Switzerland

SWITZERLAND. BY LAURENCE SQUIRES. Switzerland, or the Helvetic Confederation, has borrowed its actual name of Switzerland from the principal of the three cantons (states) which were the founders of the confederation (Schwytz). It is situated at almost an equal distance from the equator and the north pole. Its extent from east to west is about two hundred and ten miles, and about one hundred and thirty-three miles from north to south; its surface is twenty-four thousand four hundred and forty square miles, and population two million two hundred and fifty thousand. Switzerland, then, is a very small country in relation to those which surround it, but its geographical situation gives to it a great importance in central Europe. From a commercial and political point of view, the importance of Switzerland is also recognized, as it commands the routes that connect the north with the south, and the west with the east of Europe. It is a barrier (luckily elevated) between the four great neighboring powers, which are Germany, Austria- Hungary, Italy and France; and its neutrality is a pledge of peace and security for these great states that it separates. That which gives to Switzerland her particular character and, in fact, makes it one of the most beautiful and curious countries of the continent, one of those, that since the sentiment of nature has developed itself at the homes of the modern nations, one visits and admires the most, are the Alps. In a space relatively restrained one recounts the most varied spectacles of them; here, the sublime landscapes of the high peaks, vast glaciers and boiling cascades; there, prairies watered by numerous small mountain streams, the

SWITZERLAND. 193 peaceful valleys, the charming lakes with quiet, blue waters, and upon their banks many flourishing towns and villages. It is in the Alps that are found the Swiss chalets (mountain cottages), in ^f5«tea rf^rra?*^ ■Y,,''^\ i' W%FEf7&^]tlf Mcfy; A Swiss Chalet. From a Sketch by the Author. fact, the mountains all through Switzerland are dotted with these picturesque little habitations upon the roofs of which are placed large rocks to protect them from the winds that frequent the mountains. Two large rivers, the Rhone and the Rhine, which flow into the Mediterranean and the North Sea, respectively, find their sources here. Lake Geneva and Lake Constance are the two largest bodies of water found here. By the admirable blue color and clearness of its waters, as well as its gracious form and the majesty of the snow-capped peaks that encircle it, Lake Geneva is justly considered as being one of the most beautiful lakes of the world. The sunsets of the autumn months upon this lake are beyond description, and are worth coming miles to see. Its beauty has also been sung by many foreign as well as native poets. It

L94 IMPROVEMENT ERA. is upon its shore, in a most enchanting spot, that the ancient and superb Chateau de Chillon, that inspired the eminent Lord Byron to write the "Prisoner of Chillon," is built. It is a recognized fact that the people inhabiting the mountains have a much greater spirit of independence than those of the plains. The people of different races and tongues that have come to establish themselves upon the Helvetic soil, have always been animated by an influence of liberty as fresh and severe as the air of the Alps. Federative democracy is the natural form of the Swiss government. It is in the heart of the Alps that the precious tradition of independence was maintained, and where the cradle of the Swiss confederation is found.
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• • «* ■■* !i . 33 From a Sketch by the Author Chateau de Chillon and le Dent du Midi.

SWITZERLAND. 195 During some centuries, Helvetia, the primitive name of Switzerland, suffered the counter blows of all the commotions of Europe. Switzerland was primitively inhabited by the Helvetes of the Celtic race; it has passed successively to the power of the Romans, the Burgondes, the Francs, and at last was reunited to the German empire. The magistrates of the emperor governed tyrannically, and the lords at times cruelly abused their exclusive privileges. The resistance of the population against the magistrates, personified in the legend of William Tell, led to the formation of a league of the cantons of Schwytz, Uri and Unterwalden, (1291) and ended in. the expulsion of the magistrates . These three cantons concluded a perpetual defensive union which was the origin of the present Switzerland. The people celebrate the first of August of each year, in commemoration of this great and glorious historic event . The three primitive cantons defended their liberty in several successful wars ; little by little the confederation was augmented by the admission of other cantons, so that in 1815, by the treaty of Vienna, the number of the cantons was twenty-two; besides, Switzerland was placed (by the powers) under the guaranty of perpetual neutrality. Since that epoch Switzerland has not undergone a change of territory ; but it has modified its interior organization several, times in such a manner as to give to the confederation a greater cohesion. Every canton has conserved its autonomy and its particular government, and forms a democratic republic, pure or representative ; nevertheless, the attributions of the central power have been greatly increased. The federal constitution that rules Switzerland today dates from 1874. The government of the confederation is exercised by the federal council, which is charged with the executive power. This is composed of seven members, named by the federal assembly for three years, and they are re-eligible; the president, who bears the title, President of the Federation, is only elected for one year, and is not immediately re-eligible. The federal assembly, which exercises the legislative power, is composed of the states council, having forty-four members,being two from each canton, and the national council, formed of deputies from the cantons, elected

