Eau Clair May 17 Celebration (Syttende Mai)
Grand Celebration This Year
Sons of Norway Will Celebrate Their National Holiday in this City with Great Magnificence
All residents of this city who are of Norwegian birth are making great preparations for the celebration of Mai 17, the National Holiday of Norway.
The festivities this year extend all over the United States as well as in the Motherland. There is additional cause for rejoicing. Norway has now a flag of its own for its merchant marine, and suffrage has been granted to women.
During the years past the Norwegians have been making strenuous efforts to obtain permission to use their own flag in the foreign service. This flag has been recently granted to them and is of a red ground with a blue cross over a white cross in the center. Formerly the colors of the union were in the center. These colors were yellow and blue in addition to the red and white in the right hand upper corner.
The law just passed in the Storthing allows females of age, who pay taxes on 30 kroner ($81) in the city and taxes on 400 kroner in the country, to vote on all municipal matters.
These additions are though to be of great importance by the Norwegians, and letters from the old country dwell on the elaborate preparations that are being made to celebrate the two concessions just obtained.
It is safe to say that this city will not be surpassed by any in the state in celebrating this great day. A splendid program has been prepared and it will be carried out in the most triumphant manner.
Source: Eau Claire Leader, May 16, 1902 Page 8, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
