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The Commoner
6
VOLUME 10, NUMBER 8
CTigiawiSHKWWNBltWWMHWW'wiWMWii
majority nml has never been opposed In enforce
ment. Tho nation annually distribute! several
million francH among tbo cantons for the oroc-
tlon of now Bchool houses and gymnasiums,
raising teachers' salaries, clothing and feeding
school children, etc.
A fourth and last group of measures may bo
xnontionod hero tho codification of the civil
laws. Every canton had lis own civil and police
laws, but for fifty years Switzerland has been
ondcavoring to bring about uniformity In the
dispensation of justice, and, by degrees, parts
of tho civil laws have been harmonized. Tho
nation created, for example, In place of tho
"cantonal rights," general or "national rights."
This has never been questioned by tho optional
referendum. Later on a "collection and bank
ruptcy law" was drawn and sanctioned by a
pooplo's vote. In 1898, a referendum vote se
curod tho right of introduction for a uniform
civil and uniform pollco code, which has been
worked out by tho government and silently sanc
tioned by tho people.
But you ask mo If thcro have not been refer
endum olcctloiiB which have been disappoint
ments, or, at least, doubtful; tho practical value
of which havo been questioned. 1 answer by
saying, yes. Such has been and is tho case,
for -wo must never expect tho result of a referen
dum will pleaso everybody. I mention a few
elections, tho results of which have been ques
tioned by many clear-headed men. First, tho
vote on tho federal law abolishing capital punish
mont. Personally I am opposed to capital pun
ishment, but it must bo considered that it still
oxists in most countries. It would therefore
bo unjust to censure tho Swiss people too se
voroly when they decided not to sanction such
a statute, but rather to lot tho cantons decide
for or against for thomsolvos. After the revoca
tion of tho statute it was found that most can
tons did not ro-cstabllsh tho death penalty, and
thoso which did so havo mado use of It in but
very few cases.
A compulsory sick and accident insurance
moasuro waB also rejected by a largo majority,
although such an institution would no doubt
havo boon a groat stop forward. There were
probably threo reasons for its dofeat. It was
couched in complicated terms; tho private com
panies opposed it strongly; and there was great
uncertainty as to its probable cost. But tho
final settlement of this question was only post
poned, and, in tho mieantimo, funds are steadily
increasing which tho government is depositing
for this purpose Tho people are divided on
tho prohibition of absinthe, which was accom
plished at a recent election. Wino, beer, cider
and whisky may ho used as beverages in Switzer
land. Why not absinthe? Representatives from
tho Fronch cantons maintained that in their dis
tricts it had become such an evil, causing pov
orty and crime, that only prohibition could curb
it. Tho permission to conduct brothels is left
to tho discretion of tho cantons. In Zurich they
aro suppressed; in Geneva they are still in ex
istence. Individual opinion upon tho outcome of cer
tain roforondum votings can not determine tho
valuo of diroct legislation.
Wo must fix our eye upon the sum total of its
workings. Do this, and it must be said that
tho system has taken root so deeply in tho
hearts of tho Swiss people that today no party
or faction would either oppose or dispense with
it. All political parties submit willingly to the
decisions of tho majority, each hoping to win
a majority to its own program in the future.
The Swiss people recognize in tho initiative and
referendum their shield and sword. With tho
shield of the roforondum they ward off legisla
tion thoy do not desire; with tho sword of the
initiativo they cut tho way for tho enactment of
their own jdeas into law. Tho people may re
ject a progressive measure when first presented
and embrace it when anothor opportunity pre
sents itself. In any event it is bettor not to
force laws oven good laws upon tho people
but to leave the decision to their own free wilt
Possibly they may try by the initiative to do
sprno errat c thing, but thoy will take note and
rid themselves of it eventually. The initiativo
has frequently been called an "escape valve"
by which tho will of tho people- finds explosion
New ideas are given a chance to com t invesU
gatlon and enlist a following. Later they may
become law. Besides this, tho Swiss fornof
the initiative permits the legislative bodies to
work out and submit proposals of their own
along with thoso of the people. Wn
I d not defend a thoughtless or indiscreet
use of the initiative. On the contrary, rEt
that tho leaders of tho people should hifnr
putting tho initiativo machinery in motion Sv
an exact and literal account of tho meaner and
All new and renewal subscribers U) Tho Com
moner during tho month of March will receive
a year's subscription to tho national farm paper,
the American Homestead, without additional
charge. Givo your friends an opportunity to
join you in accepting tills offer.
