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The Commoner
VOLUME 10,- NUMBER 6
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The Commoner.
ISSUED WEEKLY
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yflJOaAK J, tfltYAN CUAlttTJB W. BllYAW
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THE COMMONER, Lincoln, Neb,
tion of political and social vitality. It- Is a .
spiritual moro than a financial problem." Then
ho read:
"The hopelessness of the people (of Fribourg)
haB benumbed them. They present a placidity
which nothing can arouse. It is only because
of the popular inertia that the regime exists.
Many like" it because they are employed under
it and many others because they hope to be.
To allow a single man to have his will and a
coterie of men to exercise it, is to deaden civili
zation and block progress. Public affairs should
be the concern of all. Intelligent spirits must
work for the good of the whole. In a healthy
democracy no man should live upon, it, but
must take part in it."
"To take account of some material results,"
continued the doctor, laying aside the paper,
"Python has in the establishment of public en
terprises loaded the canton with a debt which
will be a burden upon our people for half a
century. It now stands at 1,000,0.00 francs for
each 1,000 inhabitants, the largest per cent per
inhabitant of any canton xin Switzerland."
"But do you object to" state ownership of
public utilities?" I interrupted.
"Not at all. The objection lies in the fact
that in addition to the really useful enterprises,
which, if well conducted may be profitable to
the state, and which are indeed a great success
in other cantons, there have been started others
not needed, which only servo to enrich clever
speculators. The money to build these enter
prises is largely borrowed abroad. It passes
through Python's banks., and, although I could
not prove it, it is morally certain that fat com
missions are paid. y'The necessary legislation is
rushed through the grand council under the
spell of Python's 'little stick
"Here is another article in my paper in 'which
I say, 'The notice of the last loan of 25,000000
francs was given only two days before the
vote was taken in the council and the people
were not consulted. Speculators ask no ques
tions concerning tho social and economic ad
vancement of our canton, but, caring only for
their own welfare, advise projects which mako
them rich commissions.'
"Further than this," he continued, "when a
public enterprise te undertaken we always find
the real cost exceeding the original estimate.
For example: the electrical plant was estimated
at 3,000,000 francs and in the end It cost
12,000,000, francs. Moreover It can be affirmed
that in tho building .of this plant, the financiers ,
and contractors bribed the government."
', "But is Python a good manager? Do these
Institutions pay after they, are established?.- A
few business men of Switzerland have told mo
that Python was a progressive- man."
"Tho strange part of it is that we do not
know," responded the doctor. "No man can
secure exact information as to. tho income of
the canton from the bank 'De PEtat.'' The books
aro not. at tho disposal of tho people and there
aro nd reports upon the banks, water, electrical
or other enterprises of the canton. We only
know that the canton Is burdened with a debt
of 100,000,000 francs and that there is now
talk of an additional loan of 30,000,000. -Loans
of this sort have been rapidly increasing during
tho past ton years." '
He read again from the paper;
"So we see the general interests of the coun
try made subservient to private business, and
wo have seen many radical co-patriots, whom
we had a fight to expect to work for social and
democratic progress, throw aside personal honor
and independence to purchase private gain at
tho price of their own self-respect and the gen
eral prosperity."
Someone came in to see the editor and as
they talked I turned to the" window overlooking
a portion of the picturesque old city, founded
314 years before Columbus sailed westward.
Up the street, a little way to the right stood
the famous Cathedral of St. Nicholas (begun in
1283), with its great organ of over 7,000 pipes
and over whose carved portal, as if petrified
in stone, still live the theological ideas of heaven
and hell which swayed the. mediaeval world. In
contrast there stands nearby a beautiful modern
bank building and also a great suspension bridge
168 feet above the waters of the river Sarine,
which flows in a horseshoe curve around the
heart of the old part of the city. An interesting
city Is Fribourg, but one misses the progressive
spirit of other Swiss cities equally fascinating
and historic. Sanitary conditions' aro not 'so
good; streets are not so clean; things in general
aTe more unkempt; and I especially noted more
ragged and dirty children, the wholesome ap
pearance of which, in most Swiss cities, Is a
joy to the traveler. Thinking -of thee things
as. I watched the people pass by on the street
below, I coupled my observations -with the der
mand of the reformers that Fribourg be un
Bhackled and left free to develop politically and
economically along with her sister cantons. -It
. was clearly a case of cause and effect evident
to one who had eyes to see.
The visitor had gone and I turned to Dr.
Gross with this question:
"I know enough about Python and his system.
Now tell me what you propose to do about it.
"What do you advocate?" '
"We work first to secure the referendum."
"Why?"
Again tho file of papers was' consulted, Dr.
Gross explaining that he had written much upon
that subject, and finally he selected the follow
ing in answer to my inquiry:
"Wo demand the initiative and referendum
not as alms, but as a right. We must end the
system which paralyzes political and social
progress and establish one which will vitalize
our citizenship and awaken their. Interest in
government. All other cantons have direct legis
tion. Our canton has lived on under the old
representative system and must be modified.
