Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/506

 454 UNITED STATES

• judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members ' ; and each of the Houses may, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

The Congress of the United States has the power to propose alterations in the Constitution, by the 5th article of the same. The article orders that the Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to the Constitution, or, on the application of the Legislatures of two-thirds of all the States, shall call a convention for pro- posing the amendments, which in either case shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or other mode of ratification may be proposed by Congress.

The salary of a senator, representative, or delegate in Congress is 7,500 dollars per annum, with an allowance, based on distance, for travelling expenses. The salary of the Speaker of the House of Representatives is 12,000 dollars per annum.

No senator or representative can, during the time for which he is elected, be appointed to any civil office under authority of the United States which shall have been created or the emoluments of which shall have been in- creased during such time ; and no person holding any office under the United States can be a member of either House during his continuance in office. No religious test is required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States, or in any State.

The period usually termed ' a Congress ' in legislative language continues for two years ; as, for example, from noon, March 4, 1921, until noon, March 4, 1923, at which latter time the term of the representatives to the 67th Congress will expire, and the term of the new House of Representatives will begin. The term of one-third of the Senators expires at the same time.

The 67th Congress (1921-23), elected November, 1920, is constituted as follows : Senate, 59 Republicans, 37 Democrats ; House of Representa- tives, 301 Republicans, 133 Democrats, 1 Socialist.

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 of 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 Congress, but from the people of the State. Admission of States into the Union is granted by special Acta 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-