extent of any proposed measure. Only in this
manner may they insure victory or make a
creditable showing. As to tho value of the
initiativo I am able to present a most competent
witness. An official document of the govern
ment of Zurich says:
"Tho uso of tho initiative in past, years proves,
without a doubt, tho popularity of this right.
This popularity has not been attained by de
grees; it was evident from tho first that the
people rejoiced in tho privilege of influencing
directly tho administration of public affairs. Al
though tho privilege has been used frequently
during tho past thirty-five years, it can not be
said that it has ever been misused. At times
ill-considered proposals have been made, but
thoy found their correction either in the critical
attitude of tho cantonal council, or in the people
themselves at the election. As far-reaching as
this institution (the initiative) may seem to be,
it has never led tho canton astray or prompted
Irrational political results. On the contrary, it
has essentially aided in stimulating and creat
ing a healthy political atmosphere in the canton ;
it has broadened and improved the political life
of the citizens. Direct legislation Is, therefore,
the best political school for the people. In addi
tion, it must not be forgotten that the political
activity of the cantonal council would sometimes
have been less expeditious had it not been for
this popular agency. The mere fact of its ex
istence has been influential upon the delibera
tions and decisions of the council. Direct legis
lation democratizes the representative system
and prevents the formation of an abyss, which,
as experience shows, has frequently arisen be
tween the people and their representatives, to
tho detriment of good government. The work
ings of tho law initiative in Zurich have been
entirely satisfactory up to this time. If, in the
future, its form should bo altered, the change
will be to make It more easy, not more difficult,
of operation. Dread of tho people must never
bo the counsellor of the law-maker."
Indeed, then, the mere existence of the insti
tution of -direct legislation operates favorably,
forcing the legislators to a better consideration
of the feelings, the desires, the will, and the
needs of the body politic. They are more liable
to draw their resolutions and laws in such
wise as to pass muster at the referendum elec
tion. In tho possession of unlimited power they
tend to become a "class," a "caste," but con
stant control of affairs by the voters, and the
fact that the latter aro at all times judges of
tho legislators, guards them against such a' pos
sibility. At the regular elections the people
judge candidates alone and may be deceived by
their true characters. Political managers often
succeed in forcing certain men upon the people,
but in the referendum elections principles are
judged, the worth of which every voter may
determine for himself, independently of any
pressure brought to bear by professional politi
cians. Consequently the occupation of the minds
of the people with proposed laws is much more
valuable as a civic educator than is the ordinary
campaign. A nation possessing the Initiative
and referendum is far less liable to become the
victim of political apathy and'lethargy than one
which has the representative system alone. The
former will be better informed, more watchful
of public affairs, and less apt to become fettered
by a bureaucracy or fall into the pitfalls of cor
ruption. In Switzerland, at least, no one doubts
that through the use of the direct vote system
tho people have become more enlightened and
mature politically and that the general welfare
has been augmented.
