THREE LITTLE KINGDOMS.
I shall treat in this article of my visit to three little kingdoms
in the north of Europe--Denmark, Belgium and The Netherlands.
I passed through the edge of Sweden on my way from Berlin to
Copenhagen and was at Malmo a short time; but, as it was Christmas
day and early in the morning, few stores were open, and I did not
have an opportunity to see many people. I had intended to visit
Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, but a day's delay in Russia
deprived me of that pleasure.
Copenhagen is not only the capital of Denmark, but its commercial
metropolis as well. The city has the air of a seaport. The canal
leading from the harbor up to the center of the town was crowded
with boats which had taken up their winter quarters, and the
multitude of masts told of the numbers of those who live upon the
ocean.
Denmark is a densely populated country composed of the Jutland
peninsula and a number of islands. The land is for the most part
level and not much above the sea. The farmers of Denmark have
distinguished themselves in several departments of agriculture,
especially in butter-making--Danish butter commanding the highest
price in London and other large markets.
Copenhagen has some very substantial buildings and an art gallery in
which the works of Thorwaldsen, the sculptor, occupy the chief place.
The people of Denmark, while living under an hereditary monarch,
have a written constitution, and parliament is the controlling
influence in the government. Until recently, the sovereign insisted
upon selecting his cabinet ministers to suit himself; but, about
three years ago, he yielded to the demand of parliament that the
dominant party in that body be permitted to furnish the king's
advisers. The change has proven so satisfactory that perfect harmony
now exists between the royal family and the legislative body.
King Christian is advanced in years and is so beloved by his people
that he goes among them without attendants or guards.
The heir to the throne of Denmark, Prince Frederick, upon whom, by
the courtesy of the American minister, Mr. Swensen, I was able to
call on Christmas afternoon, is very democratic in his manner, and
very cordial in his friendship for America.
If marrying daughters to crowned heads is a test, the late Queen of
Denmark was a very successful mother. One of her daughters is mother
of the present emperor of Russia, another is wife of the present
king of England, and a third is married to one of the smaller kings
of Germany. A son, it may be added, is king of Greece.
I had the pleasure of meeting the prime minister and also Professor
Matzen, the president of the state university and Denmark's member
of The Hague tribunal. He was one of the leading opponents of the
transfer of the Danish islands to the United States.
I learned while in Denmark that one of the chief reasons for
the opposition to the sale of the Danish islands to the United
States was the fact that the United States did not guarantee full
citizenship to the inhabitants of those islands. The nation's
conduct elsewhere prevented this. Our refusal to give the Porto
Ricans and the Filipinos the protection of the constitution is
largely to blame for the loss of the Danish islands to our country.
[Illustration: KING CHRISTIAN AND WIFE.]
The Danish officials whom I met were deeply interested in the United
States, and naturally so, for, like Sweden and Norway, Denmark has
sent many sons and daughters to the United States; and these, as
have the Swedes and Norwegians, have deported themselves so well
as to establish close ties between the mother countries and their
adopted land.