Article 2. The purpose of the Confederation is, to secure the independence of the country against foreign nations, to maintain peace and order within, to protect the liberty and the rights of the Confederates, and to foster their common welfare.

Article 3. The cantons are sovereign, so far as their sovereignty is not limited by the federal constitution; and, as such, they exercise all the rights which are not delegated to the federal government.

Article 4. All Swiss are equal before the law. In Switzerland there are neither political dependents, nor privileges of place, birth, person, or family.

Article 5. The Confederation guarantees to the cantons their territory, their sovereignty within the limits fixed by Art. 3, their constitutions, the liberty and rights of the people, the constitutional rights of citizens, the rights and powers which the people have conferred upon those in authority.

Article 14. In case of differences arising between cantons, the states shall abstain from violence and from arming themselves; they shall submit to the decision to be taken upon such differences by the Confederation.

Article 15. In case of sudden danger of foreign attack, the authorities of the threatened canton shall request the aid of other members of the Confederation and shall immediately notify the federal government; the subsequent action of the latter shall not thereby be precluded. The cantons summoned are bound to give aid. The expenses shall be borne by the Confederation.

Article 18. Every Swiss is bound to perform military service. Soldiers who lose their lives or suffer permanent injury to their health, in consequence of federal service, are entitled to aid from the Confederation, for themselves or their families, in case of need.

Each soldier shall receive without expense his first equipment, clothing and arms. The arms shall remain in the hands of the soldier, under conditions which shall be prescribed by federal legislation.

The Confederation shall enact uniform provisions as to a tax for exemption from military service.

Article 19. The federal army shall be composed:

(a) of the cantonal military corps. Of

(b) Of all Swiss who do not belong to such military corps, but who are nevertheless liable to military service.

The Confederation exercises control over the army and the material of war provided by law.

In cases of danger, the Confederation shall also have the ex

clusive and direct control of men not included in the federal army, and of all other military resources of the cantons.

The cantons shall have authority over the military forces of their territory, so far as this right is not limited by the federal constitution or laws.

Article 20. The laws on the organization of the army shall be enacted by the Confederation. The enforcement of military laws in the cantons shall be intrusted to the cantonal officials, within limits which shall be fixed by federal legislation, and under the supervision of the Confederation.

Military instruction of every kind shall be under the control of the Confederation. The same applies to the equipment of troops. The furnishing and maintenance of clothing and equipment shall be within the power of the cantons; but the cantons shall be credited with the expenses therefor, according to a regulation to be established by federal legislation.

Article 21. So far as military reasons do not prevent, corps of troops shall be formed from soldiers of the same canton.

The composition of these bodies of troops, the maintenance of their effective strength, the appointment and promotion of their officers shall belong to the cantons, subject to general regulations which shall be issued to them by the Confederation.

Note: The military organization law of April 12, 1907, imposes the obligation to perform military service upon every male Swiss citizen between the ages of twenty and forty-eight years.

Article 22. Upon the payment of a reasonable compensation, the Confederation shall have the right to use or acquire drillgrounds and buildings intended for military purposes, within the cantons, together with the appurtenances thereto.

The method of fixing the compensation shall be settled by federal legislation.

Note: (under Art. 24): The utilization of hydraulic power is placed under the supervision of the Confederation. With reference to the proper utilization of hydraulic power and with reference to the transmission and distribution of electric power, federal legislation shall provide the general regulations necessary to safeguard the public interests. With the reservation of such regulation, the cantons shall have power to regulate the exploitation of hydraulic power.

Article 31. The freedom of trade and of industry is guaranteed throughout the whole extent of the Confederation. The following subjects are excepted:

(c) (Drinking-places, and the retail trade in spirituous liquors, in order that the cantons may by legislation subject the business of keeping drinking-places, and the retail trade in

spirituous liquors, to such restrictions as may be required for the public welfare).

Note: The manufacture, importation, transportation, sale, or keeping for the purpose of sale, of the distilled liquor known under the name of absinthe is forbidden throughout the whole extent of the Confederation.

Article 32. The net proceeds to the Confederation from the manufacture of alcohol, and from the corresponding increase of the duty on imported alcohol, shall be divided among all the cantons, in proportion to their actual population as established by the most recent federal census. Out of the receipts therefrom the cantons must expend not less than one-tenth in combating drunkenness in its causes and effects.)

Article 36. The posts and telegraphs in all Switzerland shall be controlled by the Confederation.

