Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-02
LIBERTY Z SPIRIT
OF ICELAND IS .
0'C0.NNOR THEME Ne
at Mountain Picnic
Calls Jon sigurdsson
Lincoln of Iceland"

Mountain N. D., Aug. 2.-Refer-
rinAto John Sigurdsson, champion Of
lcelandic liberties, as "the Lincoln Of
Iceland" J. F. T. O'Connor Of Grand
Forks, candidate for the United States
senate. paid an eloquent tribute to
the %Icelandic race as eo-workers with
b people Of America in the ad-
vancement Of human freedom in his
address here this afternoon. at the
tW~enty-thtrd annual Community
picnic attended by people Of Ice
landict origin from all parts Of Cava-
lierNnhd Pembina counties.
Our government was created out
Of the experiences Of the centuries, the
founders of. our government desired
liberty. You celebrate today q great
historic event in the history of Ice
land when the king Of Denmark in
1874 gave to Iceland a constitution
witt. liberal powers" said the speaker.
The golden thread of representa-
tive government can be traced from
the very beginning of Icelandic hts
tory. Iceland nj America both
came into existence rs protest against
autocratic power. In the ninth cen
fury King Harold Fair Hair. with a
strong will and a dominant person
ality. brought together the warning
factions of Norway inc made out Of
them one strong kingdom. He be-
NSrSu tIdI -SIc hllS was LllC -SLdLS
and vested m himself the title to all
the land. The Norwegian free
holders believed that they Should own
their WI land and they left Norway
and went to Iceland. Here they
owned their " land and set up
their nWp government. They created
the al.iing. The althing was abol-
and six years later Denmark at
tempted to restrict Icelandic liberty
and a great constitutional struggle
followed which ended in 1874 when
a constitution was given to Iceland by
the king Of Denmark" .
Praises Jon Sigurdsson.
Mr.. O'Connor then traced the ad.
herence of the 1cclandic people to
the principle Of representative gov
eminent.
1T is an inspiration to read the life
coin Of Iceland. It was indeed strange
that these two great personalities
the n who contributed so'much tc
the perpetuation 6f American insti,
tuition and the other who secured
home rule for Iceland, should have
been born a few years apart. Lincoln
was two years old, living In Kentucky
when thousands of miles at the nortf
Jon sigurdsson was born in Iceland
and>the history OF neither country
can be written without the name O.
Lincoln and sigurdssoh. In recogni
ton OF sigurdsson's services as {
statesman. writer. law-eiter ant
speaker there has been raised to hi,
memory a monument which for cen
turtles will call to mind his services
to his country. Indeed the best NbrsI
history, commencing with. KIM
Harold in 872. down to 1898. which
history also includes the importan
events in the progress of Sweden am
Denmark, was written by shorr
Sturlason, who was an 1celander.">
Other Speakers on Program.
Other speakers scheduled on to
days program are Harold Thompson
states attorney Of Pernbiha county
and Rev. XXX. Olafson. OF Mountain
Three ball games will be played TIL
afternoon. teams from Mountain
Milton and Edinburg participating.
Hon. Paul johnson, Representative
from this district in the last seseio'
Of the legislature, is presiding at tn
program this afternoon.