The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-03

term If he lives long enough to walt
for his proper turns.
Tie roster OF Swiss Presidents runs
In rotation IN 1908 Adolp Deneher
Temp. In 1910 Ernest Bremen, In 1pl1
Robert Comtesse.r' In 1910 Ruehct,
Then comes Forrcrs turn again
The rule OF these seven men Is al
most absolute. In many matters they
5usurp the functions OF Parliament,
and there is no protest. The Swiss
themselves are beginning to complain
nightly of being governed too much.
They now accept executive orders"
issued bv the Federal Council Just as
readily as u law passed by the Parlia
ment: and there IL no appeal to the
referendum against an executive
order.
Here Parliament is superior to the
supreme Court; a statute Is legal
because 1t EXPRESSES the will Of tho
majority. Tho minority has no rights
which the government is bound to
consider. An amendment must be
constitutional. The individual has no
rights which the government Is bound
to respect If the people should vote
to conflscate all the dairies without
paying for them, there would be no
appeal. Nothing is sacred; there is
no protection for the individual.
Itttll luClucnl Wtll lIIuSlluleS
the effect where the statute is supe-
rior to tho common law and to the
courts. In Lucerne a three Nenr-old
child took some pears from u fruit
stand. The child was arrested and
brought to trial. No defense could
be made on the ground that the Gull
prit was not old enough to under
that theft lr.rist be punished by mpri-
sonment. and this baby was sent to
Jail for thirty days; the court could
not act otherwise.
This is n simple illustration of a
country where the letter of the stat
ute is the only law.
Here the citizen is permitted to en-
Joy his life, his liberty, his property,
his home and his social and family
relation only by the sufrerance Of the
multitude. Such a thing as an in
defeasible right is not contemplated
by the Swiss constitution. Personal
rights are subject to the popular will.
I have failed to discover that the
citizen of Switzerland receives COM
mensuratc benefit for surrenderinG
his individual rights. In this respect
letter Of the old English law, abol-
ishcd by the Magma Charta.
Initiative Dead One.
| have asked fifty people here rang
ing in tho social scale all the way
from the United States consul and the
Vice-President OF the republic to the
porter that carried my grip to the
train. to relate to me an instance in
which the initiative has been used to
introduce salutarv or the referen-
dun to defeat a vicious one.
Not one of the fifty suggested 1t
appears that the referendum is used
chiefly by the forest cantons; these
oppose all attempts at legislation that
includes any marked expenditure OF
money. The country cantons are ieal-
Gus of the growth of the cities. They
resent the encroachments of the towns
on the pastures, and they are always
ready to vote against impro vements
that will put money directly into
their own pockets.
I found United States Consul HE-
gins one Of the most poplar men in
Borne. He is exceptionally we'll post
ed. even for an American consul, and
am proud to say that our consuls
appear to rank in intelligence above
those of the European countries.
Barred by the rules of the d!plo-
matte service from discussing ques-
tons affecting the government OF the
country. Mr.. Higgins secured for me
zeal leaders of the republic. But in
each instance it was stipulated that
they should not be quoted for publ
cation. A Swiss official has a name
less dread for a reporter, most OF all