New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-25
THE SWISS REPUBLIC.
LAND OF COMMON SENSE.

THE SWISS CONFEDERATION. BY Sir Francis Oiu-
nlnrhnn With map. svo pp 2so. Mac
milan Co.
This is the first full and clear account of the
Swiss system of government that has appeared IN
English. Sir Francis Adams was British Min
ister ut Berne and has made excellent use oil MS
opportunities for acquiring accurate information
The result of his researches is a book caiculated
10 be of special interest TO Americans, for III eN-
plains the growth OF a democratic republic when
has many points in common with that OF tnc
United States, and also many divergencles trace
able % the differences of situation, general sur
roundings and conditions Of development Sir
Francis makes no pretence Of writing a history OF
Switzerland. but his outline sketch brings into
bold relief the salient events and critical periods
Of the Republic, and shows clearly enough the
origin and character Of the changes through
which the original confederation passed on its way
IN it's present form of government. The enduring
nature of the Swiss institutions is evidently que
70 the slow process by which they have peeh
evolved Napoleon tried to change the SYSTEM
but his plan did not survive his dynasty No
purely artificial and arbitrary system could i's',
Only one founded in popular use and custom anu
in the slowly acquired political and lntelec'uei
habits Of the Swiss was capable of resisting the
many dsintegrating intuenc constantly III opera
ton.
As was to be expected the existing constitution
is compromise scheme and of character wfhcn'
il may safely be assumed, could hardly DE sue
cessful with any people less trained IN me'houic,
ways and less apt at patient ana VislanV D"i
ancing Of hostile elements and forces III 'n'
first place the Swiss Confederation embraces three
distinct races, besides several sub-races' ih0io
are German, French and Italian citizens, mixed
place there has been for centuries a standing cause
Of dissension in the religious issue Inc Oon
federation is divided into ProteStants anu
Catholics, the majority belonging to the former
Church but the latter numbering much more IMAM
one-thrd of the population. Freedom ana toF
Grafton are secured 10 all faiths by the Consu1u'io"
OF 1874 but this provision has not prevented 'ne
renewal of the ancient strife, though the ooin
plete overthrow of the Catholics IN the ooh"e'
band War, when the Catholic Cantons attenP'eu
to secede, and the subsequent expulsion ol '"o
Jesuits appear TO have diminished the tendency
70 proceed TO extrcmites which before those events
continually meraced the stability OF the kepuonc
The history Of the Confederation EXHIBITS 'he pay
of those centripetal and centrifugal forces WIN
which we have been made familiar during our o"n
development Cantonal rights on the one h,ii'u
and Federal authority on the other have clashed
ana cOInQcu, Dut eNterIhl PRESSURE WV
foreign notifies the obvious necessity Of strong
central government wherewith to cement ana holu
the Cantons in times of common danger nave III
the course Of years reinforced the 'heoiy u ''-
tralization more and more.
Nevertheless, the Federal authority in Swltler-
land is far weaker than with us, and practically III
is deprived Of executive power, In theory II Is
absolute within its own constitutional DOMAIN
but il has no machinery whereby TO enforce us
decree upon disobedicnt Canton, and 1T i con-
seouen.lv Obliged t. depend upon the Cantons
themselves to carry cut its orders. If, as oc-
cssionally happens, ii is met by nat REFUSAL IL
can only, as n last recourse, threaten the re-
calcitrant Canton with military occupation ny the
forces of one of the other Cantons; and as snch
an occupation is a matter OF expense, the menace
oos always hitherto brought the rebelhous Can
tons to terms. This and the Withholding oil their
shares of public funds appOrtiOned' by the Nauoha
Assembly are the only means the federal OoV-
eminent has of enforcing its authority ana there
is clearly danger that some day these methods
will prove ineffective. The strongest pollucH
sentiment in the Confederation is said TO be that
of what may be called Cantonal and Communal
patriotism, which corresponds in many respects
70 what we should call State loyalty, or the State
RIGHTS sentiment The Swiss system rests upon
and originates in the commune. which has much
in common with the old American township,
though il is more complex and elaborate arrange
ment The Commune is a municipal or parish
government, and miniature of the fCantonal
Government IL covers all local matters, even to
LAYING of taxes and mpoS's and its operation.
reaching 10 the mnue,t details of hfc Implies
and involves an amount OF interference and super
vision which the American would consider not
compatible with true personal liberty.
The Swiss Government is rendered the most
domestic in existence by the institution called the
Referendum which is OF two kinds, compulsory ana
optional II consists IN the right OF the people
to vote openly and directly upon any law or reso-
mtion adopted by the National Assembly or the
National Council The right of the Initiative. by
which any citizen, whether representative or
a voter, may propose "A new law, has proved les
effective than was expected, and no doubt because
what is everybodys business is nobody's business.
The Referendum, however, has worked well on the
whole though il has disadvantages, OF which the
most serious is its obviously bebttlin2 influence
upon the National Legislature. For II is clear
that il any law enacted By Congress was liable
10 he subjected to The uncertain chances of a
nopular vote before it could be considered an ac-
complished fact all the debates now had upon pro-
posed legislation and MI tie party arrangements
entered into for and against measures would be-
come useless. DEBATES generally Woulu pe snorii
Of their significance, and party action would be
deprived of defnjtcness. No matter what legis-
latve end was reached, the Referendum might re-
verse it, and thus the finality of the most impor-
tant political action would be eliminated and the
most serious elements of confusion he introduced
One danger which anticipated by conservative
minds in Switzerland has, however, not appeared
II was apprehcndcd that the Referendum would
tend TO encourage radicslSm, and possibly social
ism The very reverse has occurred The prn-
cipe has proved conservative in operation, SC
that now the Referendum is recognized as drao
on the wheels OF radicalism. The National As
sembly, curiously enough, has working majority
of Radicals and progressive Democrats, thus show