Morris tribune., 1889-08-28
The Swiss Republic.

| In the year 1891 three s&Jl commu-
mites. in the midst of the great powers
of Europe leagued together for mutual
self defense. That league in one form
| or another has existed ever since, and it
was the foundation of the compact little
Swiss confederation. The government
since 1891 has passed through six con-
stitutional phases. The present consti-
tuition was adopted in 1913, and stands
for what the Swiss patriots believe to be
the model of republican organic law.
The Swiss republic, however, is very
unlike our own. To begin with, it has no
president such as we understand by the
term. The executive department con-
sists of federal council, composed of
seven members They are elected for a
term of three years by the Swiss con-
gress, or federal assembly, as it is called.
Each of the seven has particular part
of the government to look after. The
federal assembly elects one of the seven
president of the exeeutive.council. and
another one of them vice president.
The president and vice president serve
for one year, The president of the ex-
eeutiye council also serves as president
Of the confederation, but his duties in
this capacity consist only in receiving
foreign representatives. He appoints
no po8tmasters nor anybody else. His
salary is $2,100.
The federal assembly, like our own, is
made up Of two houses. The lower house
is called the national council and is
elected for three years, The upper house
is the council of states. In Switzerland
there are twenty-five cantons, which cor
respond in a measure to our states. Each
canton, like our states, sends two sena-
tors to the council of states. But sena-
tors are not paid by the general govern
ment. They look to their own cantons
for that, unless the assembly sits during
a recess. Members of the national coun-
Gil are paid from the general fund, and
receive 81 o day for actual service. Mile
age is allowed. The Judiciary depart
ment consists Of nine judges elected for
six years by the federal assembly. Swift
zerIand has three official languages
French, German and Italian.
The most interesting feature of the
Swiss government, however, is the ia
nous referendum. BY it political par
ties are rendered Of no avail in Switzer-
land. By taking advantage of it the
Swiss people at large are able themselves
at any time to change their constitution.
1t is the survival of an ancient historic
right of free people.
The referendum means what it indi-
cates-a referring, and to the people. If
so, 900 Swiss citizens ask for q revision |
of the Swiss constitution, then the aues- |
ton is submitted to the whole people and !
voted on, and the whole people decide |
they want revision. If the
two legislative houses cannot agree on q
revision, this, too, is at once submit
ted to a vote of, the people. IF a law |
passed by the federal assembly is of
questionable utility, and 10000 citizens
petition for the referendum, the whole,
people vote on the law, and they may
decide that they do not want it in the
very teeth Of the. assembly that has just |
passed it. Thus the people themselves,
and the people only, have the veto power
in their own hands. They themselves
are their own final tribunal This is the ].
most unique and interesting feature of
government IN modern times