The proceeds of the posts and telegraphs shall belong to the federal treasury.

Article 41. The manufacture and sale of gunpowder throughout Switzerland shall belong exclusively to the Confederation.

Article 50. The free exercise of religion is guaranteed, within limits compatible with public order and good morals. The Cantons and the Confederations may take the measures necessary for the preservation of public order and of the peace between the members of different religious bodies; and also against encroachments of ecclesiastical authorities upon the rights of citizens of the State.

Article 52. The foundation of new convents or religious orders, or the re-establishment of those which have been suppressed, is forbidden.

Children born before marriage are made legitimate by the subsequent marriage of their parents.

Article 55. The freedom of the press is guaranteed.

Article 69. (ii) The Confederation shall have the power to enact laws:

(a) Concerning traffic in food products.

(b) Concerning traffic in other articles of use and consumption, in so far as they may be dangerous to life and health., etc. Article 70. The Confederation may expel from its territory foreigners who endanger the internal or external safety of Switzerland.

CHAPTER II. FEDERAL AUTHORITIES.

I. FEDERAL Assembly.

Article 71. With the reservation of the rights of the people and of the cantons (Arts. 89 and 121), the supreme authority of the Confederation shall be exercised by the Federal Assembly, which shall consist of two sections or councils, to wit:

A. The National Council;

B. The Council of States.

A. NATIONAL COUNCIL.

Article 72. The National Council shall consist of representatives of the Swiss people, chosen in the ratio of one member for each 20,000 persons of the total population. Fractions of upwards of 10,000 persons shall be reckoned as 20,000.

Every canton, and in the divided cantons every half-canton, shall choose at least one representative.

Article 73. The elections for the National Council shall be direct. They shall be held in federal electoral districts, which in no case shall be formed out of parts of different cantons.

Article 74. Every Swiss who has completed twenty years of age, and who in addition is not excluded from the rights of a voter by the legislation of the canton in which he resides, shall have the right to vote in elections and popular votes.

B. COUNCIL OF STATES.

Article 80. The Council of States shall consist of forty-four representatives of the cantons. Each canton shall appoint two representatives; in the divided cantons, each half-canton shall choose one.

Article 81. The members of the National Council and those of the Federal Council may not be representatives in the Council of States.

Article 82. The Council of States shall choose from among its own members a president and a vice-president for each regular or extraordinary session.

C. POWERS OF THE FEDERAL ASSEMBLY.

Article 84. The National Council and the Council of States shall consider the subjects which the present constitution places within the competence of the Confederation and which are not assigned to any other federal authority.

The act of June 27, 1874, gives the Federal Tribunal power to hold a Cantonal law invalid on account of being contrary to the constitution. Conflicts of jurisdiction between a Federal

Tribunal and a Cantonal authority are decided by the Federal Tribunal itself. Conflicts between the Federal Council and the Federal Tribunal are decided by the Federal Assembly. [Constitution Art. 85, Par. 13.]

In regard to the growth of authority of national government, see collection of Cantonal Constitutions published by the federal government in 1890.

Article 93. Measures may originate in either Council, and may be introduced by any of their members.

The cantons may by correspondence exercise the same right. Note: On March 6, 1906, the Federal Council presented to the Federal Assembly a project for the revision of the constitution extending popular initiative to federal legislation. This project was debated in the National Council in December, 1906, and was referred back to the Federal Council for a further report; it will probably be adopted in substance if not in the exact form as proposed. The project of the Federal Council adds two articles to the constitution, between Arts. 93 and 94, and reads as follows:

Art. 93 (ii). Fifty thousand Swiss voters or eight cantons shall have the right to demand the passage, modification, or repeal of a federal law, as well as the modification or repeal of à federal decree of general application.

LL. FEDERAL COUNCIL.

Article 95. The supreme directive and executive authority of the Confederation shall be exercised by a Federal Council, composed of seven members.

Article 96. The members of the Federal Council shall be chosen from three years, by the National Council and Council of States in Joint session, from among all the Swiss nations eligible to the National Council. But not more than one member of the Federal Council shall be chosen from the same canton.

From Article 98. The president of the confederation and the vice-president of the Federal Council shall be chosen for one year by the Federal Assembly, from among the members of the Council. The retiring president shall not be chosen as president or vice-president for the ensuing year.

Article 101. The members of the Federal Council shall have the right to speak, but not to vote, in both houses of the Federal Assembly, and also to the right to make motions on the subject under consideration.