第 1 节
作者:希望之舟      更新:2021-04-30 16:13      字数:9322
  EURASIA
  EURASIA
  Chris。 Evans
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  EURASIA
  PREFACE。
  In 〃Eurasia〃 the author describes an ideal republic where many of the
  problems      that  confront    us  are  worked     out。  The    book   describes    in  an
  interesting and readable way how government is administered in this ideal
  republic。 The government is one in which women take their full share of
  responsibility;   the   school   children   are   trained   in   the   problems   they   will
  meet in life; and more emphasis is laid on character building than on the
  dead   languages。 The   children   of   both   sexes   are taught   useful   trades。 All
  school     children    are  taught    to  swim。    The    idle   are  employed      in  the
  construction      of  roads;   canals    and   irrigation   works。    The   problems     of
  distribution   are   so   arranged   that   the   worker   receives   a   more   equitable
  reward for his labor。
  The author; Chris。 Evans; speaks with a firsthand knowledge when he
  discusses the army prison management and the administration of law。 Mr。
  Evans; who was born in Vermont; is an old cavalryman; having served in
  the   Civil   War。   After   the   war   he   served  with  the   cavalry   in   the   West;
  fighting Indians。
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  EURASIA
  CHAPTER I。
  A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE。
  One pleasant afternoon in the month of May; 19; I launched my boat;
  and after rowing about half a mile from shore I shipped my oars; stepped
  the mast; hoisted sail and reclining on a cushioned seat at the stern with
  my   hand   on   the   tiller;   I   waited   for   a   breeze   to   spring   up;   and   whilst   so
  doing I fell asleep。 How long I slept I know not; for when I awoke my boat
  was close to shore; and to my' astonishment I was in strange waters。 I went
  ashore;     when    I  was   accosted    in  English     with   a  foreign   accent    by   a
  venerable looking man with the question: 〃Where did you come from?〃 I
  replied:   〃From  the  United   States   of America;  and   what   country  is   this?〃
  His   answer   was   Eurasia;   and   beckoning   to   a   man   in   uniform;   who   was
  passing by and who immediately joined us; he told him that I was from the
  United   States   of America   and   did   not   know   what   country  I   was   in。 The
  official addressed me very kindly and invited me to accompany him; and
  leaving   the   boat   in   charge   of   my  first   acquaintance;   with   instructions   to
  take good care of it; he escorted me into the city and left me at a hotel with
  a request that I would permit him to call on me the next day at ten a。 m。;
  and he would show me all the principal buildings and introduce me to the
  President;   〃who   I   have   no   doubt   will   be   delighted   to   see   you。〃   At   the
  appointed      time   he   arrived;   and;   taking    my   place    by   his  side   in  an
  automobile   driven   by   electricity;   we   passed   in   succession   the   buildings
  occupied by the different Departments of State; and stopped in front of a
  modest building set back a short distance from the street; and at the gate
  we were at once admitted by the officer on duty; who informed us that the
  President       was    holding      a   Cabinet      meeting      and    would      receive
  meimmediately。 The President's private secretary met me at the door and
  introduced      me    to  the   President;    who    shook     my    hand    warmly;    and
  introduced me to his Cabinet in the following order:
  Mr。 __; the Minister of State。 Mrs。 __; the Minister of Justice。 Mr。 __;
  the Minister of Railways。 Mrs。 __; the Minister of Education。 Mr。 __; the
  Minister   of   Finance。   Mrs。   __;   the   Minister   of   Information。   Mr。   __;   the
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  EURASIA
  Minister   of   Agriculture。        Mrs。   __;   the   Minister     of   Health。   Mr。   __;   the
  Minister of Commerce。 Mrs。 __; the Minister of Manufactures。 Mr。 __; the
  Minister of Mines。 Mrs。 __; the Minister of War。 Mr。 __; the Minister of
  Foreign Affairs。 Mrs。 __; the Minister of Labor。
  I   informed   the   President   that   I   wished   to   learn   all   I   could   about   the
  Government         and    Institutions     of  the   country;     to  which     he   replied    by
  handing   me   the   Official   Directory;   and   added   that   he   and   his   Cabinet
  would assist me to the fullest extent。 I expressed my heartfelt thanks for
  their    kindness;     and;    going    back    to   my    hotel;   I  opened     the;   Official
  Directory。 I found the country governed by a President elected directly by
  the people for five years; but the law provided that if his government was
  not   satisfactory   to   the   people;   a   petition   signed   by   five   per   cent。   of   the
  voters called for an election; and if a majority voted against him; he was
  removed from office and the Minister of State assumed the Presidency for
  the    remainder      of   the   term。    The    Cabinet     was    composed        of  fourteen
  members…seven men and seven women…and were chosen by the Parliament;
  who     were     free  to   select   them    from    their   own    members       or   outsiders;
  provided that the person chosen was a voter and twenty…five years of age。
  When   the   Parliament   met;   which   it   did   on   the   first   day   of   January;   and
  adjourned   on   the   first   of   March;   sine   die;   the   Ministers   presented   their
  reports   of   their   work   for   the   previous   two   years;   and   if   the   Parliament
  approved       them;    they    continued     in   office;   but   if  the   Parliament      by   a
  majority vote disapproved of any of them; then the Minister resigned and
  the   Parliament   appointed   another   person   to   take   his   or   her   place。   The
  members   of   Parliament   were   elected   for   two   years   and to   serve   without
  pay;   but   their   expenses   were   paid   by   the   Government   and   the   amount
  necessary was fixed by law and could not be raised or lowered; only by
  two…thirds   vote   of   the   qualified   voters   of   the   Nation。   The   country   was
  divided      into   districts   and    every    district   elected    a   member      for   every
  hundred thousand of population; provided that every other member from a
  district   should   be   a   female;  thus   giving both   sexes   full   representation   in
  the   Government。   Each   district   was   governed   by   a   Governor;   elected   for
  two     years;    and   a   Court    of   Judges;    consisting      of  a   Chief    Justice;    a
  Prosecuting   Attorney;         an   Attorney   for   the    Defense   and      twelve    Justice
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  EURASIA
  Jurors; who tried all felony cases and civil cases that could not be settled
  by    Arbitration;     and   who    sat   also  as   a  Board     of  Equalization      and   as
  Supervisors。
  The law provided that eight Jurors or two…thirds of them (if any were
  absent   through   sickness   or   any   other   reasonable   cause);   in   every   case
  could bring in a verdict of guilty in criminal cases or for the Complainant
  or Defendant in civil cases; and if eight did not find the Defendant guilty;
  the   case   was   dismissed…but   if   guilty   the   Defendant   had   only   to   say   〃I
  appeal;〃 and a copy of the evidence was sent immediately to the Supreme
  Court; composed of Judges; elected by the people; one from each district;
  to serve for five years。
  The   Court   sat   six   days   in   each   week;   excepting   four   weeks   inJuly…
  August;   when   all   the   Courts   were   allowed   by  law   four   weeks'   vacation。
  They were required to work eight hours each day beginning at eight a。 m。;
  with one hour rest at noon; and ending at five p。 m。; but they could work
  longer   if   they   so   desired;   but   the   law   forbade   any   adjournment   and   to
  prevent   bribery   the   documents         in   every   case…civil   or   criminal…arriving
  daily were placed in a lottery wheel; and; on the Court assembling at eight
  a。   m。;   the   wheel   was   revolved;   and   in   the   presence   of   the   Minister   of
  Justice a blind boy and girl drew the documents out and handed them to
  pages     who    delivered     them    to  the   Judges    i