Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/358

 350] FOEEIGN HISTOEY. [1899.

obtained from State loans. An increase in the revenue of the State railways about covered a corresponding reduction in the customs receipts. It was also proposed to prolong for four years the extra taxation on income and property, by which time the whole of the votes for extraordinary defence measures — 43,900,000 kr.— would be covered.

A few days after the reassembling of the Storthing the representatives of the Left met in order to consider the pro- gramme for the next general election. This important question had already been publicly discussed for some time previous to the meeting. With one or two exceptions, the Eadical papers urged the party to adopt a more active, not to say aggressive, policy in the " Union's conflict," although the paper, which was supposed to act as the mouthpiece of the present Eadical Government, pointed out the great risk which an acute conflict with Sweden would involve. At the same time it was insisted that the old demands for separate and independent Norwegian institutions (separate diplomatic and consular representation) should be maintained, only it should be left more or less to the discretion of the members, how and when these claims should be advanced. Otherwise the official paper had, since the flag question had been solved in accordance with the wishes of the Radical party, often assumed an overbearing tone in its reference to Sweden. Only a few days previously, when touch- ing upon the large defensive votes which had been passed in recent years, it had stated that the point was to make Norway capable of defending herself against possible Swedish plans of attack. This was now in a fair way of being compassed: The moment for action was now approaching, and it was time to ut the question of the Union forward as an active programme, ut it was best to advance step by step, first by consular representation, that was now ripe, etc.

It was therefore a matter of little surprise that the meeting of delegates for the Eadical, or Left party as they called them- selves, fully endorsed these views, though with some reserve as regards the choice of time. The programme, approved of by the meeting, contained the following items : —

The consummation of Norway's independence by means of separate Norwegian foreign representation and independent Norwegian consuls; the resolution with regard to the latter to be passed before the next general election. The second resolution endorsed the principle of arbitration and neutrality, the third advocated insurance against disablement, comprising the whole Norwegian nation. This programme was then for- warded to the local Eadical unions for further consideration.

The Storthing, by 95 votes against 21, passed (Oct. 25) the proposal for a new State loan of 30,000,000kr. The minority advocated a loan of only 20,000,000 kr., which they considered adequate for the first three or four years.

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