Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/500

 378 UNITED STATES

7. Attorney -General. — James Clark McReynolds, of Tennessee, born in Kentucky, 1862 ; Professor in Vanderbilt University Law School, Tennessee, 1900-1903 ; Assistant Attorney General of the United States, 1903--12. Present appointment, March 5, 1913.

8. Secretary of Agriculture. — David Franklin Houston, of Missouri, born in South Carolina, 1866 ; has held professorships in several southern colleges and been President of the University of Texas ; recently, Chancellor of the "Washington University of St. Louis, Missouri. Present appointment, March 5, 1913.

9. Secretary of Commerce. — William C. Redfield, of New York, born in New York, 1858 ; Member of Congi-ess, 1911-13. Present appointment, March 5, 1913.

10. Secretary of Labour. — William Baucho Wilson, of Pennsylvania, born in Scotland, 1862 ; Secretary of the United Mine Workers of America, 1900-1909 ; Member of Congress, 1907-1913. Present appointment, March 5, 1913.

The Ministry for Labour was created in 1913.

Each of the above ministers has an annual salary of 12,000 dollars, and holds office during the pleasure of the President.

The whole legislative power is vested by the Constitution in a Congress, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives. The Senate consists of two members from each State, chosen by the State Legislatures for si-c years. Senators must be not less than thirty years of age ; must have been citizens of the United States for nine years ; and be residents in the States for which they are chosen. Besides its legislative functions, the Senate is entrustiul with the power of ratifying or rejecting all treaties made by the President with foreign Powers, a two-thirds majority of senators present being required for ratification. The Senate is also invested with the power of confirming or rejecting all appointments to office made by the President ; and its members constitute a High Court of Impeachment. The ju<lgment in the latter case extends only to removal from office and disqualification. The House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment.

The House of Representatives is composed of members elected every second year by the vote of citizens who, according to the laws of their respective States, are qualified to vote. In general such voters are all male citizcDS over 21 years of age. Neither race nor colour affects the right of citizens. The franchise is not absolutely universal ; residence for at least one year in most States (in Rhode Island and Kentucky two years, in Michigan and Maine three months) is necessary, in some States the payment of taxes, in others registration. On the other hand many of the Western States admit to the franchise unnaturalised persons who have formally declared their intention to become citizens. Several of the Southern States have adopted methods — which differ from one another — too complicated for explanation here, with the express and avowed purpose of excluding the negroes from the franchise, and yet avoiding the constitutional consequences of discriminating 'on account of race, colour, or previous condition of servi- tude. ' Untaxed Indians are excluded from the franchise, in most States convicts, in some States duellists and fraudulent voters ; in Massachusetts voters are required to be able to read Eaglish. In some Southern States they are required to give a reasonable explanation of what they read. Wyoming (1869), Colorado (1893), Utah (1896), Idaho (1896), Washington (1910), California, Arizona, Kansas and Oregon (1912), admit women to the franchise on eqiial terms with men. The numbi-r of members to which each State is entitled is determined by the census taken every ten years. By the Apportionment Act consequent on the census of 1910, the number of representatives is 433.