VOL I.

NUMBER 3

T

O what cause shall we attribute the political apathy of the average American citizen? Why does he submit to the tyranny of the boss and the extortions of the trusts? Ignorance? No. The most ignorant knows that he is being duped by the one and robbed by the other, and, thanks to our progressive independent magazines, the active minority, at least, can tell you just how the deception and robbery are accomplished. Discuss present-day conditions with any ten average citizens you mect. After all essential facts have been admitted, nine out of ten will then demand: "But what can we do? Show us a practical way out."

The form of the question is suggestive. It shows that the pessimism of the citizen arises not so much from his indifference as from his skepticism in regard to remedies that can be made effective. Our voter has come to feel that in spite of fair promises and seeming practical programs, he generally loses in the end.

Here lies the chief cause of the apathy of the people. The chances of

achieving a reform for the common good are so remote that the average man is loath to risk the labor, time and expense involved — all for naught. Hence inaction in the midst of whining and protest.

Just now a belated cry is going up for the conservation of our natural resources. An attempt is being made to rescue the nation's water power from the clutches of a monopoly whose chiefs dream in millions and plan for a century ahead. Mr. Mathew's wonderful articles are already producing results. The fight is on, but I doubt much if the average citizen who engages in this struggle has much confidence of ultimate success. Already, in spite of the extra precautions of President Roosevelt, the battle has been lost in Montana.

Meanwhile, as we write, discuss, convene, resolve, petition, protest, and rage at our government to protect our interests, the people of little Switzerland have grappled with and settled this very problem of water rights with a swiftness and completeness both inspiriting and instructive.

ounce has to be imported. It is a national tragedy that all tunneling of those wonderful mountains has discovered no coal or metal of any sort.

But Switzerland has swift-flowing rivers and from the foot of every glacier rushes an almost milk-white stream which, as it goes pouring down the mountains, may easily be harnessed to a turbine for the generation of electricity. It is the only native motive power the Swiss possess and they picturesquely name it "White Coal." As the glacier descends mountain, blocks of stone are gradually ground down and reduced to glacial mud. This is so fine that it remains suspended in water for a long time and gives the glacial streams their milky color.

a

From the first, far-sighted citizens and keen-eyed capitalists have both perceived the value and importance of this source of power. Manufacturing Manufacturing in recent years has made enormous strides in Switzerland and the hydroelectric industry has kept pace. Today the whole nation is dotted over with electric plants using "White Coal" for power. And, although "government ownership" has no terrors for this practical people, so great is their regard for private initiative. that only five out of the twenty-five cantons composing the nation have assumed state ownership and control.

The cantonal legislatures, free from any federal interference in this matter, gave "concessions" to private companies, yet never without providing for annual compensation to the state for the power used. The utilization of the water power has been rapid. Dr. Joseph Epper, Chief of the Hydro-Metric Bureau, estimates that out of a total of 1,000,000 horsepower, 209,508 horse-power had already been taken.

But although the people of Switzerland delight in the success of private enterprise, they have an equally jealous care for the common good.

Long years of experience in actual self-government and observation of other countries, especially our own, have taught them the dangers of industrial monopolies to free government and economic justice.

Public opinion, further, is not a thing to be trifled with in the republic of the Alps. The famous author of that classic, "The public be damned," would have had a different biographical sketch written of him had he chanced to have first opened his eyes in the Bernese Oberland.

A direct vote of the citizens, at their own option, in city, state and nation, may enact or reject any law, and the courts are forbidden to proclaim “unconstitutional." When the nation makes up its mind to a thing, that thing is straightway done and the legislators, courts, capitalists, lawyers, and lobbyists adjust themselves thereafter as best they may.

So it fell out that while lynx-eyed capitalists a few years ago quietly started in to acquire control of the Swiss water-power for their own benefit, equally clever citizens started a movement for the public benefit which has recently brought all their schemes. to naught.

It was in 1891 that the Free Soil Society, composed largely of tax-reformers, made an official request to the Bundesrat, or National Executive Cabinet, to nationalize the water power, and protested against giving away the people's rights therein to local and foreign companies. "All waterfalls hitherto unused," ran their proposed amendment to the national constitution, "are the property of the nation, and the generation and transmission of electricity is to be done by the Confederation." In addition, they proposed an enacting clause and a law providing for the disposition of the monies derived from the sale of electricity.

The Free Soil men were, of course, ahead of their time. The industry. was as yet in its infancy and the public not aroused. Notwithstanding, an enquiry was sent to the cantonal leg

islatures and only three reported in favor of nationalization. It is noteworthy that the statesmen paid so much attention to the reformers, and further that they ordered an expert technical inquiry as to the extent of the water-power and a compilation of all cantonal legislation upon the subject. The work was entrusted to A. Jegher, an engineer, and in 1894 he reported an estimated available horsepower of 154,000, with 54,000 horsepower taken. Recent developments make this report look farcical, but it had influence at the time, as it led to the regulating of the inter-cantonal use of water-power and the ordering of an exact topographical survey of the water-falls.

It is well to remember at this point that in the early nineties monopoly had not assumed such dangerous proportions as of late; the Swiss cantons looked with some jealousy upon increasing the federal powers; the railroads were still in private hands, and the water-power question a new one. So nothing further was done by the statesmen, and the water companies had free rein as far as the national authorities were concerned; long term concessions were secured on many valuable water-falls, some of them for 99 years. The business flourished and plants multiplied.

But the little band of Free Soilers had set the nation to thinking, and the agitation resulted in four cantons assuming ownership, and the laws of many others were made more rigid.

In 1905 Prof. Dr. Schar published a remarkable 32-page pamphlet entitled, The Importance of the WaterPower and Its Use in the Interests of Society. He showed the absurdity of Jegher's estimates, emphasized the economy of water-power in lieu of coal, and warned the people that a monopoly was forming. Already were there agreements between companies not to compete in the same territory. He pointed out that foreign capital was seeking control of the streams with a view to selling power outside the nation, and that wealthy Italians

had already been given huge grants in the canton of Tessin, southern Switzerland. That the Federal Congress intended to do nothing was evidenced by the fact that in the year previous a motion by a member, M. Murr, to take up the water-power question with a view to protecting the interests of the people, had been laid on the table and then referred to the cabinet. Finally, Dr. Schar urged the people to invoke the Initiative and save the Swiss streams for the Swiss people before it should be too late.

Circulated throughout the nation, this pamphlet had great influence. Discussion multiplied; many leading citizens who had little interest in politics as such became active, and the "Wasser Rechts Frage" assumed a prominent place in the public mind. The Federal Congress remained inactive, and finally, when the Italians proposed to utilize the water-power of Canton Tessin to light the city of Milan, there was an outburst of indignation. That the natural resources of needy Switzerland should be given away, practically, for foreign exploitation was too much. The time for action had come. Watch now the pro

cess.

In Zurich lived Dr. Otto Wettstein, editor of a liberal democratic newspaper, The Post, who had published much matter concerning the waterrights issue. Also Dr. Wettstein was a true patriot and knew what unrestrained private ownership and control of the water-power meant to the future of his country. Taking up the fight, he issued a call, and one hundred citizens from all over the nation, without regard to political affiliations, organized themselves into a committee and drafted the following proposed amendment to the national constitution:

Initiative.

"All legislation relating to the use of water-power and regulating the transmission and sale of the same is subject to Federal control.

"From the date of the adoption of this article a new franchise may be