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Knute Nelson.
haven the country was still in a state of political «dæmring»,
and those who framed the constitution did not at first seem
fully conscious of all its scape and possibilities. Denmark
had entailed upon Norway bureaucratic system of government,
vested in a limited number of favored families. This system
survived and it took time to get away from it, for it died
hard. It was hard for bureaucracy to learn that any but the
peasants and the laboring men were subject to military
service, or that any of these clases were fit for public office, or
for local seif government, instead of a fraternal bureaucratic
system. And it was hardest of all to learn that the ministry
was responsible to the Storthing rather than to the king.
But all this and much more was gradually learned and
acquiesced in. Armed with this constitution, a zealous and
patriotic Storthing, in which the peasants have taken their
full part, has been able, though sometimes with strenuous
efforts, to teach all these lessons and to bring about all
urgent and wholesome reforms. In the language of the
Bible the constitution has proved itself to be «a pillar of a
cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night», to guide them
in all their struggles and in all their progress, since Norway
regained her independence under the constitution of 1814,
she has, considering the mountainous character of the country,
the sterility of her soil, and the comparative paucity of her
natural resources, made remarkable progress. Her population
has nearly trebled, in spite of the fact that she has in the
meantime contributed nearly three quarters of a million to the
United States. Her developed resources, and her productive
capacity have increased manifold, and on a large scale.
Her inland transportation system has grown from liUle more
than mere bridled footpaths, to a system of solidly con
structed railroads, and magnificent highways, the admiration
of the numerous foreign tourists who visit the country. Her
flag fries at the masthead of her ships in all parts and on
all seas, her fisheries and her förests supply the wants of many
countries besides her own, and her waterfalls draw fertilizers
from the clouds for the use of the impoverished soils of
other lands. While her material progress has in many re
spects been considerable and most encouraging, it is in the
intellectual field that she has made the greatest strides and
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