The mirror., 1905-02-16
SWITZERLAND'S GOVERNMENT

81 SWITZERLAND y
: $SA -
Paper Read Before the ChautauQua Circle.
1t is best in treating subject of this
character to give as beginning a
character sketch of the people inter-
ested, before looking into their method
of government. Teutonic, Celto-Roman
and Ostro- Gothic are the three distinct
sources from which the Swiss trace
their descent. A study of their polit-
ical ideas shows plainly that the Teu-
tonic element has ever been the domin-
ating force in their government.
In thirteen of the Swiss cantons the
people speak German; in four cantons
they are French; in three they speak |
both German and French; Italian is
spoken in one and Romanish in an
other. Article 1l6 of the Swiss Con-
stltution declares German, French and
Italian to be the national languages of
Switzerland.
Shut in on all sides by the great ma
tions of Europe the Swiss people have
been confined to the valleys and slopes
of the Alps Mountains. Within these
limits they have firmly established a
Federal Union, power that is
considered in the councils of Euro
pean statesmen. You must 60
infn hicfn nf
Europe to find the beginning of the
Swiss Confederation. Six centuries
ago three small settlements of German
people united under a mild form of
democratic government and made a
league against the Duke of Austria.
These communities are known today
as the csntons of Uri, Schwiz and
Uuterwaldy of the Swiss Contedera-
tlon. From this small beginning the
league grew into strong confederation
of twenty-five states or cantons. The
story of the growth of the Swiss people
into strong united nation, is history
intensely interesting and full of dram
attic tendencies. The methods en-
ployed by the Swiss Confederation to
govern their federal union are somewhat
different from other existing forms of
government. They have a federal
assembly composed of two legislative
bodies, one representing the country at
large and another the states and can
tons The first mentioned is called the
national council of the states. Neither
has special powers nor privileges, but
coordinate in all matters of Importance
The federal assembly elects seven men
from the country at large to superin.
:. tend the departments of the govern.
hent. These seven are called the
federal council and perform duties
somewhat similar to the work of oul
American cabinet. Two members OF
the federal council are elected eacf
year by the federal assembly to act al
president and vice president of ths
assembly elects men to act as judges o.
the federal court and also selects some
one to have direction of the secretar,
work of the government. This Office
is called the chancellor.
The constitution of the Swiss Con
federation contains many provision
to safeguard the interests of the people
The Initiative and Referendum ar
guaranteed. Upon the petition of fit.
thousand Swiss voters, all bills, resolu
tions and measures adopted OF rejecte'
by the federal assembly must be sub
mitted to the people for final decisioE
The supreme court of the United State
spends most of its time upon cases tina
contest the constitutionality of law
passed by our congress. In Switzerlan
there is no court or tribunal that ha
power of final decision. The people, b
exercising their right of final decision
can vote for any measure and it bs
comes the law of the land. If the cor
stitution has no provision for th
measure, the peoples decree makes til
new law constitutional.
Article of the Swiss constitutio
reads: "All Swiss are equal before th
law. In Switzerland there are neithe
political dependents, nor privileges {
place, birth, persons or families" tt
political rights of the Swiss are pr,