Ticino

TICINO, a wedge-shaped Swiss canton. driven into Italy. Its northern boundary runs along the Lepontine-Adula alps, and its southern tip reaches beyond Lago di Lugano almost to Como. Historically, it represents early Swiss conquests from the duchy of Milan (see SWITZERLAND, History) loosely amalgamated to form one of the six cantons admitted to the Confederation in 1803. It is inhabited by Italian-speaking Catholics (see below). Its dominant physical features are the three river systems occupying steep-sided valleys which extend from a mountain frontier and drain southwards to Lago Maggiore. The most important system is the river Ticino, which rises in the canton south-west of St. Gotthard, flows towards that mass through the Val Bedretto, and then swings round at Airolo to a south-east course through Valle Leventina ; near Biasca it receives the left-bank Brenno from the Val Blenio; the combined stream flows through the wide, low valley—the Riviera—until slightly above Bellinzona, where it receives another large left-bank affluent which has drained the south-east slopes of the Adula group and reaches the Ticino via the Valle Mesolcina; the main stream curves again below the junction and enters the lake from the east. The Ticino receives no important right-bank tributaries, and the western part of the canton is drained largely by the Maggi'd and by its numerous right-bank tributaries, which receive torrent water from the western frontier. Between the Ticino and the Maggia, is the Valle Verzasca, which is practically a single stream system; the separate mouths of the three rivers lie close to one another at the head of the lake. The remainder of the canton lies south-south east of this and consists of a triangular fragment of broken hill country, with a complicated drainage reaching the irregularly shaped Lago di Lugano.

Its total area is 1,085 sq.m., of which 74% are reckoned as "productive" (forests covering 277.9 sq.m., and vineyards 7.1 sq.m.), while of the remainder 28.6 sq.m. consists of lakes, chiefly parts of Maggiore and Lugano; 13 sq.m. are occupied by glaciers. The canton is fifth in point of size, but only the much larger Valais and Vaud exceed its vine-growing area. The highest points are the Basodino (I o,749ft.), near the western border, south-east of the source of the Ticino, and the Rheinwaldhorn (II,175ft.) in the Adula alps. The amount of lowland is small, and occurs only in the lower river valleys and near the lakes. The lowest commune (669ft.) is Vira (Locarno) on Lago Maggiore.

The main St. Gotthard railway traverses the canton for about 75 m. from Airolo, at the southern mouth of the tunnel, via Valle Leventina, Bellinzona, Lugano to beyond Mendrisio. Locarno is connected with this line; another follows the eastern shore of Lago Maggiore, and light railways ascend Valle Maggia to Big nasco, Valle Blenio to Acquarossa, and Valle Mesolcina to Mesocco; the latter two are electric railways. Mountain railways for the ascent of Monte S. Salvatore (3,002ft.) from Lugano, and of Monte Generoso (5,581 ft.) from Capolago, have also been constructed in the extreme south of the canton.

In 193o the total population was 159,223, of whom 145,347 were Italian-speaking, 11,662 German-speaking, and 1,278 French speaking. The highest commune, Bosco-Vallem, near the western border and reached by the V. di Campo, had many German-speak ing inhabitants, the result of an early movement eastward from Valais. There were in all 145,859 Catholics, 8,178 Protestants and 239 Jews.

In 1888 the diocese of Lugano (since joined to Basle) was created to replace the former purely Italian control over the canton by the dioceses of Milan and Como. Bellinzona (pop. I 1,80o) has been the permanent political capital since 1881; formerly Lugano (13,95o) and Locarno (5,o5o) alternated with it at six-year intervals. Mendrisio (3,600) is the only other large settlement.

The canton has 261 communes and eight administrative dis tricts; its Constitution dates back to 183o, but the later political disturbances which characterize the canton, have caused, and still cause, considerable modifications. The legislature (Gran con siglio) is now composed of 65 members elected (since 1892) in the proportion of one to every 1,5oo of the Swiss inhabitants. The executive (Consiglio di stato) of five members, is elected directly by the people. Both bodies hold office for four years. Any 5,000 electors have the right (facultative referendum) of claiming a popular vote as to bills passed by the legislature, while the same number of electors have the right of "initiative" in legislative matters, though 7,00o signatures are required in case of a pro posal to revise the cantonal Constitution.

History.

The canton is made up of all the permanent con quests (with one or two trifling exceptions) made by different members of the Swiss Confederation south of the main chain of the Alps. From an historical point of view Italian Switzerland falls into three groups : the Val Leventina conquered by Uri in 1440 (previously held from 1403 to 1422) ; (2) Bellinzona (pre viously held from 1419 to 1422) ; the Riviera and the Val Blenio, all won in isoo from the duke of Milan by men from Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden, and confirmed by Louis XII. of France in 1503; (3) Locarno, Val Maggia, Lugano and Mendrisio, seized in 1512 by the Confederates when fighting for the Holy League against France, ruled by the 12 members then in the league, and con firmed by Francis I. in the treaty of 1516. These districts were governed by bailiffs holding office two years and purchasing it from the members of the League ; each member of group 3 sent annually an envoy, who conjointly constituted the supreme appeal in all matters. This Government was very harsh and is one of the darkest pages in Swiss history. Yet only one open revolt is recorded—that of the Val Leventina against Uri in 1755. In 1803 all these districts were formed into one canton—Ticino—which became a full member of the Swiss Confederation. Since 183o the local history of the canton was disturbed by friction between the Radical and Ultramontane parties.