Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-19
LITTLE SWITZERLAND.
A HarbOr of Refuge for the Politically
Prosecuted of All European
Nations.
How the People Vote Finally on All
Laws and Resolutions Passed by
Their Representatives.

At the present moment the eyes of all
Europe are turned upon Switzerland, says
Geneva letter to the Philadelphia Press
not In admiration OF her wild scenery and
rugged mountain passes, but because
through her unstintad hospitality she has
brought upon her devoted head the united
wrath of the great powers, Russia, Austria,
and Prussia, who threaten her long-pre-
served and highly cherished neutrality, not
without cause.
For many years. as Is well known,
Switzerland has been harbor of refuge
for all exiles whom political enmity, change
of fortune, nihilism, and anarchy have
driven from their respective homes. So
long as they were satisfied to live quietly
in the sheltered valleys of the country of
their adoption they were considered harm
less and were not mOlested But these
restless fighters against fate are never will
ing to remain passive, and have repeatedly
sinned anew, not only against their own
lands. bv breeding fresh plots, Eliminating
fresh dissensions, publishing anarchist
pamphlets, and manufacturing bombs, but
against the nation which so kindly pro-
tects them by kindling against her the
animosities of the countries who consider
themselves aggrieved by her forbearance.
Therefore the great powers have decided
that Switzerland shall drive these rebels
from her midst and open up her country,
so that no barrier can prevent them from
marching a body of troops up the Rhone
valley to Basel and thence into French
territory if they like.
But the German Swiss are not Germans,
neither are the French Swiss Frenchmen.
Each man of them, whether he speaks
French German, or italian, Is a Switzer,
pledged to fight, and die if need be, for his
canton and commune and the liberty he so
dearly loves.
1t appears strange that this people, so
patriotic, so devoted and so brave, have
occupied the attention of our writer's and
historians In such slight degree, as their
country teens with romance and deeds of
daring that are not to be surpassed else
where; and not a mountain or defile In the
picturesque border-land fails of some story
of indomitable courage and perseverance
when an invading army threatened their
homes.
This historical need has been happily
filed of late by the publication of a volume,
bound In the same manner and worthy to
be classed as a companion to Bryce valua
BILE work. 1.-The American Commonwealth. $"
L
and is written bv G.. d. Cunningham, In
conjunction with Sir Francis Otterville
Adams, late her majesty's envoy extraOrdi-
nary and minister plenipotentiary to Berne.
The original idea Of these gentlemen was
to write little sketch of Swiss laws and
customs, which could be carried in the
pocket and used for reference; but finding
themselves so situated that they could COM
mand the fullest and most important infor-
nation Of all subjects of law, religion,
agriculture, commerce. education, politics,
and history. the work was sweled to its
present size. and is most satisfactory to one
seeking information about the internal
working of a republic in this old world "a
republic consisting of only twenty-five can
tons in a compact little country with a
population of less than 3, 900 900, surround
ed by vast empires, aften, as now. threat
ening and hostile, but holding its own
bravely and always exhibiting spirit as
invincible and steadfast as It's Alpine
mountains.
The chapters on Referendum" and
Comparison of Political Institution" are
especially interesting to Americans-the
former pointing out a means by which
some of the veXed questions at home might
be settled; referendum" meaning the
eference to all vote-possessing citizens
either of the confederation or of a canton,
or acceptance or rejection, of laws and
resolutions passed by their representa-
tives."
THE conservatives, says the author,
violently opposed this law of referendum at
its introduction, but they became its earnest
supporters when they found that it acted
i i l,,.
ing. although there is no doubt that it has
diminished the importance of the discus
sions upon laws and general resolutions in
the chambers of those bodies in the eyes of
the people. 1t would not be surprising if
the deputies were to feel at times less
earnestness in their work. since they know
that after all the measures adopted by them,
however necessary, are at the mercy of a
popular vote. so that their decision need
not be final. and all their time and trouble
NAV be thrown away.
In the chapter on Comparisons y much
valuable information was given to the
writers by the Hon. Boyd Winchester, our
late minister to Berne, who, clever lawyer
and easy graceful writer, has the constitu-
ton of tie United States at his finger-tips
and is fully competent to draw the COM
parison between our methods of govern
ING the great country which stretches from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and comprises
thirtv-eight states, with $4,000 900 of in
habitants. where the very immensely de.
mands that the constitution must make
provisions for its own amendment, instead
of its revision being dependent upon the
demand of $4,000 of the possessing
citizens, as is the case in Switzerland.
Equally interesting are the chapters on
1.-THE Conmunes. :" which the Swiss value
as forming the substratum of their political
liberty and religion. which is ably treated
from the DAYS of Ulrich Zwingle, the first
religious reformer. In 1912, to whose mem
DRY the people of Zurich have erected the
noble monument which adorns their pict-
uresque city, to the days of John Calvin
md the fierce reformer, John Knox, who
Zach had an infieXible belief In the letter
of Christianity. an exclusive orthodoxy and
an memorable spirit of persecution as
was evidenced by the burning of Servetus
at the stake. from thence to the latter part
of the sixteenth century, when BOrromeo,
then archbishop of Milan, organized the
Golden league, whereby seven Catholic
cantons entered into defensive bond and
after many struggles the fast-encroaching
power of the Jesuits led to the Sonderbund
war and the federal constitutions of 1S49
was accepted by the Swiss. the Jesuits were
interdicted, and the free exercise of relig-
ious worship was guaranteed to both
Catholic and reformed faith. But by one
stipulation freedom of worship was limit
ed to the two Christian communion, and
there was no mention of individual religions
liberty. which brought about the amended
constitution of 1874, whereby liberty of
conscience and belief is declared to be in
- III - H. Tor,,; u, !, - ,.,,,,.,.-.o3