Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-21

presses their VIA IN matters Of policy and
expedfency Therefore it decides whether
laws proposed by the ministers are neees-
sary and what their general terms and
scope should be. The federal council, repre-
senting the executive authority, is presumed
to know by experience how. a law should be
drawn, what it should provide and how 1t
should be applied; hence 1t takes the three
agencies, the initiative, the act and the ref
erendum to complete the legislative process
The assembly is not required to accept the
terms and provisions Of a law prepared by
the council, but 1t cannot alter or omit any
of the terms or provisions without the con-
sent Of the council, and then, after the law
is complete, 1t must be submitted to the
final approval of he people
They tell me here that in a little country
like Switzerland, with a compact popula-
ton whose interests are almost IDENTICAL
there is very little friction in the operation
of this machinery, but it would scarcely DO
for great nation ike Germany VI rfdhee'
or the United States
The referendum Is also compulsory IN
seven of the twenty-five cantons concerhihs
the acts of the local legislature, where, pc
fore any law can go into effect, 1t must De
submitted to and approved by vote Of the
people. In several other cantons certain
classes of laws, particularly those reiatlns
to taxation and finance. and other statutes
of a permanent character must ue suo IN
tons the referendum is only applied upon
the petition of 1900 voters, and In -FOUR
others it requires petition of 5000 voters
In all of the cantons the referendum ap
pears in one way or another. and the leg1s-
lation of the federal assembly and the local
legislatures is frequently rejected by the
people.
The Languages Used.
In the cantonal legislatures only one Ian
Ruage Is used, be 1t French, German or ltal-
ian, according to that commonly spoken by
the people. In the federal assembly three
languages are used, German, French and
Italian. French and German speeches nave
to be interpreted sentence by sentence by
official translators into the other language
Only one canton sends italian representa-
tives, and as they always speak both
French and German they do not require
TRANSACTIONS of the speeches into their Ian
guage. am told that the German-speakfng
Swiss are very determined on this question.
They think that German should be the OF
fetal language of the country, and require
in French in either branch Of the assembly
shall be Immediately translated Into Ger
man, notwithstanding the fact that nearly
every member of both bodies understands
both languages perfectly. This Is more
matter Of pride than Of necessity. The
French-speaking Swiss are not SO particu-
lar. They often waive their right of having
a German speech or German petition read
in both languages.
The supreme court Of the federation sits
in a beautiful building at Lausanne, but
may hold its sessions anywhere in the re-
public except in Berne. the object OF the ex-
phere Of politics and from contact with the
assembly which makes the laws and the
federal council which executes them. The
supreme court consists OF nine judges,
elected for six-year terms by ballot in
joint session of the assembly. and they
can be reelected. The salary OF the chief
justice is 5000 a year. The salary Of his
associates is 5000 a year.