Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/353

 1899.] Sweden. — The General Election. [345

was called " flag resolutions " in their support. Amongst other places, the Fosterlcmdska Forbundet — the patriotic league — suffered a notable defeat in Gothenburg, where all their candidates succumbed to men of more liberal views. In Stock- holm the candidates of the Liberal Union were returned in all five divisions, with the exception of Captain Wallenberg who was elected for the first division by the Moderates. Otherwise the members elected by the capital were either Liberal Moderates or Liberals, except M. Bran ting, a Social Democrat. Other- wise the Social Democratic element was not represented in the Swedish Legislature, and M. Branting's name, was moreover in- cluded in the lists of both the Liberals and of the Moderates. In some places extreme Nationalists were replaced by Conservatives of less pronounced views. How the various parties within the new Eigsdag would eventually group themselves remained to be seen; the only definite conclusion to be drawn from the returns being a strong and general protest against Sweden carrying the "flag" question to extremes, whilst resisting in some way or other, Norway's repeatedly and constitutionally expressed intention to have her flag relieved of the emblem of the Union. But if the Swedish nation showed by its general vote no wish to challenge a serious conflict with Norway on this matter, it did not follow that the former country meant to adopt a policy of universal compliance towards the somewhat aggressive sister country. On the contrary, the fact of Sweden having decided to deal with every point in dispute according to its merits, might be taken to indicate her intention of dis- playing firmness against Norwegian demands, which could not be morally or constitutionally justified.

At the election wiser counsels had prevailed, and this feeling was further emphasised by Professor Alin and M. Reutersvard resigning their seats in the First Chamber, as soon as the vindictive policy advocated by them had been condemned by the nation at large. These two politicians, more especially Professor Alin, had by careful historic researches arrived at the conclusion that Norway's relations to Sweden ought to be those of a subordinate country, and of this untenable view the general election had disposed. Neither the consular question nor that of foreign representation was in any way prejudiced by the abandonment of the extreme flag agitation, and the two countries did not appear to be any nearer an amicable solution of the conflict which for a long while has called for a definite settlement.

That the election had materially improved the chances of the Liberal factions was universally admitted, and the formation of a new Liberal party, capable of uniting or absorbing its various groups, was discussed even before the election was quite finished. Professor Sixten von Friesen, one of the members for Stock- holm, was mentioned as the probable leader. M. von Friesen during the last session of the Eigsdag had introduced a