New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-19
SWITZERLAND IN DANGER.
HER INDEPENDENT EXISTENCE THREAT.
ENED BY POWERFUL NEIGHBORS

government monopoly on tobacco. ms VIII
constitute serious usurpation of the individual
rights and privileges of the citizens by the eXecu
tive power and is deemed inconsistent with the
principles Of truly republican constitution. 10
will injure much private enterprise throughout
the country, and while foreigners will hail with
delight the restriction in the production of the
evismelling Swiss cigars. the natives them
selves who enjoy the peculiar flavor, will be
subjected to much discomfort. The establish
ment of the monopoly is. however the only
course open TO the Government 1t is forced
to resort TO this unpopular measure in order TO
meet the expenses incurred by the War Depart
ment. Some forty fifty millions of francs
have already been spent on the acquisition Of
new rifles for the army; large sums have been
devoted to the purchase of explosives and vast
amount is being expended in the construction Of
Notifications to defend the st. Gothard tunnels
and passes. Until recently the Swiss disdained
to take any steps for the defence of their coun-
try, whose independence they declared to be
sufficiently protected by their neutrality. The
latter, they pointed out, had been guaranteed
by the Great Powers of Europe at the Congress
of Vienna in 1850, and therefore absolutely
secure.
Last year, however. during the course Of the
conflict between the little republic and Prince
BlsDarck on lne SUBJECT OF IOLcc inspector
Wohlgemuth, the fact was brought TO light that
one of the great signatory Powers of the Treaty
of 1915 had entirely withdrawn from the guar
antee of Swtzerland's neutrality, and that sew
eral of the other nations had qualified it in such
q way to render it valueess In lS4s the
Russian Government officially notified the various
Courts of Europe that its share in the guarantee
of the neutrality of Switzerland must be regarded
as null and void as long the latter continued
." to offer an asylum TO revoutionsts and political
refugees who disturbed the tranquility of the
other Powers of Europe1 Prussia. Austria and
France followed suit, and in n diplomatic note
dated January Is, ls4S, announced that the
maintenance Of their guarantee of the integrity
of the independence of Switzerland would depend
entirely on the manner in which the Helvetian
Government fulfilled its moral obligations toward
its neighbors. BY these moral obligations was
meant that il should refuse 10 allow its territory
to become the headquarters and asylum of revo-
luti0nary plotters against the various monarchles
Of Europe Even Great Britain joined in thus
qualifying her participation in the guarantee.
All this was ignored by the vast majority of the
present generation here, and when during the
recent trouble with Prince Bismarck the true
nature of the much-vaunted European guarantee
became known, something in the nature of
panic cnSued throughout lic COUNTY, lhlo wac
intensified by the Chancellor's threat TO request
the Powers to consider the question OF the con-
tinuance of Swiss neutrality-by no mean an idle
menace, since shortly afterward' Germany, Austria
and Italy adopted an identical policy TO compel
the little republic to close its doors TO political
refugees The scare led to all kinds Of military
measures being put into force. Public subscrip-
tons were started for the purchase of guns and
ammunition and at length, gathering courage
from their own military ardor, the worthy country
men of William Tell felt themselves In condl-
ton to resist all invaders. This confidence is,
however, by no means shared by the foreigners
resident here. For the Swiss army Is composed
OF a militia, numbering some 100000. when
requires fortnight for its mobilization, whereas
either Germany, France or Italy could each pour
into Switzerland within the space OF
four days armies of several num-
dred thousand men. There is absolutely
nothing TO prevent the invasion. For the SWISS
have relied SO much on the European guarantee
Of their neutrality that they have utterly neg
lcctcd 10 fortiiy the various passes ana r'ads
leading 10 the frontier. The only place that IS
in the slightest degree protected by some oD-
solec icfenccs IS the National Arsenal of AarberS
The forts now being erected on the ST Gothard
are useless for purposes of RESISTING INVASION.
The patriotic ardor with which the SWISS maze
preparations 20 resist the INVASION OF loIclSh
armies did not extend 10 q defence against the
inroads Of foreign capital Point dargeht'
point de Suissen-no money no Swlss-ls an
ancient proverb. When the military fever was
at its height last year. the entire western Kali
wov system of Switzerland was sold ny lis native
proprletors to syndicate of Berlin bankers
The latter own already all the nam INES IN me
eastern portion of the republic ana even ue
construction of the St Gothard Tunnel has been
defraycd in part by German Governments sun
sides and in part by private German captt,a.
Moreover the German iinancerS have undertaken
to provide thirty Of the forty-nve millions OF
francs required for the construction OF the new
Simplon tunnel. Italy producing the balance OF
the sum for this enterprise on Swiss territory:
Now Prince Bismarck Is exceedingly careful o.
the interests of German capital fact whcl
was abundantly proved by the soheitIde WIN
which year ago he caused the 'Icrmah IhancIcr'
TO get rid of their Russian securities IL there,
neither furnish Government subventioG,s
for the construction of Swiss Alpine tutiheh
nor Yet encourage Berlin bankers 10 purchase
Swiss railways, unless he counted on following
up the money TINS spent. ana recovering pos
session thereof with territorial interest; one
of his faVorite newspapers the hamburger
Nachrichtcn." even went 50 far some lew months
ago as to publish scheme of partition OF Switzer.
land among the nations by whom II Is surrounded.
OF course Germany came in for the lions share.
which. curiously enough, included the territory
over which stretched the railroad lines owned by
German capitalists
casons lost her independence by selling the
right 10 traverse her territory 10 foreign armies.
These found the land pleasant that they de-
termined To stay there. She has more
hartered away her liberty of action. and probably
her political existence for Gerns'r gold, and her
end is regarded by the various statesmen in
Furope as being near at hand The desire Of
each Of the ncghboring Powers TO obtain the
largest share in the partition of her soil has
constituted the only safeguard of her existence
until now, and were France either To come 10
an understanding with the Triple Alliance. 10
be conquered thereby, little Switzerland would
probably furnish meal for Germany Austria
and Italy.
CATECHTSh OF THE STATES.