The banquet in the Sherman House was a gala celebration. The first of the highlights came when the sculptor Sigval Asbjornson entered the banquet hall. It has been a long time since anyone received the ovation that the sculptor received. John Anderson and Mayor Harrison led the supper march. Among the speakers were Paul O. Stensland, whose address is given below:

"Ladies and Gentlemen: I have the honor of presiding this evening, and the pleasant duty of bidding you all welcome. The committee, who invited you to come, has only one wish--that you may enjoy yourselves thoroughly at this social and memorial evening.

"This celebration is certainly an unusual one; Leif Ericson in America is now and forever a fact. No one can deny it. He is here, not only in his old Vinland, but in busy Chicago, in our very midst.

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"Leif, himself, is, however, a subject which I will gladly leave to others here to discuss. His namesake in the park is a figure of whom the original--according to the judgement of competent critics--might well have been proud. The statue is a work of genuine art; and our countryman, Mr. Asbjornson, deserves a great deal of credit for his style and workmanship--yet, what to me seems the most commendable, the most remarkable aspect of the whole affair is that the statue really stands there.

"Never within my recollection, has a worth-while enterprise among us Norwegians in America met with such a succession of obstacles as this undertaking. So much the more ought we to thank the men through whose untiring energy it was consummated at last. Let us all indicate our profound appreciation; let us thank these men in the name of our own national heritage."

Nicolai Grevstad then spoke as follows:

"Mr. Toastmaster, Ladies and Gentlemen: The land that Leif and his men discovered 3was fair to look upon, and they were eager to possess it. But the homestead law had not been passed at that time, and they had a little trouble before they got a title from the redskin owners. Anyway, they relinquished such title as they had secured.

"But in the fullness of time, other settlers landed a little to the south of the landing place of Leif--men and women of kindred blood and equal courage and daring. With the laws of God and man graven upon their hearts, they took up the white man's burden among the savage people of the New World. The United States of today, the foremost nation among the free and strong nations of the earth, is the glorious function of this humble beginning.

"Upon every page of the marvelous history of America, one fact stands out in bold relief: the American people have never lacked wisdom nor strength in great emergencies. Every other nation has failed at some critical juncture in its history; America--never!

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"America has done big things well, and the very greatest, best; and has gained fresh strength from every grave trial. When the appalling calamity struck this land with bewildering suddenness, the people's heart trembled with sorrow, anguish, and righteous wrath; but the majestic calm and self-control of the people left no doubt about the safety of the Republic.

"While we glory in our strength, we should, as good citizens, face our weaknesses with candor and courage. It is true that it has been, and is, comparatively easy for us, as a people, to accomplish difficult tasks, but we cannot deny that we often find it difficult to do those things which seem most easy. We govern the nation better than any of its states; a state better than a city, large or small; a city better than some towns. As for the caucus and the primary, we do not seem to be able to manage them at all--even if we do happen to attend them. We have nearly always chosen the right man for president, but invariably elect the wrong men for constables.

"Our poor often accomplish the difficult task of paying taxes for the rich, while some of our rich men and some of our great corporations have difficulties 5about paying their own taxes. Our flag is spotless; but to keep our back yards and alleys clean is apparently a task beyond our power.

"Fellow citizens, an impressive lesson has warned us that perhaps we have grown indifferent to some of these everyday duties of citizenship; that we are in need of a national and civic awakening. Let us heed the warning! Let us ever cherish the first principles of good citizenship: plain honesty in public life, and sober common sense in public speech. Let us guard the law against all criminal plots and attacks, or its arm will lose its strength. Let us be careful not to sow injustice lest we shall reap anarchy. Let us crush every form of anarchism--that of the dollar as well as that of the dagger. Let us protect, honor, and support our public servants, from the president down, even if we did our best to defeat them, for they represent the will and majesty of the people.

"In the lawbooks of the people of old Norway, we read that 'law shall build the nation'. A million of their descendants in America accept this fundamental 6truth, whether they reap the golden grain on the plains, or work in our shops, or help to sail the 'Columbia' to victory. No creed could be more wholesome or more thoroughly American. Let us live up to it every day, in word and action, and we shall, each in his place, add to the greatness and glory of America and to the welfare and happiness of her people."

The next speaker, Oscar M. Torrison, spoke as follows:

"Of all the countries in the world, there is none so dear to me as the land of my birth--the United States of America. But of all countries, there is none which appeals to me as much as the land of my fathers, the little country of Norway.

