way has
been denied equality in the Union, it is _not true_.

Sweden's only condition, that Norway, as they say, should enjoy her
prerogative, has been, that this prerogative in its application should be
subordinate to the demands stipulated by the Union, demands which Sweden
on her side was quite prepared to submit to. That a right should be
maintained under the consciousness that it has its limits in necessary
obligatory respects, has been almost lost sight of by Norway. The chief
impetus of the Revolution has been a reckless desire on the part of the
Norwegians to be absolutly their own masters, that and nothing else.
Norway has bragged about her prerogatives without any feeling of
responsibility, like an unreasoning whimsical child. It must be
_declared_, both on historical and psychological grounds, that it can
never be politically _defended_. Norway must already have made the
discovery that the great era of universal politics, is entitled, if ever,
_to political action under a strict sense of responsibility_.

[Sidenote: _Faults on Sweden's side._]

By this it is by no means our intention to deny that Sweden herself is to
a certain extent to blame for things going as they have done. Looking
back over the Union Policy of Sweden, it must, in the first place, be
noticeable that there has been, to a certain extent, a lack of firmness
and authority. And it cannot either be denied that there have been
mistakes that have unnecessarily roused opposition. For instance, in the
so-called Stadtholder question, in the sixties, Sweden's policy was
undoubtedly too harsh. But whatever faults may be laid at the door of the
Union Policy of Sweden, when the Swedish nation in these days tries to
make a searching self examination, opinions are not little likely to be
unanimous because Sweden has been _too conciliatory_ towards Norways'
demands.

[Sidenote: _Swedish opinion._]

It is said that a foreigner recently travelling in the Scandinavian
countries made the observation that Swedes always spoke kindly of the
Norwegians, and the Norwegians always spoke ill of the Swedes. The
observation doubtless contains a good deal of truth. It is, at least,
true that Swedish public opinion, at large, has been distinguished by
kindliness both to Norway and its people, and that every honest effort to
smooth discussions has had the sympathy of an overwhelming majority of
the people of Sweden. Swedes have been very unwilling to listen to the
p