Our constitution is unique in Its construction;
all power is vested In the grand council, elect
ed every "five years from seven districts. It
elects our national representatives and sends
them to Bern. The people have nothing to say.
Nothing by the best; nothing for the people.
The initiative and referendum are the two essen
tial rights for the realization of true democracy.
We must have them in Fribourg, and, as our
government will not grant them, we must force
ir to do so. Why should the initiative and refer
endum, which our nation has found good, be
denied to Fribourg? W must take up the
agitation now and not rest until we have suc
ceeded. We must have the initiative and refer
endum for the future,"
"What has the government to say concerning
this proposal?" I queried.
"Python and his government are against tho
initiative and referendum because they know it -will
destroy their power and they cannot. do as
.they please. Their political life is at stake, and
Python has even gone so far a to say in a
public speech that he would oppose even the
just demands of his enemies; referring in this
remark to the demand for tho referendum."
Tho demonstration was complete, and as I
left the office of the earnest reformer with a
goodly package of his La Independent under my ''
arm, containing the' articles he' had read, I
realized that ono problem I had crossed the '
ocean to solve to my own satisfaction was settled'
for me for all time. I knew that the absenco
of bribery corruption and ' mlsrepresentative"
government in the Swiss republic is not due to
the Alps, the size of the country, some ancient
tradition of liberty, or the exceptional political
ability of its people, but to a legislative instru
ment which (to clumsily borrow a physiological
'term) allows its citizenship to constantly
functionate. V
From 1848 to 1870 Switzerland, in nation
and canton, was governed by elected representa
tives under a constitution patterned after that
of the United States. Her political history for
that period reads like a chapter from the annals
of New York under Tammany hall. Since the
introduction of the initiative and referendum,
the people have come into their own. It is an
honor to bo. in the .public service. Bosses and .
boodlers have disappeared, and Switzerland to
day is a beacon light that fires and cheers: tlie
heart of every true lover . of democracy 'the
world around. t
What shall we say, then-, when rght in the
midst of that splendid group of twenty-five pro
gressive cantons, lies Fribourg, with her "pure
representative government," undjer the absolute
dominion of the man with the "little stick?
I know that some attribute the condition of
Fribourg to the influence of the priests, but I
do not. Business Is no respecter of religions..
Take awAy the wealthy families and business
men of the cantpn the special privileges they
enjoy under the autocrat Python, and there
would follow ai revolt which the priests would
soon find' good cause to champion. "Other can
tons as Catholic as Fribourg have the referen
dum, and priests and people alike would defend
it to the last ditch. t The fundamental trouble .
with Fribourg is special privilege.
Another thing my Swiss experience finally
settled for me. When through with the study
of Boss Python, I knew Ihat" representative gov
ernment everywhere and always is boutfd to '
fail ultimately. I had long believed this as ;a ,
iriatter of theory, but now it was brought homo -with
crushing force. Its inherent vice, the dele-,
gating to another to do what you must do for """
yourself, will alWays and everywhere generate
a careless, dependent, and finally hopeless citi
zenship which gradually becomes the prey of
some despotism, and the universal tendency of
men to abuse delegated power will ever make.,
unguarded representative bodies schools for the
training-of despots whose tyrannies spell the ''
death of liberty and are the precursor:; ' of '
revolution.
CHAMP CLARK
Writing in his paper (The Public) Louis F.
Post, says: "Champ Clark is the present touch
stone of democracy in democracy. Whoever of
either party hates democracy, will plot against
Clark's election to the speakership. By the
growing weakness or strength of the opposition
to him shall the people be able to judge whether "
the democratic party in congress is to 'make
good' or make. bad. Puck truly says, and Puck's
humor is Impregnated with sense:
" 'Clothes do not. make the man;- neither does
the label, democrat, make of a man working
force for democratic democracy. The announce
ment in a Washington dispatch that a number
of democratic congressmen 'did not cotton much,
to the .program of electing Champ Clark to tie
speaker of tho house' was not an overwhelming
surprise. The surprise would havo been due if
they had advocated Clark's elevation to the
speakership, for among tho adherents of Can
non and Cannonism no members of the house,
not even the most stubborn standpatters, were
more steadfast In their loyalty to all that should,
not be than these same 'democrats.' Champ
Clark can get no better recommendation for the
post of speaker than the opposition of such a.
crew.'
"The latest insidious attack upon Clark by
the interests Is the statement that his election
would be a Bryan victory. We don't profess:to
know about that, but we are sure- that nothing
could be more gratifying to most genuine demo
crats to have it so, nor anything so disheartening
to all plutocrats."
The American Homestead, a mnnthlv Wn
Journal of national scope, will be sent to all v
Commoner subscribers,, without additional cost,
wlio renew their subscriptions during the moaafc
of January when this notico is mentioned.
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