Schwyz

SCHWYZ, one of the ancient forest cantons of central Switzerland. Its total area (1923-24 determinations) is 350.5 sq.m., of which 78.7% are reckoned as "productive" (forests covering 72.4 sq.m. and vineyards about 3o ac.) while of the rest 18.1 sq.m. are occupied by the larger lakes (chiefly several square miles of ZUrich and of Lucerne, together with a small area of Zug and the whole of Lowerz—I.2 sq.m. draining into Lucerne) ; about 0.5 sq.m. is covered by glaciers. Its loftiest point is the BOser Faulen (9,199 ft.), while the two highest sum mits of the Rigi (the Kulm, 5,742 ft., and the Scheidegg, 5,463 ft.) are within its borders, but, on the whole, the land is hilly rather than mountainous. Its title as the "core of Helvetia" is more appropriate in respect of its position, for though much below average size for a Swiss canton, no less than seven other cantons touch its borders. It has two main valleys, the Muota receiving the waters of Lake Lowerz and draining into Lucerne, and the Sihl, which receives the river Alp on which Einsiedeln stands; the reinforced stream, though formed near the head of the Lake of Zurich, flows for a long distance roughly parallel to it and enters the river Limmat below the lake. The canton has but few main line railways, the principal being a portion of the main St. Gothard line between Sisikon and Kiissnacht. Arth Goldau (memorable for the great landslide of 1806) is a railway junction of some importance, with a line to Zug and another past Biberbriicke (junction for Einsiedeln and the water falls) towards Wiidenswil. A popular mountain-railway also terminates at Arth-Goldau for the ascent of the Rigi-Kulm, with a branch to Rigi-Scheidegg. Of other mountain lines in the canton the most important is the electric cogwheel railway from Brunnen to Axen stein.

In 1930 the population was 62,337, of whom 60,571 were Ger man-speaking, 1,261 Italian-speaking and 371 French-speaking, showing during the 20th century a substantial increase of the German tongue and a reduction in the other elements. There were 59,793 Catholics, 3,450 Protestants and 11 Jews. Schwyz, until 1814 in the diocese of Constance, now forms part of the see of Choire. The largest town is Einsiedeln (pop. 8,228), a great pilgrimage centre noted for its black Virgin and its Benedictine monastery. Schwyz (pop. 8,139), is the political capital and is connected with Brunnen, its port on Lucerne. The canton is essentially a pastoral one, its local race of brown cattle being much esteemed, particularly in north Italy, but some industrial activity (textiles) also takes place near the Lake of Zurich and the home weaving of silk is still general. The 3o cantonal com munes are grouped into six administrative districts. The Con stitution, dating mainly from 1876, was revised in 1898. The legislature (Kantonsrat) is composed of 103 members elected in the proportion of one for every 600 residents, and the elections, since 1907, take place according to the principles of proportional representation. The executive (Regierungsrat) of seven members is elected by a popular vote and, as is the case with the larger body, holds office for four years. The two members of the federal Stiinderat and the three of the federal Nationalrat are also chosen by a popular vote. Since 1876 the "obligatory refer endum" has prevailed in the case of all laws and financial resolu tions approved by the legislature, while 2,000 electors may claim a popular vote as to any remaining decrees or resolutions. Any

2,000 electors have also the right of "initiative" as to the re vision of the cantonal Constitution or as to legislative matters.

History.

The valley of Schwyz is first mentioned in 972 as "Suittes." Later, a community of freemen settled at the foot of the Mythen, subject only to the count of the Zurichgau, as representing the German king. In 124o the community obtained from the emperor, Frederick II., the privilege of being subject immediately to the empire. Its territory then included only the district round the village of Schwyz and the valley of the Muota. But in 1269 it bought from Count Eberhard, of Habsburg-Laufen burg, Steinen and Rothenthurm. Schwyz took the lead in making the famous everlasting league of Aug. 1, 1291, with the neighbour ing districts of Uri and of Unterwalden, its position and political independence specially fitting it for this prominence. An attack by Schwyz on Einsiedeln was the excuse for the Austrian invasion that was gloriously beaten back in the battle of Morgarten (Nov. 15, 1315). In the history of the league Schwyz was always to the front, so that its name in a dialectal form (Schweiz) was from the early 14th century onwards applied by foreigners to the league as a whole, though it formed part of its formal style only from 1803 onwards. After the victory of Sempach (1386) Schwyz greatly extended its borders. An "alliance" with Ein siedeln in 1397 ended in 1434 with the assumption of the po sition of "protector" of that great monastery; between 1386 and 1436 the whole of the "March" (the region near the upper lake of Zurich) was acquired; in 1402 KUssnacht was bought, and in 1440 the "Hofe," the parishes of Wollerau, Feusisberg, and Freienbach, situated on the main lake of Zurich. All these dis tricts were governed by Schwyz as "subject lands," the supreme power resting with the Landsgemeinde (or assembly of all male citizens of full age). Schwyz joined the other forest cantons in opposing the Reformation, and took part in the battle of Kappel (1531), in which Zwingli fell. In 1798 Schwyz, including Gersau (free from 1390), formed part of the Republique Telliane (or Tellgau), set up by the French, which a week later gave way to the Helvetic republic. In 1803 the separate canton of Schwyz was again set up. Schwyz joined, in 1832, the league of Sarnen, and in 1845 the Sonderbund, which was put down by a short war in 1847. In 1832 the outer districts (Einsiedeln, the March, Kiissnacht, and Pfaffikon) formed themselves into a separate can ton, an act which brought about a federal occupation of the old canton in 1833, this ending in the dissolution of the new canton, the constituent parts of which were put on an equal political foot ing with the rest. In 1838 strife broke out in the older portion of the canton between the richer peasant proprietors (nick named the "Horns," as they owned so many cows) and the poorer men (dubbed the "Hoofs," as they possessed only goats and sheep) as to the use of the common pastures, which the "Horn" party utilized far more than the others. The "Horn" party finally carried the day at the Landsgemeinde held at Rothenthurm. The cantonal constitution of 1848 put an end to the ancient Landsgemeinde; it was revised in 1876 (when membership of one of the 29 communes became the political qualification), and in 1898.