The Swiss Speaker did not take offense. Instead, he smiled warmly and said, "Count Gesellan, look, if this railway can be built, it will greatly promote trade throughout Switzerland..."
Gesellan looked somewhat impatient and raised his voice slightly. "Mr. Speaker, radicals in our country are inciting riots among the citizens, and the city Guard urgently needs this money to suppress the unrest. This is the decision of the parliament. I ask for your understanding."
Oberholzer paused awkwardly for two seconds, then could only nod and say, "Although it is somewhat regrettable, we will respect the choice of the State Parliament."
He flipped through the documents in his hand. "The Republic of Geneva previously provided materials worth a total of 350,000 francs. This sum will be allocated to you before the end of next month."
Switzerland was an extremely loose confederation state—the country's thirteen cantons all had their own parliaments, laws, and armies, and the Federal Assembly had no jurisdiction over them.
The political models of the thirteen cantons even differed from one another. For example, the cantons in the central-southern forest region, such as Uri and Schwyz, had a "square assembly"-style direct democracy based on self-cultivating farmers. Bern, Zurich, Basel, and other cantons, however, were ruled by nobles and urban oligarchs. There were even many places that were effectively colonies of the larger cantons.
So as long as a State Parliament's stance was firm, the Swiss Federal Assembly could only comply.
The situation in Geneva was especially unusual. They did not even belong to the Confederation, but were instead a "Republic of Geneva" tied to the Federal Assembly, making them even more independent than the other cantons.
Only then did Gesellan nod in satisfaction, then added, "Please pay us in francs. Batzen are very hard to get accepted in the