The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-07
Hon. JOSEPH ZEMP
PRECEDENT OF SWITZERLAND

Fpe-sl Correspondence O TH- ssiHdsv Republic
EHrns, Nov. IA have just han an inter
view with the President Of Switzerland.
He - the rational representative OF thi'
lltti" Trpih't-. and as such ranks among tht
TIlers Of Europe.
Ills power is nothing like that Of Prezi
fdent Roosevelt.
The Swiss have a more democratic gov
eminent than ours and they are NOR,
strictly republican.
The country IS divided up INTO cau.ons OF
states.
Tae5s cantons hold 10 their sovereignty
much more than do tho States OF our Union
Switzerland has q Congress just rs We
have, but its Congress elects L federal cOun,
Gil Of seven members. whose business 1t is
TO execute the laws.
The council has to i large extent the
same powers as our President, and the Pres
ident of the SHiss republic is only ene OF
Its members and is presiding officer.
The counci! Is elected for three years the
President for one.
He IL ChOsen not by the ballot CT the peo-
pie but by that OF the Swiss Congress. and
the constitution provides that he cannot
hold two terms in succession.
The President has no veto. no appointing
power, and he cannot even nominate a man
Tor any position.
His only distinction as regards the other
members Of the federal council is that lie
gets 800 more per year.
He receives the foreign Ministers on core
Taunial Occasions and js addressed IS his
ExUeiiency.
You might think that the Swiss Govern
ment would be an expensive one, .rasmIch
rs seven men are required TO do what enc
executive does in the tinted states.
PRESIDENTS CABINET Is
CALLED A COUNCIL.
1t Is not.
The council acts about as our CabIne;
Ministers. ana. all together. Al receives only
about one-thira as much as PRESIDENT
Roosevelt.
Each member gets only 2,3I6, and the
SWISS FFesiuent less than. s., 40, the extra
SS be'Ig tor Entertainment.
rms makes a total Oi d little over siS. go,
or not uhe-tnlrd as much as We annually
pay our President.
The members OF the national! parliament
receive - Z Gag for the time that they are
IN session, with Their travelling expenses
tDr me distances between their homes and
the capital at ! cents Il mAiie.
! DOUBT wh.ther there Is any State In tho
Jiii2" that Is governed Sc cneapiy.
] am sGsre there are few States anywhere
governed 80 Wen.
But Jet ne tell you about my talk with
the President.
The man now in Office IS Joseph Temp OF
EuiiotIeh. a little tOHn OF about $3.50 peo-
pie iyIHs IN d valley between here and LIZ
Ceruc.
Mr.. Z2mp has hcen long known as one OF
the leading statesmen Of Switzerland.
lie has served IN the national Congress
anG as A member Of the federal council
again ana again, AMI he was President OF
the republic IN 1885.
He has Offices in the national capitol. and
II was there That / met him and cha.led
with him over tie present condition OF
Switzerland.
Shorty after the opening 0! our converse
ton l asked a. 10 the American invasion,
and whether - might not lie Increased Icr
the benefit Of both countries.
The SWISS President replied that lie was
en1!ous 10 sc closer trade relations be-
tween the TWO republics.
He said that Switzerland regard. the
United States rs It's younger and greater
sister, and that Size spirit of democracy
ought 10 bring Us even closer together.
FAVORED TARIFF REDUCTION
~ INTEREST OF TRADE.
SHe spoke Of the Swiss who were living IN
United States and OF the high estirna-
ton In which they held our country.
He ob1-cted TO our tariff as being too
great on many Of the Swiss exports. and
thought a mutual reduction might be made
in the interest Of international trade.
/ asked him as TO the Swiss tariff meas
ures which are now before the country.
but he would not prophecy whether they
viii be accepted or rejected.
The question as 10 government control Of
railroads came up, and / asked President
Temp what he thought OF it
Jie replied:
1T !. SO far only in its experimental