New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-25

make money in office, and it follows that only
veIlto-do men can afford to take the mgher
Offices This is one reason why reflections are
so usual. The people regard those whose patr-
otismGinduces them TO sacrifice their matefiai III
terrsts in accepting office as puDnc peheiac'ors
in some sense, and they show their recognition OF
the selfsurrender by keeping such men IN ONCE
The President of the Swiss Confederation pos
sesses very little power. His Office oilers lew
o,o,oces 70 that of the President of the United
stotes In fact. he is really little more than
chairman of board, which is the Federal Council
Tho latter does the executive work, but even It's
mowers are strictly limited. The relations De
tween the Cantons or States and the Fcderai
Government, however are not at all rigdly de-
fined, and there is consequently too much room
for friction. The judicial business of the Con-
federation is in the hands of the Federal III
bunal. a court which but loosely resembles the
United States Supreme Court. One striking dii-
ference consists in the fact that the federai
Tribunal has no power TO interpret the Consttu-
ton or TO determine whether laws are IN accord
with that instrument. The people, who are SOW
ereign, and from whose judgment there is no ap-
neal, having through the Referendum, passeo
upon the laws, the Tribunal is bound TO assume
the consttutionality of all such measures Al
present the tendency is to extend the )urlsdlcu'n
az the Federal Tribunal and perhaps to reorganize
and strengthen the court. The army IS OF neces-
sity an mportant subject in o country SURROUNDED
by great military powers. The maintenance Vi
Swiss neutrality is indispensable TO the existence
Of the Republic, and at the same time u Is 700
DOOR 70 keep a standing army. The prooleh na'
been solved as we'll as the conditions allow py
militia system which gives training to every
able adult, and Swiss patriotism and intelligence
guarantee the loyal fulflment of military dutieS
which are not so arduous as TO interfere seHouSi!
with the pursuits of civil life.
The Confederation has succeeded in making ioS
army much more effective than the English militia
and volunteers. The plans of mobilization are
orenared to the smallest detail of every branch
of the service, and as every man Keeps MS
continent. rife etc., in his own house,
and is bound to have them always ready for
inspection. the general state of preparation is
effective One reason of the efficiency of the Swiss
soldier is unquestionably the high grade of pop
Mar education which prevails throughout the
repnblc. Education is compulsory, and every
Swiss appears to realize the necessity for this
rule. and TO be eager to avail himself OF the
privileges which are offered gratuitously. HIT
eracy is almost unknown in the country. and
technical education of the best and most pracu
cal character has been established for years
There is no federal university, but many colleges
in the Cantons, and especially at Zurich, to which
educational centre hundreds of foreigners repair
every year, to take advantage of the facilities
provided Sir Francis Adams has highly In
teresting chapter on national education, ana pears
testimony to the importance of the results a.
tanned Public opinion supports all necessary
expenditures for school purposes, and there Is no
course which would so surely bring down the dis
approval of the voters upon representative as one
of opposition and obstruction in this regard
Sir Francis gives statistics OF commerce ana
manufactures, imports and exports, ETC., and THESE
indicate steady progress in material Tosperity'
though the relations between the Confederation
and its neighbors are frequently awkward and
difficult The whole book is an exceedingly In
teresting study of brave independent and intel
ligent people, who have kept their liberties under
the most trying circumstances, have had the WIS
dom to meet new conditions with new methods.
and having learned through long experience the
virtues o. concession and orbearance, are not likely
to endanger the stability of their institutions now
by rash innovation or obstinate adhesion to out
grown ideas.