Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 53.djvu/636

616 more than that number were obtained, and the referendum was appointed to be made February 20, 1898. An active discussion of the merits of the scheme was going on all the time, and continued till the vote was taken. The several parties now took their positions on the subject.

The socialistic party had been for many years most ardent advocates of the nationalization of the railroads, but were not fully pleased with the plan of the chambers, because it gave too much control of the direction and too much power to the federal council. They would have preferred to have the administrative organs more independent of the political authority, and to have them, in part at least, named by the people. Yet they thought it would be contrary to their principles and their previous record to oppose a scheme which took so valuable a property from private companies to give it to the state. Assent to the measure was supported at the convention of the party in Zurich, November 14th, with strong arguments, by Mr. Wullschleger, of the national council, notwithstanding all the amendments he had offered in the council with a view to making the law more consonant with their ideas had been rejected; and a long resolution was unanimously adopted without discussion demanding the purchase as an essential article of the socialistic programme and a victory over capitalism, and an active propaganda in favor of the law was instituted.

The radical party, the party in power, controlling large majorities in both chambers, and responsible for the passage of this law, was committed to it by the very nature of the situation, and was especially strong in its favor in German Switzerland. Yet there was some opposition to it within the party, particularly in French Switzerland. But the mass of the radical opponents were ultimately won over to favor the purchase. M. Numa Droz, however, ex-president of the confederation, held out to the end, published a remarkable pamphlet, and spoke against the purchase in the principal towns of French Switzerland. He held a few adherents, but the radical meetings as a whole voted for purchase, and the general convention at Berne, December 12th, adopted an address of considerable length recommending it. The mass of the opponents of purchase in the chambers was composed of the Catholic right, and their attitude was dictated by motives of principle. They were adverse to a large extension of the functions of the confederation, opposed nationalization as a dangerous arm to put in the hands of the central power, and brought considerations of financial prudence to bear on the question. Still, some of them were gained over, and in two of the cantons they made an active campaign in favor of the measure.

The federal Catholics were also against purchase, and in their