,, From a Sketch by the Author. A Street in Lausanne, a City of 45,000 People, on Lake Geneva. Cathedral in the Background.

SWITZERLAND. 197 by right of one deputy to every twenty thousand inhabitants; these authorities seat at Bern. The federal tribunal, or superior court of the coi federation, comprises nineteen judges, and has its seat at Lausanne, the principal city of the "Canton de Vaud?"* Since 1848, the city of Bern has been the capital of Switzerland and the seat of the government. There is no permanent army in Switzerland, but the military service is obligatory between the ages of twenty and forty years. This country forms a federative republic, of which the coat of arms are a white cross upon a red background, and the motto, "One for all; all for one." For short, the French geographer, Elisce Reclus, who is universally known, has written: "Of all the civilized states which approach the ideal of a popular government, Switzerland comes nearest." From a religious point of view the inhabitants of the Swiss republic are unevenly divided between the two religions, Protestant and Catholic, the Protestants form fifty-nine per cent, and the Catholics about forty per cent; the rest are divided among the numerous sects, most of which are of English origin. There are besides several thousand Jews. German, French and Italian are the three national languages, although now there are a great many English here, and a person working in the different hotels and business houses should speak these four tongues. I don't suppose that there is another country on the globe that is so much visited by strangers as little Switzerland. In fact there are towns that are entirely built up of hotels, and people from all countries inhabit them during their short sojourn in this attractive country. The density of population differs according to the cantons, the most mountainous being the least peopled. Switzerland has always furnished a large quota to immigration. A great many of its inhabitants go to exercise their professions in the principal cities of Europe, while others cross the ocean to establish

• There are some of the cantons that meet in outdoor meetings and discuss different questions or elect officers in this manner. They vote by the raising of hands or by acclamation, and this is called a pure democratic republic. One must remember that some of these cantons are very small, and it is very easy for the people to assemble themselves.

l'.ts IMPROVEMENT ERA. themselves in the newly colonized countries, particularly the United States and Argentine Republic. Switzerland ranks high in the education 'of Europe. Notwithstanding its size, it possesses six universities, and this country has played, and still plays, a large role in the intellectual life of the P^uropean nations. By its excellent establishments of public instruction, its libraries and its museums, and its writers and artists, it has obtained in the world a situation so much more remarkable because of the public decentralization, the diversity of languages and religions, and of the races that have inhabited it. However, in certain parts of Switzerland the inhabitants are very primitive, and very often one sees their wagons drawn by oxen, or even by their milch cows, in place of horses, and the tools employed by the paysans (country people) for farming purposes are very simple, often consisting of merely a scythe, a wooden hand rake, and pitchfork, and a grubbing hoe. When one considers Krom a Sketch by the Author. Women carrying Hay on their Heads.

SWITZERLAND.' 199 that most all of the hay is cut by the men with scythes, and is raked usally by the women and children with hand rakes, it is easily seer that each family can keep pretty well occupied with a very small piece of land. The pay sans are not very prosperous, and work hard for an existence. Of course, in the lower parts of the country there are machines and plows in use, but it is more of an exception than a rule. Often I have seen the men and women carrying large bundles of hay upon their heads. As this country must receive a large part of the vegetable and animal products that it consumes, and the raw materials necessary for its industry, Switzerland imports much more than it exports. Raw silks, corn, cattle, coal, raw cotton, iron, sugar, coffee and machinery are the principal articles of importation, while its exports are watches, embroideries, cheese, condensed milk, chocolate and leathers. Aigle, Switzerland.