The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-02
SWITZERLAND.


Proposed Revision of the Constitutions
The Meaning Of tho DIovement-sViil
Switzerland be Gernaanfzed :-'Fhe Vote
OF tho People Decides Against the Pro-
posed Anne ndments.
GENEVA, May IL, 1872.
Switzerland has just passed through great
constitutional crisis, an account of which can
scarcely fail to be Of interest to the readers of the
HERALD. In one respect the constitution OF Swift
zerland is analogous to the cons titutlon of the
United States. Side by side with the sovereignty
OF the central power is the sovereignty of the
State, or Canton. But while In the United states
the central power Is the great thing, in Switzerland
the sovereignty OF the Canton obtains the greater
consideration. The difference is easily explained.
Practically speaking, State of America is pretty
much like the other; the same language is spoken !;
neither race nor religion forms battle ground
of daily political strife; at all events State
be regarded as In any way foreign to the others.
In Switzerland, on the contrary, the different can
tons are inhabited by populations different in reli
gion and different in race Some Of the cantOns
almost exclusively German, some almost eXcu-
sivey French and Is almost exclusively Italian.
In this manner some cantons are exclusively
Catholic, while others are exclusively Protestant.
And, in addition to this, the cantons have in times
brought their differences in religion into strong
relief by the prominent and almost fierce part they
ook in religious movements. Geneva is associated
with the rise and progress Of Calvnsm. The tradl-
lions Of Fribourg as strongly Catholic as those
of Geneva are Protestant.
THE RESULT OF THIS ANON ,Lous STATE OF AFFAIRS
has been constitution In many respects different
from any other constitution In the world. The
great idea In the minds Of those who framed
the constitution seems to have been that
each canton should be as Independent as pos
sible Of the others, and as different as possible.
In one canton you live under one set of
laws, criminal and civil; and one system OF
taxation; another, you live under laws ana taxa
ton Of quite another character Every foreigner is
free to move where he likes In Switzerland, but to
the Switzer himself 1t is "a easy to pass to the banks
Of the Amazon the Mississippi as from one canton
into another. In one canton you can marry when
you like in another the lovers must produce proof
that they possess ample provision for prospective
offspring. In one canton, the priest controls the
school, In another the school Is completely secular
completely Calvinistc. The different cantons Of
Switzerland, in fact, are foreign to each other
and their relations have partakon more of an in-
ternational than of national character.
cENTRALlsTs AND CANToNTsTs.
Now, such constitution naturally produced two
opposing parties-the party of the centralists and
the party OF the cantonlsts. The party de-
clared tnat such internal differences were rreju-
dicla to the republic while the other main
tanned that, in country SO naturally
and inscparably divided, it was impossible
that any uniformity OF government could give
satisfaction. The centra,ist party mt last
succeeded in bringing forward q proposition Tor
revising the constitution In accordance with their
views. All the barriers were to be thrown down
between the different Cantons; sOiourn Of three
months In a canton was to give the right of fran-
obi 20 ba n he III
der the control OF the central authority. These
changes were sweeping enough: but change still
was proposed that if $1,000 citizens, or five can
tons, called for any change an appeal TO universal
suffrage would he ne the result ti ana universal SUI
taken as final and as binding Oh all the cantons.
To understand the
SIGNIFICANCE OF TuIs CHANGE
we must know the real meaning OF p66fsctte In
Switzerland. or the entire population OF the conn
try upwards of sixtg-nre per cent are Germans,
and upwards OF nltyeght pet cent are Protestants.
If the revised constitution wcre therefore, adopted,
the consequences would be two-fod-liIst, all can
tonal rights would virtually be abolished; and,
secondly, country, mixed in race and religion,
would have been almost completely at the disposal
OF an overwhelming Protestant and German ma
jority
GERMANIzE SWITZERLAND.
Tho different parties were not slow to see this.
and thus the strife was embittered BY national aud
religious anmosties. Some voted simply looking
at the religious aspect Of the question; others held
regard exclusively to the national side OF the con-
Switzerland and that is the great point" Others
said ave can Germanize Switzerland and that Is
the great point" The meaning and spirit OF the
contest will be understood from the tactics adopted
In this city. One party posted upa condemnation
OF the revision by Louis Neueilot, the we-known
editor Of the uramonane Uaiuers, and thus gained
the votes OF many persons in whom hatred off
Catholicity predoninatcs over all other feel
ings. Tho other party posted up an ex-
tract from Berlin paper, which supported
Revesoau because, 1t said Reveseau would
GermaniZc Switzerland and would thus prepare the
way for her return TO the bosom of the Fatherand
and thus the votes of many were secured in whom
the regard for Switzeriands independence Is the
first feeling.
TIE DEFEAT or THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
Great constitutional questions In switzerland are
decided by double yotc--a common vote by the \
electors and q vote ny cantons. The popular vote
was against the revision though the ma GRITTY was
very small As TO the cantonal vota, thirteen can
tons voted against ana but nine for the revision. l
As at least twelve Iantons ont OF the twcDtytw
arc requisite to pass constitutional change Ii viii
be seen that the defeat OF the reysionists very
complete.