Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/502

 380 UNITED STATES

for two years ; as, for example, from noon, March 4, 1913, until noon, March 4, 1915, at which latter time the term of the representatives to the 63rd Congress expires, and the term of the new House of Representatives begins.

Senate : 43 Republicans, 49 Democrats. House of Representatives (after New Apportionment Act) : 289 Democrats, 145 Republicans, 2 Independents.

The National Government has authority in matters of general taxation, trea- ties and other dealings with foreign powers, army, navy, and (to a certain extent) militia, commerce, foreign and inter-State, postal service, coinage, weights and measures, and the trial and punishment of crime against the United States.

Slavery was abolished throughout the whole ol the United States by the thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution, passed December 18, 1865. The vast change in the political and social organisation of the Republic made by this new fundamental law was completed by the fourteenth and fifteenth Amendments of the Constitution, passed in 1868 and 1870, which gave to the former slaves all the rights and privileges of citizenship.

State and Local Government,

The Union comprises 13 original States, 7 States which were admitted without having been previously organised as Territories, and 28 States which had been Territories — 48 States in all. Each State has its own constitu- tion, which must be republican in form, and each constitution derives its authority, not from Cougress, but from the people of the State. Admission of States into the Union is granted by special Acts of Congress, either (1) in the form of 'enabling Acts,' providing for the drafting and ratification of a State constitution by the people, in which case the Territory becomes a State as soon as the conditions are fulfilled, or (2) accepting a constitution already framed, and at once granting admission.

Each State is provided with a Legislature of two Houses, a Governor, and other executive officials, and a judicial system. Both Houses of the Legis- lature are elective, but the Senators (having larger electoral districts) are less numerous tban the members of the House of Representatives, while in some States their terms are longer and, in a few, the Senate is only partially renewed at each election. Members of both Houses are paid at the same rate, which varies from 150 to 1,500 dollars per session, or fvcra 1 to 8 dollars per day during session. The duties of the two Houses are similar, but in many States money bills must be introduced first in the House of Representatives. The Senate has to sit as a court for the trial of officials impeached by the other House, and besides, has often the power to confirm or reject appointments made by the Governor. In most of the States the sessions are biennial, the Governor having power to summon an extraordinary session, but not to dis- solve or adjourn. State Legislatures are competent to deal with all matters not reserved for the Federal Government by the Federal constitution, or falling within restrictions imposed by the State constitutions. Among their powers are the determination of the qualifications for the right of suffrage, and the control of all elections to public office, including elections of members of Congress and electors of President and Vice-President ; the criminal law, both in its enactment and in its execution, with unimportant exceptions, and the administration of prisons ; the civil laAv, including all matters pertaining to the possession and transfer of, and succession to, property ; marriage and divorce, and all other civil relations ; the chartering and control of all manu- facturing, trading, transportation, and other corporations, subject only to the right of Congress to regulate commerce passing from one State to another ; the regulation of labour ; education ; charities ; licensing, including regulation of the liquor traffic ; fisheries, and game laws. The revenues of the States