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346 A History of Sweden
lations the Riksdag meets annually in two chambers.
The first, or upper chamber, was composed of experi-
enced and wealthy men. The age and property qualifi-
cations for eligibility to the second, or lower ^chamber,
were lower. The two chambers have equal powers, so
that if either chamber rejects a measure, the same is
lost. To this regulation, however, there is an exception.
Questions regarding the government’s revenues and
expenses must be settled. Should the two chambers
disagree on such a measure the same must be decided
by a joint vote of the two chambers voting as one body.
In such a case the lower chamber has the advantage
of numbers, having 230 members to 150 of the upper
chamber.
B. THE THREE GREAT POLITICAL QUESTIONS
The Tariff Question. About the middle of the nine-
teenth century Sweden removed nearly all tariffs, and
espoused the system of free trade. It soon became
apparent, however, that she had conceded too much
to the consumer at the expense of the producer. The
weak Swedish industries could not compete in the mar-
kets, either at home or abroad, with the wealthy for-
eign manufacturers and were about to be crushed out
of existence. And from the farmers, too, loud protests
arose, when large quantities of grain were imported
at low prices from Russia and the United States. Thou-
sands of farmers sold their lands and emigrated to the
United States to make a living. Sweden had a touch
of the economic warfare between peoples, a warfare
in which numberless victims are sacrificed without
mercy.
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