Show DIRECT LEGISLATION LEGISLA TION I Compiled edby by H W Lawrence The remark remak is often oft made mae that tat the In m Initiative I and ad referendum might work in a a little ittle l country countr like liko Switzerland but but ft It would not be practical in hi this county ut Switzerland is composed compos of cantons states it has ha a 8 population of about 2 bo people and nd there is probably probably ably aly no place on earth erth so s unfavorable for the trial of direct legislation as Switzer land and l It I Is I the te most mst heterogeneous nation naton on the globe We think tink that In the United States we have a mixture of ot all al the te races languages l religions and conditions t ff f men but we are not Bot mixed ed up UD as the Swiss It I Is the meeting meting ground of all al the races of Europe According to t its iq last census ceris it held French Italian German Grman 66 33 of or an al almost almot a most mot extinct race r the te Roman ROIn neone speaking the te Roman language besides beide Slavs Slays Bohemians Bohemias Huns Jews etc et The Te last lat constitution was wa printed in live five laV lali lal gages and there are ae two federal official languages French and German while in some of the cantonal states state legislative halls hals three and four languages are spoken en It I was the fighting ground of the Roman and nad ald Protestant religions In its is Constance where the cele Roman Catholic council counci of that name nae was held and Geneva where Calvin Chin once ruled rule with a a rod red of ot iron irn In 1948 18 there therewa ro wits was wa a bitter biter internal religious war By the last census are Protestants and ad 1188 are Catholics In nine can cantons cantons cantons tons the Roman Catholic religion is the official state religion in six cantons both the Roman and Protestant are officially established and supported in five can cantons canton cantons tons ton there are three thre state churches and Neuchatel officially supports three and an society It I is divided by high mountain ranges rages which have not been ben pierced pierce by railroads until recently and the inhabitants of va various va various rious volleys valleys are more foreign and alien aUen to each other than if separated by thou thousands thousands sands of miles mie It I is divided divide by habits of life Ufe In some sections Uon It I is pastoral and primitive the people living by farming and sheep and goat oat raising others depend on the tourists tourist business and then there are large manufacturing cities cie with wih all al their attendant problems Switzerland embraces em every eer condition of life Ufe from the pastoral primitive and unspecialized to the manufacturing and highly special specia Less Lesa than titan a century ago all aU forms ionn of government could be found In Switzerland In the mountainous cantons was wa the tle pure democracy or direct legislation In I others an aristocracy or the rule of a class cla in others otes a a monarchy in the te reign re of a duke duke or lord abbot ebbot or bishop In some cantons the city ruled rule over the country in others part pt of one on canton ruled over part of an another another other othe As a nation naton it really rely only dates date back bak tion was to 1548 18 adopted whoa when the national Direct legislation has ha bound this di diverse divor diverse verse vor group of races languages lagage religions conditions of life and governments into a unified nation naton with wih a strong strom national feel Ing hug Voting on the laws by which they are governed has ha been ben a a real and vital commission or common action acton uniting them into one people Direct legislation In Switzerland with wih all al of its It diversified interest of nationality religion and former forer conditions has given ghen the people social and economical freedom and majority rule It I has banished official despotism Of dais are no longer masters mater but the tho te servant servants ants ant of the Ule people Landed Lande monopolies no longer lonser exist The people control the money question queston and the railways Public utilities are managed In the interest of the people Labor is employed and old age pensions granted to t the infirm They have overthrown monopolies monopole reduced reduce taxation extended the facilities faite of education and purified the press and in fact fat demonstrated that government is for humanity instead of ot a selfish few What the cantons states of Switzer land have done for the Utah Uth can cn do lo and in national reforms our govern government gover government ment can far fa exceed what she has accomplished pitched as na Tre we W e have better beter facilities and I greater genter national lonal resources |