"It has been charged that Norway is an unproductive country, yet I would not exchange the fjords and valleys, the forests and mountains, the waterfalls and cataracts of Norway for the most fertile prairies of other lands; 7not because of their material wealth, but because on every fjord and in every valley there is an artist painting the greatest scenery the world has to offer; because on every mountain side there is a poet writing the plays and singing the songs that move the minds and hearts of men; because at the foot of every waterfall there is a musician and composer, drinking in the inspiration of the music that God has given only to the people of Norway. The fertile prairies of other lands have produced rich fields of waving grain, but the rugged rocks of Norway have produced a sturdy race of men.

"After all--the glory of Norway is her people. They are an independent and liberty-loving people. From time immemorial the Norwegians, in their mountain homes, made their own laws, which even their kings were bound to obey, or they would hear from the people. The representatives of the people performed the judicial functions, and there is good historical authority for the claim that 'trial by jury' had its origin among the mountains and valleys of this hardy race of Norsemen.

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"The tiller of the soil in Norway was never a vassal or a bondsman to any feudal lord. He held the absolute ownership of his lands in fee. The 'Odelsret' [right of succession by the oldest son, or, in case of death, second son; in the event of the death of the second son, the oldest daughter gained the right of inheritance], the right of the family within a certain number of years to redeem land that has been in the family for twenty years, in case of its sale as a result of misfortune, or otherwise, is still guaranteed by the present constitution, which provides that this 'Odels' right shall not be abolished. Thus the Norwegian in ancient times became a free, independent, self-respecting man, and his family independent and self-respecting.

"I said that the Norsemen were a liberty-loving people; indeed, over a thousand years ago they discovered and settled Iceland; they established a government there, and that government was a republic that maintained itself for a hundred years.

"The Norwegians are a law-abiding people. Who ever heard of a Norwegian 9anarchist? Why shouldn't they be a law-abiding people? A people who make their own laws, and whose ancestors for centuries made their own laws, have learned to respect the law.

"This ancient spirit of liberty, independence, and self-government still rules the people of Norway and has found expression in her present constitution, established nearly one hundred years ago, one of the most liberal and popular constitutions of the age. It vests the legislative power in a legislature elected by the people; it gives male suffrage, it abolishes titles; it guarantees liberty of speech and freedom of the press; it requires of all, rich and poor alike, equal military service; it protects the personal liberty and property rights of the individual by a well-considered bill of rights.

"The people of Norway early recognized the fact that a self-governing people must depend on the virtue and intelligence of its citizens, and so they have have been steadily building up a system of education: a system of free public schools which is not excelled anywhere. The schools are governed by local 10school boards, one member of which is a teacher elected by the teachers--a principle which has been much debated recently in the United States. Women are eligible for membership on the school boards. Education is compulsory, and illiteracy is practically unknown.

"Under her institutions and with her history, Norway is of necessity in line with the best thought of the age.

"It is not surprising that a people whose literature leads the world, also leads in the position it accords to women. There is no surer barometer of the advancement of a nation than the position it assigns to women. Women have been admitted to the University of Norway for nearly twenty years; they have the right to vote in municipal elections and are eligible to the position of school inspectors. Married women have the right to dispose of the property they own, without the intervention of their dear husbands. The women of Norway are prominent in art, in music, and in literature, and their names will suggest themselves to you without my recalling them.

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"The people and government of Norway have taken an advanced position on the question of international arbitration, and have literally supported and participated in the international peace conferences of the last decade. Their work in this respect has been fittingly recognized by the philanthropist, Dr. Nobel of Sweden, who, in his will, appointed the Norwegian Storting to award his great prize for the best work done in the interest of peace.

"This little country of Norway, with her poets whose works are translated and read in every civilized country; with her artists as prize winners in the art centers of Europe and judges in art competitions in America; with her musicians whose music is heard in classical concerts everywhere; this little country, with her merchant marine ranking fourth among the nations of the world, with her fifty thousand seamen in every port and on every sea; with her flag floating in the breeze from the tropics to the arctic, from the ships of Borckgrevink at the South Pole and of Nansen at the North--has reason to feel proud of her achievements in the acts of peace--upon the land and upon the sea.

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"All hail to the land from which Leif Ericson hailed!"

The next speaker, John Blegen, spoke in honor of the members of the Leif Ericson Committee. The Committee was organized in 1892, and has functioned to this day. Nearly every representative person in the colony was present.

Skandinaven (Daily Edition), Oct. 14, 1901.

