The Southern farm gazette. (Starkville, Miss.) 1895-1909, 1908-09-26


Is No look down the deep eroyaSsc in the glacier
great cracks IN tho Ice thirty or forty feet in
depth. hear tho thunder of an occasional av-
slanche of anow crashing down the mountain
side. and ourselves play anow-bali with one an.
other And yet. strange TO say. all those wonder
iul things long promised aud predicted TO happen
on cold day In August" do no, seem to have
come true.
More than ;hln beyond tho Alps lies Italy"
and arc resting tonight at BriEuo. preparatory
TO travelling by coach o-morrow across the famous
SimpIon Pass. landing - at Domodossola in time
TO sec tho sun set In an Italian sky
have reached the conclusion therefore. tha,
European scenory Is worth seeing l woula no,
SAY that It Ia graudcr than the Rockies. and for
sheer losollacss have not scca the equal of
California. but tho Alps have a glory aach aa sc~
spots on earth can equal and such must for.
ever remain among the choicest memory treasures
OF all ~ho have tho good fortune to sec theH.
Nor lacilncd To pAa. by Tho swiaa govern
meat aud people without a wuSd about shcn. for
especially In tho form ot government Ia there =
striking similarity between Switzerland and tho
4
perhaps In fact the puFcsi democracy ia The
~osld. the Same latcnse iovc Of freedom that for
eratpFtcs has made thcm honor the memory of
William Tell with passionate devotion exhibiting
liscls IN the governmental machinery with ~hlch
/ the people work ust their wIaAos. When the
saIss federal constitution was adopted hundred
pears ago. tho emphasis waa Left upon state
Sovereignty tas IL seemed To have been loft Ia a
large measure ia The American Constitution Of
| 1850. Thea IA iss7 tas In America In issn
of the States thought ,hoir rights lmporlllcd
| and seeded but Ia Switzerland. as wlth aa the
priasplc 81 a strong aud effective national gov.
| eminent uiumph~i and ali traces of friction have
9ong since subsidized. lie II also said that ln both
countries constitutional amend tn-nta. adopted
aosuu~ la, by force and iEgcguiarity followed tho
| concl uRion Of HtTlfc.
Ny purpose. however. 10 not SD much ,o r.sicw
s~lss history to direct attrntion to tho present
| form o! government Each State has a separate
Constitution and Legislature as with us. there
| arc Upper aud Lover Houses OF Congress elected
| much as ~c elect ours. but Instead of onc man as
| President ~ith almost kingly power aa wo have
| th" Swiss Executive consists OF Federal council
OF seven members
| IL really docHnt matter much. however. what
criand has. for With her unique plan of direct les.
/ shlAion all power Is Immediately tn tho hands of
the people themselves universal manhood auf-
fragu being In force. know II IL popular In some
quarters To doride the Initiative and tho roferen.
dunn on account of their unfamiliar names popu.
lar among some intelligent people to assume ig-
noranco of these very simple aud very effective
methods of government. and other people Who
| set all their opinions second hand Join in the
chatter OF opposition like tho Bhndcriog monkeys
| In kipiingE Jungle book. As IA matter OF cold
Tact and reason, however. direct legislation In
nothing more nor less than the logical and I'm.
cvtablo conclusion OF tho principle OF democ racy
and must appeal TO every man who believes aa /
do. that the remedy for tho evils OF democracy
| ~ more democracy"