was born in Norway, will
probably act as chairman at tn,
great celebration exercises, and man!
other prominent men of the north
west will take part.
The railroads are making specia
preparations to handle the people
who will attend the celebration. anG
it is expected that from 10000 t
$1,000 men, women and children
who are proud of their Norwegian