Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1915-11-25
important Events in Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
interesting Items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the North So.
leeted for Seandinavians and
Their Descendants.
BY MARTIN w. ODLAND.
Norway.

the collections of the Orjan Olsen ex-
petition in Siberia have arrived In
that city. They are of great impor-
lance, being the largest of their kind
In western Europe. They consist, 1t Is
said, OF photographic. geological and
meteorological specimens gathered by
Orjan Olsen and his party in q notable
expedition into the interior of Siberia
more than year ago. Owing to the
outbreak OF the war it became impos-
sible to ship the collections out Of the
country and they were therefore left
In the Monaghan country. During the
summer natives were employed to
float them down the Yenesei river on
RATS for a hundred miles, where they
were picked up by boats and carried
to the mouth of the river. Here they
were placed on board the ship Kong
Harald and conveyed to Tromso, via
the Arctic ocean route.
Among the most interesting speci-
mems OF the collections are those from
the Sojot tribe. q rapidly disappearing
people in the Siberian interior. Orjan
Olsen relates that he secured the cos.
tune of a Sojot wizard only by the
payment of two cows and many other
articles, following liberal bride of
brandy. By the Sojots 1t is looked
upon as synonymous with selling ones
soul to the devil to part with a wig
| ards raiment.
An earlier collection by Orjan Olsen
| contains the skeletons of IL Tschuds
the earliest known Finnish tribe which
| inhabited the steppes of southern S.
IBERIA Together with these were also
brought the skeletons of three men OF
another tribe. These were men who
had committed suicide. as the skele-
tons of none others are permitted to
be removed.
| 1t is pointed out by Christiania cor
respondents for American papers that
a government grain monopoly will in
all likelihood be established by the
next storthing. They base this con-
clusion upon the fact that a majority
of the supporters of Premier Gunnar
Knudsen were reelected to the storth.
ing, a government grain monopoly be-
ing a cardinal principle In their plat.
form. To handle this proposed grain
monopoly, say the correspondents. the
appointment of 1900 special officials
is contem plated at an expense of about
81, 900 900 a year. 1t Ia estimated that
capital of at least $4,000 will be
needed.
Conservative party leaders favor a
protective tariff which would encour.
age home agriculture and thus, they
believe, assure the necessary supply
OF grain. But this proposal, which its
originators argued would increase the
acreage of cultivated land and make
the country less dependent on imports
was not supported by the voters at
the recent election.
The conservative plan to strengthen
the national defense also was lost
with the defeat of the party. The in
ference from the election is that the
majority of the voters believe in wait
ing until the war assumes phase that
makes a stronger armament neces
sary, before committing Norway to
such program.
Without affecting the foreign poll
cies of the nation, the election signi
fies a decided change In the direction
of internal affairs. The new legisla
ture is expected to pass several social
reforms of an important nature.
| Norways mercantile feet has de-
veloped surprisingly since the begin
ming of the war. Every available ship
including old sailing vessels discarded
years ago, has been reftted and mobil
lied for traffic, especially in the
forth sea High freight rates have
made this trade so profitable that one
or two successful trips pay for the
entire cost of the ship, and ship own
ers have become vastly wealthy. Even
the most conservative persons have
yielded to the lure of speculation In
ship stocks and have invested all their
spare savings Stock companies are
formed daily and even before the ship
has been delivered into the posses
sion OF the new company shares have
been sold and resold many times al
increasing rates. The newspapers are
warning investors against over-specu
lation, explaining that as soon as the
war is over scores of ships now tied
up will again be available for traffic
that the high freight rates will drop
and the overcapitalized ships will be
unable to pay their present high rate
of interest.
The tota' receipts at all Of the Gus
toms houses - Norway in September
1915, were 1887 ,091 crowns, as com
pared with 2,48S,297. This is a big In
crease, but is paralleled by the in
crease shown In the receipts every
month this year.
The Drammensfjord a new steamer
Of the Norwegian-American steamship
line, has just been equipped with cleo
| trio lights. wireless and Morse Die
| graph apparatus and electric heating
Appliances for the bertks.