The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-02-24
CURIOUS VOTING SYSTEM.
HOW THE SWISS OF SEVERAL
cANTONS cHOOsE OFFICERS.

Some Vote All Together and at Ono.
by Showing Their Hands-ths Ian
sesse~ei3te Is :!e Name Of Tn:
Oldest Election Method.
In some parts of Switzerland The
people vote all together and at once
by showing their hands, says thu
Churchman. The Landesgemeinde i:
the name given to the system OF vot
ing practiced in several cantons in the
German part Of Switzerland. and cleo
ton day is the last Sunday in April
| This form Of voting is the Oldest l.
, Switzerland.
More than 10000 people may be
gathered in the big market place
Some OF the men have come twenty
or thirty miles to vote: for every man
i OF voting age Is fined II he does not
report at the voting place. Every vot-
er carries sword, often of antique
and beautiful pattern. This sword
serves merely as a badge to indicate
that the bearer is a peaceful voter, and
it is usually carried in the hand, strap
ped up with an umbrella. The yellow
platform on which the candidates
stand is also decorated with two huge
swords.
Before the voting begins, and while
the voters are assembling, an escort
OF haiberdiers parades three times
around the s.arket square and the
band plays. These halberdiers and
the sheriffs wear parti-colored cos
tunes in the colors of their cantons.
and when. as in the case of Geneva,
the cantonal colors happen to be scar
let and yellow. the result is very gay;
but in Appenzell the colors are black
and white, and therefore not so strik.
ing
The ceremony in the particular cleo
ton under consideration began with a
solemn march of the dignitaries from
the house where they had been wait
ing to the platform. Then followed
the singing of the Appenzell hymns
and the long address by the Land
mann, during which every man re-
moved his hat. After the address
there was silent prayer of half a
and then the voting began.
The men to be voted for happened to
be officers who had already served |
and who were up for reelection. The |
name Of each candidate was called |
out by the sheriff in a voice that was
almost, if not quite. a roar. Then
him."
No one moved. but at the question.
viii you confirm him." a sea of
lands went up on the instant; and so
t was in every case. Such absolute
lnanimity was refreshing to see. Ap-
'arently there was no division into
parties. The people knew their men.
Ind knew what they wanted. The
'ote is unanimous for each man, but
me of the judges had died in Octo-
'er and his place was to be filled, so
Tier the others had been confirmed
he Landmann called for nominations
rom the crowd. Every man has the
light to nominate any one he pleases,
Who is citizen and resident of the
anton. So from out the crowd one
eard names called.
Now and then a would-be wit would
ropose a name that raised a laugh,
ut in the main the nominating was
erious enough. When some half
Oxen names had been chosen they
ere read aloud and proposed for vote
ne by one. At each name there
anne sprinkling of hands over the
rowd till the name arrived that the
lajority of the crowd had evidently q
xed upon, and then came the same
upraising of hands in
lch numbers that there was absolute
no doubt as to who was elected, and S
Is election was declared at once by J
le Landmann. {
After all the officers were elected 9
lie Landmann took the oath of Office, +
I'D then the whole crowd. raising t
leir right hands, took the oath of al $
glance. repeating aloud the formula
concert, as it was read from the
atform. If any Of the officers wish
resign, the designations must be t
'ted on; and then the question is. c
Will you accept these resignations?" {
the vote is in the negative, the OFF, t
rs must continue to serve. whether e
ey wish to or not, as this service, n
ouga very slightly paid, is as obi t
tory as is the voting. the only alter II
tive for the unhappy candidate be- v
g to leave the canton. p
In the voting, when there arises Il
ubt as to the vote, the voters are 81
arched in front Of the platform in n