Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-05-03

FINE ADDRESS
Unusually Good Exposition of
;. Work Of Johan, sverdrup, Fa-"
nous Norwegian, Given.

N. A. Grevstad. Of Chicago, former
States consul to Uruguay and
at one time prominent in the political
life Of Norway, gave. an interesting
address las night on Johan Sverdrup,
one Of Norway's historic characters.
The address was given at the Knights
Of Pythias hall under the auspices Of
the Observation-Disclosures and was
heard by an audience that packed the
auditorium.
The speaker was introduced by Rev.
Grevstad was one of the foremost
men in the councils Of, Sverdrup.
MIR. Grevstad said in part;
-- THE personality Of Johan Sverdrup
looms as large In Norway as that Of
Gladstone in England. His life work.
which spans a period of more thar
forty years, from about 1851 to 1892.
was to make the admirable organic
law of 1914 a living, reality among the
people-to teach and train the people
to make full use of their power and
become their own sovereign masters
and rulers.
The battlements Of the a~ristocratic
party. which was leaning upon and
supporting the royal prerogative.
were conquered one after the other,
and a long series of important re-
forms were initiated and carried
through by Sverdrup. gradually trans
forming Norway into a pure n d.
rect democracy, and one Of the hest
governed countries in the world.
THE: main constitutional reforms
which were to.make possible a sound
and vigorous development Of popular
and national progress were: suffrage,
annual par]iaments lfnstead of :ri-
ennial) and the establishment of the
parliamentary system of government.
The f1ercest battles scentered around
over nearly the WHOLE period Of his
public life. But his victory was COM
plete when he. in 1884, was called
upon to form the: first genuinely
democratic and the. first parliament
airy government Pf Norway.
1.-THE victory involved the surrender
by the crown of its. claim to 4 right
to veto bills for amending the co.sti-
tuition sd established. the .u%ndispuied
supremacy Of the Norwegian ya,l,a-
ment in the government 81 the co4n-
try
"sverdrup. died in 1892. He found
Norway a country ruled by an en-
nghtened but somewhat narrow
arfstocracy Of Office holders: he left it
the most vigorous and f~orward-look-
ing democracy Of Europe: and the
oeoSOAuTuI RoliIiGdt Oh
Norway. notable for ITS many. signal
victories for national and popular
rights. rests :upon the broad and solid
foundation of his monumental life
work. 49,.
~"Sverdrup is the great Conlmoncr
of Norway. In length Of public serv-
ice, IN the character'-and imp rtunce
OF his work for constitutional ard
general reforms. in. Intellectual gifts
and capacity Of lea dership, in mis- vast
store Of information" and his mastery
OF the art Of parliamentary debate, II.
HE touching love Of the common pee
pie and his complete hold upon their
hearts and confidence. he compares
more nearly with the famous com
moner Of England than with any. 9TH
er statesman of our times; and II
Norway had been a"great country his
nAme' would have been as much of a
household word In many lands as is
that Of Gladstone He builded and
iwr;Leht as well aid as. enduringly
fer KHs c0untrXs. aeef did his English
contemporary for. TIE British, empire;
and. In the history. of Norway aud in
the hearts of liberty-loving. Nor.
wegians, wherever they may he, his
name will live as one Of the creates,
builders and benefactors of their ma
tive land and their race and as one
Of the foremost champions of popula,
rights and liberties OF modern times