Danmarks Handel og Industri

XIX of almost 3 millions. When the re-union with Sleswig — of which Denmark was deprived in 1864 — is accomplished, the Danish territory, as also the Danish population, will obtain a rather considerable increase. But in addition to this the Baroe Islands and Greenland belong to Denmark, and finally Denmark is in near constitutional connection with Iceland. Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, but the constitution, which is founded upon the amended Fundamental Act of June 5th 1915, is of a very democratic form. The legislature —- Rigsdagen — is constructed on the dual chamber system, but the members of both chambers — Folketing and Lands- ting — are elected on the basis of an equal franchise, without separate privi- leges for special classes of the population, and to either chamber both men and women are eligible and have the franchise. I he principal Danish trade is Agriculture, and in the course of changing Agriculture, circumstances agricultural products, down through the times, have been the most important merchandise, which Denmark had to offer in exchange lor the supplies, of which the country stood in need from foreign countries. Right back to the early middle-ages, grain, horses, cattle and pigs are mentioned amongst the principal articles of export of the country. As already mentioned, a considerable number of horses from .Jutland were annually exported at that time via Ribe, and later on —. from the 15th century the export of heavy oxen, which especially found their way to Holland, became the chief source of income for the country. The last century has carried Danish agriculture to an extremely high state of development. In the first half of the 19th century, the grain export progressed continually without interruption, and the reduction of the English Corn Duty in 1849 acted as a further impetus to Danish agriculture, which henceforth found its most important market for its products in England. 1 he rapid development of the means of communication had, however, brought competition from the newly cultivated soil of the transatlantic countries dangerously near the grain producing countries of Europe, and in the 70ties and 80ties a serious crisis raged in these countries. Whilst in other places they endeavoured to exclude competition by introducing high customs duties, the Danish farmers met the new state of things by introducing a