Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-04-26

The cantons which maintain this svs-
tenn OF legislation by mass-meeting nf-
ford the best Illustration in the world
or pure democracy applied to the gov
eminent of u state. We have in this
country similar democratic assembly
in the New England type of town meet.
ing. but in our case the scope OF the
democracy is purely local. while in tho
lour Swiss cantons all the questions
arising in q sovereign state are dealt
with by mass meeting.
THE FEDERAL LEGISLATURE.
The existing federal government IS
an enlarged copy of the cantonal gov
eminent i'll many respects, although
certain feaNireS-of the United States
federal system were introduced by tho
makers OF the constitution of 1913. The
legislative power of the confederation
is vested in an assembly composed of
two houses. This form of the Iegisla-
ture reveals foreign influence. for the
cdntonal legislatures all consist of one
house. In composition these houses
bear 4 close resemblance to the two
houses of the American congress. The
house which corresponds to our senate
is called the council of states and is
composed of forty-four members, two
from each or the cantons. This ar
rangement for representation of the
constituent cantons is manifcstly sim
liar 10 the representation OF states in
-
our precedent In prescribing Il uniform
term and uniform method OF choice the
Swiss constitution leaves the detcrmi-
nation of these matters to the cantons,
with the result that in some cases mem
bers are chosen by the cantOnaI lcgis-
latures, in others by the people. while
the term varies from one year to four
years.
The body which corresponds to our
house of representatives is called the
national council. This house is made
UP Of members chosen by direct popu-
lar vote for three years term. The
members are apportioned among the
cantons on basis of population, ono
representative for each 10000 people
The national council now has III menu
berS.
The two bodies which make up the
federal assembly have equal Legislative
powers. The council OF states has no
special executive functions. In this il,
differs from our senate, which in ad-
dition to its Legislative duties has the
peculiar executive function of confirm
ing appointments and ratifyinG treaties
The diversity of race OF the members
of the Swiss confederation is curiousiv
reflected in the discussions in the fed
cral assembly. Each member speaks
in the language which he prefers and
the debates are thus conducted in three
languages, German, French ana Italian.
while all formal proceedings are reed
twice, once in German and once in
French.
THE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE.
In constituting the executive SIvitZor-
land mas followed cantonal models rath-
or IMAM those Of its sister republics,
the United States and France. The
federal executive is collegiate, not indi-
vidual. Like the United States. Switzer-
iand has Il president and Il vice presi-
dent, but the president OF the Swiss
confederation is simply n chairman of
an executive council OF seven members.
elected every three years by the two
houses OF the national lcgisla ture in
Joint session. The executive policy is
determined by a majority vote of this
Dody of seven men and the president
has no more influence in administration
IMAM any other member OF the council
lie is simply the official representative
OF the republic in foreign relations and
the mead CT the government for cere-
monial purposes. The president and
vice president are chosen annually from
the members OF the council by tho fed
eral assembly and neither can fiji the
same Office for two successive terms
The members of the executive council
have the privilege of Introducing meas
ures and participating in the discussion
of the legislature. but they have no
vote. In this respect they occupy an
'tA'i IOSlNIDl between the MEM
bers OF the American cabinet. who have.
no right even TO speak in congress, and
the members of the British cabinet.
who not only speak but vote in parlia-
ment. Each of the seven members of
the council preside over "a special de-
partment of administration, acting thus
in the same manner as our cabinet
officials.
The political conservatism of the
Swiss is strkingly exemplified in the
history of this executive body. AL
though it is POSSIBLE to change on
tirely the membership or the cXccutif %
council every three years. Il practical
life tenure is secured for competent
oihcials through repeated recollection.
During period of forty-five years from
1878 when the present system was cs-
tablished, only thirty-one different in
divlduals had held seats in the federal
council. This conservatism keeps men
in the council without regard to the
political change in the assembly, and it
thus happens that the majority of the
councll often does not coincide with the
party majority in the elcctinG body.
THE COURTS
federal system demands n federal
court To interpret and apply the ma.
tional law and 10 decide conflicts OF
jurisdiction between nation and state
or canton. The Swiss judicial eyste.n
is constructed on the same general
principle as that OF the United States
Cantonal courts correspond quite close
~ to our state courts, while Il single
federal tribunal composed of fourteen
judges elected by the federal assembly
for six years fulills functions similar
III general way to those exercised by
| our United States courts.
GROWTH OF FEDERAL POWER.
1t is not difficult to amend the Swis:
constitution, and both by forma
amendment and by broader interpreted
ton Of the original grant of power tC
| the federal government the SCOPE OF