But could not direct legislation, on account of
certain topographical conditions and historical
traditions, be expedient for some countries onlv
for example, Switzerland? I have already
answered this question in the negative at the
beginning. The referendum has not a mere
local character but a universal mission. The
state of Ohio has a population of over four mil!
ions, and Switzerland over three millions It
is -just aB possible to havo a popular vote there
as in Swi zerland, and it will be foun J practical
for even larger states. But it would be neces
sary to use it only in matters of general interest
It must be admitted that the American So
have long been- intellectually ripe for direct
legislation. Their training in self-covPrnmIf
their liberty-loving instincts and toJdttKS FSKlr
advanced state of education .through tho ,hiK
schools, and their practical undSfnding o? the
problems of the times, enable the American
people, more than any' other, to use the referen
dum and initiative wisely and profitably. Mod
ern democracy, blossoming out of the Lands
gemeinden of Switzerland, will bloom also in
America, and the political progress of the land
of William Tell is certainly possible for the
land of George Washington and Abraham
Lincoln. THEODORE CURTI.
Frankfort, Germany, April, 1909.
Practical Tariff Talfe
An excellent illustration of the taxing meth
ods of the tariff may be gleaned from an in
quiry into the press cloth schedule. Press cloth
is used very largely by the cotton seed crush
ing mills of the country. These number 800,
and are largely located in the south., The in
dustry is a large one, representing about $80,
000,000 in capital, employing 50,000 persons
and pays out about $25,000,000 a year in wages.
It utilizes as a raw material about four and a
half million tons of cotton seed that formerly
went to waste, and yearly adds about $100,
000,000 to .the .material wealth of .the country. -An
important. item in the .cost of manufacture
is the cloth from which is made the wrappers
which are used to contain the cotton seed while
tho oil is being extracted through hydraulic pres
sure. These are called -press cloths, and most
of them are made from camel's hair, which "
long experiment has proved to be the best fitted
for the purpose.
This press cloth' is manufactured by four or
five companies in America. It is also made in
England, but there are no importations because
the tariff thereon is prohibitive. Theso four or
five manufacturers maintain a very close com
munity of interest, although they strenuously
deny being in any combination. Each sells for
the same price, around about 62 cents per
pound. In an attempt to break this combination
of prices the association of cotton seed crushers
has pooled orders repeatedly and offered them
to one or the other of the mills. Word has in
variably been sent to all the other mills, and
not a cent shading in the price could be secured
The manufacturers have entirely eliminated
competition, and even utilize -the same selling
agency to. dispose of the output of the various
mills.
In England a better press cloth sells for 38
cents a pound. When the Dingley bill was
passed the cotton seed oil manufacturers sup
posed that this cloth would come in under sec
tion 431, which levied a duty of twenty cents
a square yard, or about 4 cents a pound, on "hair
press cloth." But the appraisers and the courts
decided that this was a mistake, that it meant
horse hair, and, that camel's hair cloth came in
under paragraph 383, which says that "when
ever in any schedule of this act the word 'wool
iclof MnHCtn With a manufactured ar
ii ? Thh U Is a component material it
shall be held to include wool or hair of the
sheep, camel, goat, alpaca or other animal
This was inserted, it is presumed, to protect the
American sheep on the theory hat it camel's
hair is used for. something for which wool mav
?e Selthe law ought t0 compel, through the
tariff, the employment of woo instead If the
hair qf the foreign-born and bred animals But
?rsuitablehaS ShWn that fr Press"th wBoo5
An ordinary mill will uso three or'fnnrH,,
sand dollars' worth of press cloth in
Poetically It may b0P stated XtVs 55
cloth is also used by linseed, rape seed ami
cents' thTdSv'!; S?e DyIce in SlanaVSs
SMi 'cUle du?yXrXe0a2
about 135 per cent of the foreign selfw 0JSni
and the only fact advanced by he press cloth'
manufacturers before congress was tv, L th
they didn't add the ful 153 cent to ?iffi lTXQ
price and ask 86 cents a pouSd m K?h
the tariff ought to be maintained I ght'
tamed. Strong representations were 1Z L
the ways and means committee fl j , to
the wool BcheaXshoSfd e uTtouSZW,erB that
dress was given and Si. "e untouched, no re-
continuo to pay'tte-heavv ?ntn Bf,ed men wl
from the Bta'temSove!"5 'ft
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