prince is tendered a seat upon an ancient throne; the form is old, but
the spirit, how new! Republican though she is to the backbone, Norway
has elected to be governed by monarchical methods, fearing with her
isolated and primitive peasantry, to put the machinery of control into
the hands of the people themselves. She must have a king, but he shall
be of a new variety; in short, a republican king. She will not even
have him addressed as were the monarchs of old, by the Norwegian
equivalent of "Your Majesty." He shall be just _Herre Konge_, plain
"Mister the King."

Even as the Norwegians welcomed Haakon VII to their shores, they took
pains to show him clearly his rightful place. In his address delivered
to the newly arrived sovereign on board the battleship Heimdal, Herr
Michelsen, President of Council, and for six months virtual President
of Norway, used these significant words: "For nearly six centuries
the Norwegian people have had no king of their own. To-day a king of
Norway comes to make his home in the Norwegian capital, elected by a
free people to occupy, conjointly with free men, the first place in
the land. The Norwegian people love their liberty, their independence,
and their autonomous government which they themselves have won. It
will be the glory of the king and his highest pleasure to protect this
sentiment, finding his support in the people themselves. This is why
the Norwegian people hail you to-day with profound joy and cry, 'Long
live the King and Queen of Norway!'"

Was ever so frank a bargain driven with a king before? "Behold," says
Norway in effect, "you may sit on a throne; but beware how you attempt
to king it over us. We will give you a salary to transact our official
business and act as official figurehead. But you must never overlook
the fact that it was we who made you and not you yourself."