Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-05-23
Significance Of May Seventeenth In History
OF Norwegians Is Pointed Out by Dr.. Evjen in
Address Tracing Development Of Morse Nation

VI NUTSt NdllOu
and Norway's king An absolute mon
arch and guaranteed him unlimited
powers in the -'1ex reeia." written by
Grt4fenfelt. n considered the
most claNic state document penned in
the seventeenth century, oonstttu-
tion that delegated more power to a
ruler than any constitution in
Turkey or Russia. But the Danish
ample use Of the rights given him.
the people Of the twin kingdoms thus
prospered materially and spiritually.
This prosperity is especially noticeable
after 1870. A mercantile ,aristocrAcy
arose, . reign. by the wealthy which
once holders Of the country could not
curb. One man employed no less than
10000 people in -his various indus
Norway:~ Population.
The population Of Norway in 1914
The cfttes comprised a population OF
100000 people. Bergen was the
largest city, with a population Of 49,
90. It was rich in memories, plain
In living. Its wealth a fairly well
distributed. but the mercantile class
was the ruling class. There was not
= little Dutch and German blood in
the vehns Of the families Of Bergen.
Christina had SSe0 people, small.
poor streets, one hotel, but it. was
steepedein luxury. Throndhjem with
its $500 Inhabitants was wealthy.
Drammen III a population Of s, 400,
8tavanger of 1850. Tonsbcrg Of 1900.
Rrevtk Of 1000 people.
The means Of Subsistence were oh
tatned from stockraising. farming.
cutting timber, navigation. mining.
on the EXPORT OF lnmber to England
before. the Canadian markets were
opened.
The Elngftsh Blockade.
At the beginning Of the last century
Norway was tossed about like a bail
by martial powers. The peace Of Til
sit 1897 united Russia and France
in their purpose t break the mesean-
tile power Of England. All the mar.
bors Of the continent should be closed.
This meant. that Denmark aud Nor
Napoleon feared that the twin king
doms would join England. England
on the other hand feared that they
would side with Napoleon. This
meant a great deal. For, Denmark
Norway had a powerful fleet of "a
good sized men-of-war and a very
large number of smaller MARTA.
crafts But the fleet was resting
peacefully in Danish harhors. Eng.
would soon seize the Danish fleet and
use it as he saw fit suddenly demand
ed the temporary surrender of thit
fleet Denmark did not comply. and
the result was a fearful bomhardmen,
of Copenhagen by the British. whc
In three days demolished 300 house:
and killed 5000 people. Denmark
could not forgive England for this anc
determined: to fight on the side O
blockaded Denmark and Norway TO,
seven years, and wrought famine ant
death.
The Growtpx Desire for Independence
The blockade served only to inten
Hfy h desire for political independ
enee. Norway demanded of Denmarl
the establishment Of Norwegian
! owned university, a bank, a supreme
court. and a free press. Denmark
would not grant this at first.
Ono Of the leading men to champion
the need Of Independence wa Coup
Wedel-Jarlsberg. who. had Travelled
much in England and was full of ad
miration for English political. tnstitu.
tions. He favored the. idea of having
\ Norway united with Sweden on the
own constitution. He was also in.
strumental in organizing the Society
for the Welfare Of Norway. modelled
after the German Tugendverbund
! and. aiming to work for Norwegian
progress in industry. science. litera
Observation-Disclosures of Denmark.
Gradually the king permitted Nor
way to have it's own university ant
bank.
In January, 1914. the pesce Of Kie
was made. This forced the Danish
king to give. Norway to Sweden. Thus
the union between Denmark and Nor
way was dissolved.
kotabaes Meet in February, 1914.
Norway had gotten out Of one en-
tangiement only to get into another
treatment of diplomacy. or to protest
1t protested. For many generation
no country had dared protest agains
the arbitrary acts Of the big powers
Norway did it .feArIessly. All thoe,
who were opposed to the peace o
Kiel parlied to Christian Frederick
who as Stakeholder had been sent b,
the Danish king to Norway. at tn.
outbreak Of the var He summoned
HeeIiiS u HoIdoleS. IL III HunOeH, d
Eadsvold in February. 1914. H.
thought he, as the next heir apparen'
with the consent of the assenbl,
should proclaim himself king. Bu'
Professor GecrE Sverdrup proved tt
him that since the Danish king hat
surrendered his rights. Norway hat
been given it's sovereignty. It now hae
the right of making it's own const1tn
ton and of electing its own king
Christian Frederic could indeed he of.