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

norway.
1t is reported from Christiania that
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, It is
said, Of photographic, geological and
meteorological specimens gathered by
Orjan Olsen and his party in . 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, a 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 a liberal bride of
brandy. BY the Sojots it Is looked
upon as synonymous with selling ones
soul to the devil to part with 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.
| II is pointed out by Christiania cor
respondents for American papers that
a government grain monopoly will In
next storthing. They base this con
clusion upon the fact that a majority
of the supporters Of Premier GunnaI
Knudsen were reelected to the storth
ing, government grain monopoly be
ing a cardinal principle in their plat
form. To handle this proposed grair
monopoly. say the correspondents, the
appointment of 1900 special officials
Is contemplated at an expense OF about
$1,000, 900 q year. 1t Is estimated that
capital of at least $4,000 will bt
needed.
Conservative party leaders favor {
protective tariff which would encour
age home agriculture and thus, they
believe, assure the necessary suppl,
of grain. But this proposal, which III
originators argued would increase thu
acreage of cultivated land and make
the country less dependent on imports
was not supported by the voters a
the recent election.
The conservative plan to strengthen
the national defense also was los
with the defeat of the party. The in
ference from the election is that thu
majority of the voters believe in wait
ing until the war assumes phase tina
makes a stronger armament neces
sary before committing Norway Il
such program.
Without affecting the foreign poll
cies of the nation. the election signi
f1es q decided change in the direction
of internal affairs. The new legisla
ture is expected to pass several socia
reforms of an important nature.
Norways mercantile fleet has de
veloped surprisingly since the begin
ming of the war. Every available ship
including old sailing vessels discarded
years ago, has been refitted and mobil
lied for traffic, especially in th'
forth sea. High freight rates have
made this trade so profitable that ont
or two successful trips pay for TIT
entire cost OF the ship, and ship own
ers have become vastly wealthy. Ever
the most conservative persons hav,
yielded to the lure of speculation II
ship stocks and have invested all thei
spare savings. Stock companies arr
formed daily and even before the shil
has been delivered into the posses
sion of the new company shares hav'
been sold and resold many times a
increasing rates. The newspapers ar
warning investors against over-specu
lation, explaining that as soon as thu
war is over scores Of ships now tiet
up will again be available for traffic
that the high freight rates will drol
and the overcapitalized ships will b.
unable to pay their present high rat
of interest.
The tota' receipts at all of the Gus
toms houses - Norway in September
1915, were 1887, 091 crowns, as com
pared with 2.4ss,297 This Ia big in
/ hut ;v hv tha I'm