The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-05-01
SVERDRUP ON
SANE PLANE
AS GLADSTONE
Grevstad Likens Norwegian
Stateman to England's
Great Commoner.

Likening Johan Sverdrup, the great
Norwegian statesman. to Gladstone,
the great commoner of England, A. n.
Grevstad, Norwegian author lecturer
writer, addressed a large audience in
the Sons of Norway hall last evening,
the occasion being the one hundredth
anniversary of Sverdrups birth. Abel
Erickson. president of the Normands
Forbundet, presided. There was an
excellent musical program.
At noon yesterday, Mr.. Grevstad
was guest at a dinner. Among the
speakers were Sudge G.. A. Pollock,
Hon. T.. b. Hanna. DR.. ]. A. Aasgaard
Identical Spirit.
The speaker prefaced his address by
the remark that the centennial cele-
bration was particularly appropriate
at the present time, for 1t was hom-
age to democracy, the same kind of
democracy for which our country has
taken up arms. The spirit Of this
festival and the spirit symoblized by
the Stars and Stripes, are identical.
The subject of the lecture was Johan
Sverdrup. the foremost statesman, of
modern Norway.
After a rapid sketch of the condi-
tions surrounding the adoption of Nor
ways constitution of May IL, 1914. the
democratic character of the famous
Norwegian Magma Charta and the
subsequent political development, the
speaker took as the theme Of his dis
course, the personality, the character
and work of Sverdrup.
Sverdrup entered the congress of
Norway in 1851, at the age of 35 years.
and at once became leading member
of the assembly. serving consecutively
for a generation until he became
prime minister in 1884.
During the greater part of this
period. he was the controlling force of
the assembly, championing every
popular and necessary reform affect
ing the life and work Of the people. he
was opposed by the heavy forces of
autocracy and extreme conservatives.
but their battlements fell one after
the other, before his well planned and
impetuous assaults. His greatest tri-
umph in the field of constitutional re-
form was the establishment against
the stubborn resistance OF the crown,
of the parliamentary system of gov
eminent which enclothes the con-
gress with the predominating consti-
tutionaI power of the state, or in 9TH
er words. making the people the
masters of king and crown, and In
cidently the crowns claim to an abso-
lutte veto to constitutional amend
ments was killed for all time.
IS Owing to a large measure of Sver-
drup's great work, Norway is today
the most democratic country in Eur
ope. The growth of the power Of the
people and congress (Storthing) as
result of his efforts was the cause or
the dissolution of the union between
Norway and Sweden. That proved to
be the most fortunate development for
both countries. for they are today bet
ter friends than ever.
PanrIn Trua&ed Him
Johan Sverdrup combined all the es-
sential gifts of great leader, and the
common people trusted him and loved
him passionately. He was the great
est political factor of Norway OF the
nineteenth century. His political life
and work spanned over more than
forty years. Had he lived in this great
country, his name would have been
a household word over the world,
like that of Gladstone.
In political views and aims, in gifts
of leadership and eloquence and in
length and Importance of public SER
vice, he represents the great colnmon-
er of England more than any other
common statesman. He was the Glad
stone Of Norway.