Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 53.djvu/634

614 of all of which were directly dependent upon the federal council, which could appoint, control, and, on occasion, remove them.

69Certain promises had to be made in the law to satisfy different regions having extensions of lines in view that their works would not be neglected. The most important of these extensions was the Simplon Tunnel, which the Jura Simplon road was just about to undertake, and in which French Switzerland was deeply interested. The law pledged the confederacy to complete this. The eastern cantons had extensions and passages of the Alps in view, and provision was made for these, a special guarantee being given to St. Galle for the construction of the Ricken line. To meet expressed fears that the secondary lines, if not cared for by the confederation, becoming unprofitable, would be abandoned, a stipulation was inserted providing for their purchase in the future without the necessity of a new referendum. The act as finally adopted by the chambers was regarded by those in favor of the purchase as a happy compromise which would rally all parts of the country to the support of the great national measure. The adversaries of the scheme regarded it as a great deal, intended not to improve the plan but to gain votes for it and make it acceptable to a coalition of interests. But it is certain that the object sought by the majority was obtained, and the amendments silenced the most active of the opposition. Party discipline was also brought to bear against dissent, and all the radical left except one deputy voted for it on its final passage. The majority by which it was accepted was further made up of the extreme socialistic left, a part of the center, and a small fraction of the left. The opposing minority was made up of the larger part of the Catholic and federalist left and a part of the liberal center.

The enactments relative to service on the railways make Swiss citizens residing in Switzerland alone admissible. The term is three years, and all in the service, together with the members of the administrative council, the general directory, and the arrondissement directories, are removable by those who appoint them.

A pension and assistance fund for the officers and men employed is provided for, to be kept up, half by the contributing members and half by appropriations from the management fund; its statutes to be established by the federal council. The existing pension and assistance funds may be continued if thought best, but their members can not at the same time be members of the general fund.

In a message accompanying the submission of its project to the federal chambers, the federal council presented as a first argument in its favor the saving it would effect of the time, labor, and absolutely useless expenditure involved in carrying separate transactions between five different companies and in maintaining their several