s\viT/i:i:i.\\i) 



live in legislation on constitutional sul.j< (;-. 

 The principle of initiating proposals had already 

 been introduced in several of tin- cantons. I'nder 

 the nw law, when .~>o,tMio ciii/.en> unite in the 

 demand, the Chamber- must take up any h-gis- 

 lati\i> proposals and frame a hill on the -ubject ; 

 or. if tln> bill is formulated and presented in the 

 cull, the Chambers arc compelled to accept it and 

 ;! before the people for t heir agreement or 

 disapproval. The aineiidineiit WM supported by 

 I lie ritramontanes and Democrats and by the 

 Liberals of N'eufchatel and (ienevu and the Cmi- 

 servati\c 1 'rote-tan Is. The clerical parties hope 

 to arrest the prevailing tendency toward cen- 

 trali/ation by means of it, and even to force the 

 repeal of certain laws obnoxious to their relig- 

 ion- and political convictions. The young Dem- 

 ocrats, who are strong centralists, expect to 

 reach their goal more rapidly through the popu- 

 lar initiative, and to cllVct their eheri.-hed social 

 reforms through its instrumentality. The popu- 

 lar vote on the amendment was 1(59,142 in favor 

 of the peopled right to take the initiative in de- 

 manding a revision of the provisions of the Con- 

 stitution to 11?,:{;5S against it, a majority in the 

 negative being recorded in only four cantons. 



The TiciliO Revolt. When the Radicals of 

 the canton of Ticino, in 1890, overthrew by force 

 the Ultramontane government of the canton, 

 took possession of the palace, and established 

 a provisional government, the 1-Ydcral authori- 

 ties sent a commissioner and two battalions of 

 infantry to restore order, but did not use their 

 powers to immediately reinstate the constitu- 

 tional government. The revolutionists agreed 

 to accept the decision of the majority in the 

 popular elections. The Radicals abstained from 

 voting, and the Constitutional Assembly, which 

 met in January. 1S!)1, was composed entirely of 

 Conservative^.' The Constitution was amended 

 in the interest of the Ultramontane*, and on 

 March 8 the people voted on the revised Consti- 

 tution, which was approved by a majority of 

 only 350 out of 21,000 votes. In July, 21 per- 

 sons who had taken part in the revolt were tried 

 before a jury in Zurich, the venue having been 

 transferred to that place on account of the ex- 

 cited state of feeling in Ticino. All the accused 

 were acquitted. The trial of Cnstioni on the 

 charge of having shot State Councilor Rossi 

 ended in his condemnation in contwnaciam to 

 eight years of hard labor and deprivation of 

 civil rights, as he failed to appear, having fled 

 to Kngland. In September the cantonal gov- 

 ernment decided to grant an amnesty to the 

 other persons connected with the revolt. 



Commercial Treaty with Germany. A 

 treaty of commerce was concluded with (lermany 

 at Viennaon Dec. 10. ISill. which enters into force 

 on Feb. 1. 1802, and expires on Dec. 81, 1908, 

 and from year to year thereafter by tacit, con- 

 sent. Eacn Government guarantees to the citi- 

 zens of the other every advantage, privilege, or 

 reduction granted to the citizens of any other 

 country, and will not apply any prohibition or 

 restriction of imports or exports that is not en- 

 forced against all other nations, nor in any case 

 forbid the export of grain, cattle, or fuel. Con- 

 ventional duties are fixed for long lists of arti- 

 cles of German an;! of Swiss origin or manu- 

 facture, and on these no transit duties may be 



levied. Article., .writ from on* country to fain 

 and markets in the other, wimple., empty wk 

 and iMirrcN, and untold entile -nt to market* 

 crow the frontier, or cuttle fallen, d -.r ] ... 

 in the customs territory of tin- other < "Minuting 

 party, pay no duly, il 'they are ri-tiuiml : 

 country of their origin. 'Paitly manufacture. 1 

 goods and material-, when .-em d,,in MI. country 

 lo the other lor the completion of the manu- 

 facture or for finishing or improving procewe*, 

 are subject to no duty when ret mind in Un- 

 completed or Improved 1< im. Thn-'. textile 

 goods and yarns exported f<T the pni| 

 being washed, bleached, colon d. pnntn: 

 the materials for embroideries. hus, trimmings. 

 etc.. silk for dyeing, leather and pelt- for the 

 manufacture of leather goods am 1 furs, articles 

 sent to be painted, varnished, or ^dished, mid 

 all articles the essential character ami inn 

 which are not altered by I lie improving proce**, 

 are free from duty l>oth ways. Jni|orts from 

 either country must not IK- subjected to local or 

 internal taxes higher than are impox-d on do- 

 mestic products of the same nature. Merchants 

 and manufacturers of either country, and their 

 traveling agents, shall be free to circulate and to 

 solicit order-. 



Congress on Accident to Workmen. An 

 Intermit ionarCongre-s on Accidents to Workmen 

 was held in Pern, in September. 1MM. Germany, 

 Great Britain, Austria, Belgium, the United 

 States. Italy, the Netherlands. Russia, Spain, 

 Sweden anil Norway, and Sv.it/eihind, were 

 represented by more than 800 delegates, many 

 of whom were officials and representative* of 

 their Governments, although the congress had 

 no official character. Labor experts and dele- 

 gates of employers' associations were present, 

 but working-men's associations were not repre- 

 sented. The first congress of the kind met in 

 Paris in 1889. This was the second one, and 

 a resolution was passed to appoint a permanent 

 committee and hold meetings at intervals of two 

 or three years. The congress lasted a week, and 

 ended on Sept. 2(>, with the passing of a general 

 resolution to the following effect : 



1. The congress ami its executive shall in future 

 In- called "The Congress and Permanent Committee 

 concerning Accident.- t<> \Vorkim-n, mid Social In- 

 surance." 



2. It is the imperative duty of our time to guard 

 iiiraiiist uee'uleiits to workmen uml ijliiea*e incidental 

 to particular occupations hy adopting tin- necewary 

 preventive measures, uiul to eomp-iisHte tliost- sutler- 

 ing from such accidents uiul illness*-*. In giving 

 etfeet to these preventive measures, private initiative 

 should co-operate with the action of trade aRmviations 

 an<l of tin- state. The iiidcmniticatioii of sutlcrcm 

 should he secured l>y iiieuns of insurance, and it is 

 expedient that iiiMiruncc against slight accident* and 

 insurance against sickness sli..ul.l n together. l n 

 countries w her insurance against infirmity ami >!<! 

 :i_'. exists, it is advantage"!)- t<> comline therewith 

 insurance atrainst serious accidents and illneeaea ari- 

 inir from unhealthy ix-cupati-'iis. 



,S. The congress' deems it dcsiraMr that govern- 

 ments should, in a systematic inaiiiu-r. inMituu- in- 

 quiries concerning accidents t" workmen; ami it in- 



- the ]K-nnanent eommittee t clmrt a - 

 tor the preparation of an inteniuti''iiil - 

 j-ort. and t<> sul-mit ree.nnmeii.latii'iw on the unjr<-l to 

 the next cMii^ns.-. t.. he held, at the enrlient, two yeafN 

 at the lutot tiiir \ears. henif. the time cli-l place of 

 meeting to bv tixcil by Uit- jK-niianent couuniUM. 



