The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-08-19

The Swiss Confederation il, next to San Ma
rino, which is mere toy republic, the Oldest
representative government OF the modern world.
Itis writes Mr.. Watterson TO the Louisville C0ur-
ier Journal, a model of Jcffcrsonian simplicity.
The Congress- meets twice year. and rarely ex-
tends its sessions over three weeks. Its MEM
bers receive "a day during It's sittings. There
Is Federal Council ot seven. one 0f whom is
chosen as President for one year. This Council
is elected by the Congress. There is no cum
brous Electoral College, as with us, and no long
or second, or third terms
The popular elections are held in the churches,
and the corruption OF vpters or the sIuffing Of
the ballot box or rio,ing about the polls are un-
known. civil service law unwrttrn, but real,
prevails, and COOL men grow old and die in the
public service. NOwherr, except in the army IL
age disquaiier. The Swiss statesmen are all
gray-haired, and u cursOry glance at the sitting
of the Swiss Congress gives the impression Of q
small human snow storm.
Ostentatious displays, either OF orat0ry or of
living, are as unhcard ot as official mannerism,
inaccrssibility and bombast The beggar on
horseback has never penetrated these fastnesses.
The corner stone OF the circulation office has
not been laid There are no public debts and no
surplus. My dear old friend the Hon. A. Dud-
ley Mann, who negotiated the first treaty be
tween the United States and Switzerland, and
who still lives in Paris, intellectually MS clear
and strong at eighty-seven as he was thirty three
years ago. when l knew him AS Under Secre-
tary of Slate at Washington, told me charac-
teristic and amusing story Of a dinner given him
by The Federal Council just before his departure
from Berne, which nearly bankrupted the ma.
tiOnal treasury. l think he said that out of
surplus on hand of 1915 this banquet left less
than 800 subject to the Presidents draft. Mr.
Winchester, To whom mentioned this, declared
that time has in no wise lesscned the trugaty
OF the Swiss authorities They receive the most
meagre salaries, and make no pre;ense at cere-
mOny. The local society of Berne is poor and
proud, and having lost its titles and fortunes it
shuts itself within stone walls and closed blinds,
hugs its traditions and its patriotism 10 its bosom,
dsdains the world, Ostraczes the stranger, and,
when put to it, sells, clandestinely and anOny-
mOusly, some heirloom at u sacrifice to obtain the
more pressing necessities Of life. The official
society emulates the exclusiveness of the local
society Outside of the Diplomatic Corps there
are no dinners or gay equpages and absolutely
no routs or balls. The families of the Federal
COuncilmen neither receive nor return visits
with the families of the Diplomatic Corps, but
live solely within themselves. Many years ago
a member OF the Cabinet, who had married
rich wife, undertook TO disploit himself and to
make display of his sudden wealth and eleva-
ton. The innovation not only dc truyed him
politically, but overthrow the government of
which he was an ornament. Since then nU one
has dared TO violate the unwritten law of the
land, which puts an extinguisher upon swell
heads and swel-headism.
In transacting business with the Swiss govern
ment one does not have tO cool his heels in an
ante room or pass the gauntlet of line of inso-
lent underlings to reach the head of a depart
ment The Swiss Senator is not mendicant at
home, bowling and cringing to the dear people,
and pOmpOus lOrdlet ut Bcrne, too busy tO do
anything and too great to be useful. He is the
same among his constituents and AT the Federal
capital. The country is too small for little thun-
derbolis to put on airs, and the people are too
straightforward and intelligent TO tolerate the
shams and frauds which pass current in larger
and more complicated systems. Yet this simple,
free and happy, this upright and economic sys
TEN has f1ourished for 500 years, and is at this
moment rs stable and unshaken as it ever was
pure Democracy and perfect Republicanism.
Americans. take off your hats and salute it