The next speaker, Professor Julius Olson, spoke for the Norwegians of America:

"The Norwegians in America, like other people, are proud of their race--of the heroes, poets, and scholars that Norway has produced in both ancient and modern times. We have seen fit to honor one of them today. But he is by no means the greatest hero in Norse history, though he is the first to receive conspicuous attention in this country. No bronze proclaims his fame in the North. Leif's achievement was but a happy incident in an age 13filled with stirring events. Why then has it assumed such an importance in the minds of the Norwegians in America? The reason is that this incident is the first authentic fact of American history, no matter whether it be of great or little import. The first landing of the white men on this continent and the first attempt at colonization here are interesting facts, worthy of commemoration, worthy of a monument. But they are especially interesting to the Norwegians of America because those white men, discoverer and colonists, were Norwemen; and hence they have deemed it worth while to emphasize these facts with a monument that will provoke the curiosity of those unfamiliar with the name of Leif Ericson and the Vinland voyages.

"Moreover, so far as the Norwegians themselves are concerned, it serves to connect the history of the North with the history of the land of their adoption. It is one way of linking together the lands of their affection. Viewed either from a Norwegian or an American standpoint, this is a commendable thing to do, and especially if it is historically justifiable. If the Norwegians were not proud of America, they would not have spent thousands of dollars and a great deal of labor and enthusiasm to erect a visible link of historic connection between this country and their native land. Do you 14think that foreign ingrates would spend either money or sympathy on such a cause? So in one sense this monument is a declaration of our love and devotion to this land.

"Furthermore, we know that the discussion of the Vinland voyages has not been, and will not be entirely without beneficial results. Those voyages, which were a matter of historical record in the Old Norse sagas, are the first written chapter of American history. The essential facts of the interesting and well-told Saga of Erik the Red are good history. They are of such a nature that they need no corroborative evidence, for they bear the earmarks of truth. It is simply silly to question them. Now this first chapter of American history, which so many American scholars have studied, has been a gateway for many into the rich realm of Old Norse history and literature. The late John Fiske is a conspicuous example of what I mean. That has been to our great advantage. Familiarity with our literature has helped Americans to understand us better, as a race. We want that better understanding, and are anxious to do all in our power to promote it. Such a 15cause is worthy of promotion, for there are always great obstacles to be overcome in the attempt to bring different races to a sympathetic understanding of each other.

"I think that I state a generally recognized fact when I say that the Norwegians, as a whole, stand high in the esteem of Americans. But this does not imply that there is as yet perfect understanding between them. Americans do not see things from the Norwegian point of view, nor do the Norwegians always understand the feelings and sentiments of Americans. As a result, there is a certain amount of irritation. Leif Ericson is a pertinent illustration of this fact. The most modest claims that the Norwegians make for him irritate some Americans. They are not all as ready to yield a point as a wag in Wisconsin, who, on hearing of Leif's claims to honor, said: 'Well, I always thought it was George Washington who discovered America; but if it has to be a foreigner, I would just as soon have it Leif as anybody else."

"I said there was sometimes irritation. The Scandinavian looks back upon a racial existence that antedates the earliest beginning of Athens and Rome.

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He is proud that his race has maintained its identity and individuality up to the present, from time immemorial, and hence, in certain moods, he is inclined to view the Yankee as a callow upstart, especially when the Yankee swaggers, which he sometimes does. The American, on the other hand, proud of the brilliant achievements of a brief century of national life, does not always give honest heed to representatives of more plodding nations. But he is learning. Time and experience and expansion are giving him a wider horizon and broadened sympathies.

"The Norwegians in America, however, have no particular fault to find. They have a spirit of independence, born of the consciousness of the great contributions they have made in the building of this nation. They certainly do not consider themselves parasites on the tree of American liberty. And still they are not all, as yet, thoroughly imbued with the best ideals that America represents. Considering especially the barrier of language, that would be too much to expect. But their children and grandchildren will be so imbued. The ultimate civic ambition of the Norwegians in America is to do their full duty toward this country; to transplant the virtues of their 17northern homes to the broad and fertile fields of this land; to leave the imprint of what is best in them on this nation.

"Meanwhile we are not disposed to believe that any thoughtful American will view with suspicion the fact that the Norwegians of America cling with affection to the traditions and historical achievements of their fathers. There is nothing in them that runs counter to good Americanism. A people's traditions are a mighty cultural force, and cannot safely be disregarded. American history and traditions can only rarely become the property of the immigrants. It is their children who will inherit these priceless resources of good American citizenship. And so I say as my final word: Let the Norwegians in America, and their children and grandchildren, if possible, often turn to the rock from which they are hewn."