Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/386

* SOLOMON'S-SEAL. 332 SOLOTHTJRN. mon's-seal, occur from the Atlantic Coast to the Great Plains region. The name is derived from the curious seal-like markings left upon the knotted rootstocks b.y the falling of the annual stems. Medicinal virtues were once attributed to the dried rootstocks of this plant. Smilacina FALSE BOLOMON'8-SEAI. [SmilaciDii racemosn). raccmosa, an allied plant, is called false Solo- mon's-seal. SOLOMON'S SONG. See Canticles. SOIiON (Lat.. from Gk. U) (c.639-559 B.C.). An Athenian law-giver and patriot, son of Execestides, and descendant from the noble line of the Codrids. In his earlier years Solon engaged in trade and in the course of his com- mercial undertakings probably visited the East- ern iEgean., where he learned much from pro- gressive Ionia. He acquainted himself with the Ionic literature, and trained himself to write verse in the Ionic dialect ; indeed, he was the first Athenian to win renown by his poetry. Solon's life fell in the time of great social and economic change in Greece. As a result of the growing importance of commerce, capital was be- coming concentrated in the hands of a few, while the small farmers and agricultural laborers were crushed beneath the increasing weight of debt. The small proprietors were deprived of their lands, and many free Athenians who could not pay what they owed were sold into slavery. The law favored the rich and powerful, and a revo- lution seemed imminent. Avben, in the year 594-3 (or 592-1 ), Solon was elected archon, probably by the more moderate of both parties, and given full power to reform the oppressive conditions. He began with two radical measures: he forbade the borrowing, of money on the person of the debtor, and also annulled all mortgages and debts in which the person of the debtor had been pledged. Probably he reduced debts in general and lowered tjie rate of interest. This great reform was called the Seisachtlieia {ireuraxStia) and was celebrated by a public festival. He then restored by general amnesty all who had lost civil rights before his archonship, with the exception of those who had been punished for murder or attempted tyranny. The next remedial measure which he adopted was to forbid the export nf all prodJcts with the exception of oil, thereby securing a sufficient sup- ply of grain for Athens at a moderate price. He seems also to have limited the amomit of land which might be held by a single person. Of great importance was the substitution of a stand- ard of coinage closely resemblins; the Eubnean for the prevailing -Eginetan standard. Seventy of the new drachni.T equaled one hundred of the old. This secured to the poor great relief, and enuinci- ])ated Athens from her rivals, ^^5gina and ile- gara, and gave her the advantage of trade with the colonies in Sicily and Italy. Solon abol- ished Draco's laws with the exception of that portion of his ordinances which referred to mur- der. In place of the old four classes, which had been based on the amount of capital pos- sessed, he divided the citizens into four classes on the basis of income. The political offices were open only to the members of the first three classes ; the treasury and archons were reserved for the first. The fourth class had simply the right to take part in the assembly ('EK/cXi7CT(a land the public law courts. But the gaining of this privilege was a most important step in the direc- tion of the democracy, for before the popular courts every magistrate might be accused when he laid down his office, and in this way the people had a control over the administration. For the selection of officials Solon introduced a peculiar combination of choice and lot. The Senate (BovX^) was composed of 400 members. 100 from each tribe. This body and the popular assembly un- doubtedly received many of the rights formerly possessed by the Areopagus, which now retaineii jurisdiction only in murder cases, together with general censorial power over the guardianship of the laws. Tradition says that after liis year of office Solon bound his fellow citizens by an oath to keep the laws and withdrew from Athens for a period of ten years. Although many details of his reforms are obscure and disputed, it is un- doubted that Solon emancipated the individual and took the first decisive step toward complete democracy. It is true that after his year of office internal disorder broke out within the State, and Solon lived to see, thirt_y years later, a tyranny established at Athens by one of his own kinsmen. (See PisiSTKATVS. ) Consult the Greek histories by Grote, Busolt, Beloch, Abbott, and Eduard Meyer; also Schiimann, Griechische Altert-iimer (4th ed., Berlin. 189") : Hermann, Griechische StaatsaUertiimer (6th ed., Freiburg, 1889) ; Gil- bert, Griechische StaatsaJfertiimer (Leipzig, 1893; English trans. London. 1895): Busolt,. Griechische Slants- und Rcchtsaltertiimer (Mu- nich, 1892). SOLOTHUKN, zu'16-toorn (Ft. Soleiire) . A canton of Switzerland, bounded by Basel on the north, Basel and Aargau on the east, and Bern on the south and west (Map: Switzerland. B I). It is traversed lengthwise by the main ridge of the Jura, reaching a ma.ximum height of 4754 feet. The northwestern part is covered by the minor Jura ridges and parallel mountain val- leys, while along the southeastern boundary extends the valley of the Aar. The climate is somewhat severe. Almost, the entire area is utilized for grain and stock raising, and the output of cereals is above the domestic de- mand. Fruit, dairy products, wood, marble, gypsimi, and building stone are exported. The chief manufactured article is matches. The Con- stitution of the canton dates from 1875. and. as amended in 1895, provides for a legislative as- sembly elected for four years at the rate of one member for every 800 inhabitants. The 5 mem- bers of the executive council are also elected by the people for the same period. The canton re- turns 5 members to the National Council. Cap!-