Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-06-03
SCANDINAVIAN NEWS
SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT HAP.
PENNIES IN FAR OFF
NORTHWEST. 4
ITEMS FROM THE OLD HOME
Resume Of the Most Important Events
In Sweden, Norway and Denmark
Y OF Interest to the soandInavIans
In America.
DENMARK.

DCuiudrh new CONSTITUTION 6rdht-
ing equal suffrage to men and women,
which goes into effect on June s, has
ended long and bitter controversy.
For this happy result the Danes can
thank the war. Although at one time
It looked as II constitutional reform
would disrupt the country the great
conflict to which 1t is near neigh
Dor brought about a spirit OF COM
promise as well as feeling of broad
.er patriotism. The demand for re-
form was too widespread for conserva-
tives to resist, but concessions were
made to insure q gradual change.
Electors must attain their thirty-fifth
year to vote for candidates to the
landsting, or upper house, and their
twenty-fifth to the folketing, or lower.
Former elective rights in the case Of
the lower house were granted at the
thirtieth year. but as a concession to
the conservatives the limit will be
reduced only year at each election,
which will insure period of 16
years for the reduction to take place
in. It was in 1S49 that Denmark
passed from despotism to free
constitution. But the reactionaries
gained the upper hand during the de-
preston that followed the disastrous
war with Germany and Austria in
1864 and passed a constitution that
virtually delivered all the political
power into the hands Of the landown-
ers by means of certain electoral
privileges regarding the landsting, or
upper house, leaving the popular body
little to say in the running of the gov
eminent. This constitution has been
marked by a half century of fighting
between the two houses. The con-
servatives held the upper house, which
did as 1t pleased. But as powerless
in legislation as was the lower house,
behind 1t stood the people, and since
1901 it has been composed of liberals,
moderates and radicals, with almost
no conservatives. A demand from the
folketing was consequently demand
from the mass Of the Danish people,
and not to be ignored. The move
ment for constitutional reform began
modestly enough, as only one amend
Manufacturing a few qualifications
was asked for. From this beginning
the movement grew for wider and
wider changes, relating to the upper
as well as the lower house. The con-
servatiyes opposed any reform. But
Minister Bernsten's proposal for the
abolition of electoral privileges held
by the upper class and for universal
suffrage for men and women Yves
taken up vigorously by the entire
democracy, including moderates, radi-
Gals and socialists, and notwithstand-
ing the inequalities Of the franchise,
the radicals even replaced the mod
crates in the cabinet. Last July 1t
was seen that universal suffrage was
insured. The outbreak of the Euro
pean war caused domestic questions
to be lost sight of for a while. But
early in the present year the con-
sentative leaders approached the radi-
cal prime minister. Mr. Zahle, and
offered to negotiate on the basis pro-
posed by the radicals. In April the
compromise was arranged and King
SuTistidn Will diA MS SlSudtuit W
the new and free constitution of the
Danish people on the 9Th Of next
month.
Newspapers received from Reyk-
1avik, the capital of Iceland. report
that the new British consul, who has
recently arrived there, has begun
work on a translation of the Icelandic
constitution and all bills and docu-
ments in reference to the relations be-
tween Denmark and Iceland, and has
engaged number of translators to do
this work.
The Danish steamer Oscar II, from
New York for Copenhagen, put in
at Kirkwall, Scotland. She will be
detained at this port pending an ex-
animation of her cargo.
The Danish steamer Martha was
torpedoed and sunk off Aberdeen. Her
crew OF IS were saved. The Martha
hailed from Copenhagen and was Of
724 tons.