14 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



United States, and to assist the Circuit and 

 District Judges in taking evidence for the trial 

 of such persons. These duties may, however, 

 be performed by a judge or magistrate of 

 either a State or the Federal Government. 

 Each of the nine Justices of the Supreme 

 Court must hold a Court in one of the nine 

 circuits at least once every two years, and with 

 each may be associated the Circuit or District 

 Judge. The Supreme Court consists of a 

 Chief Justice and eight Associate Judges, ap- 

 pointed by the President with the consent of 

 the Senate. It deals with appeals from in- 

 ferior courts, and has original jurisdiction in 

 cases affecting foreign ministers and consuls, 

 and those in which a State is a party. 



Other courts with criminal jurisdiction are 

 the Court of the District of Columbia and 

 those of the Territories. There is also at 

 Washington a Court of Claims. 



States and Territories. The Union 

 comprises thirteen original States, seven States 

 which were admitted without having been 

 organized as Territories dependent on the 

 Union, and twenty-five States which had been 

 Territories. 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 population of the 

 State. In the case of the original States the 

 colonial charters were adopted, with more or 

 less modification, as State constitutions ; the 

 other States, before entering the Union, had 

 constitutions already made. 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 Legislature are elective, but the Sena- 

 tors (having larger electoral districts) are less 

 numerous than 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. Mem- 

 bers of both Houses are paid at the same rate, 

 which varies from $150 to $1,500 per session, 

 or from $1 to $8 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 re- 



ject appointments made by the Governor. In 

 most of the States the sessions are biennial, 

 the Governor having power to summon in 

 extraordinary session, but not to dissolve or 

 adjourn. State Legislatures are competent to 

 deal with all matters not reserved for the 

 Federal Government by the Federal Constitu- 

 tion, or falling within restrictions imposed by 

 the State constitutions. Among their powers 

 are the determinations 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 unim- 

 portant exceptions, and the administration of 

 prisons ; the civil law, including all matters 

 pertaining to the possession and transfer of, 

 and succession to, property ; marriage and 

 divorce, and all other civil relations ; the char- 

 tering and control of all manufacturing, trad- 

 ing, transportation, and other corporations, 

 subject only to the right of Congress to regu- 

 late commerce passing from one State to 

 another; the regulation of labor ; education ; 

 charities ; licensing, including regulation of 

 the liquor traffic ; fisheries and game laws. 

 The revenues of the States are derived chiefly 

 from a direct tax upon property, in some cases 

 both real and personal, in others on land and 

 buildings only. The prohibition upon Con- 

 gress to levy dii'ect taxes save in proportion to 

 population, contained in the National Consti- 

 tutioji, leaves this source of revenue to the 

 States exclusively. 



The Governor is chosen by direct vote of the 

 people over the whole State. His term of 

 office varies from one year (in 2 States), to four 

 years (in 19 States), and his salary from $1,500 

 to $10,000. His duty is to see to the faithful 

 administration of the law, and he has com- 

 mand of the military forces of the State. His 

 power of appointment to State offices is usually 

 unimportant. He may recommend measures 

 but does not present bills to the Legislature. 

 In some States he presents estimates. In all 

 the States except Delaware, North Carolina, 

 Ohio, and Rhode Island, the Governor has the 

 power to veto bills, but where this power ex- 

 ists the Legislature, by a t\vo thirds vote, may 

 override the veto. 



The officers by whom the administration of 

 State affairs is carried on the Secretaries, 

 Treasurers, and Auditors, and in some of the 

 States members of boards or commissions 

 are usually chosen by the people at the general 

 State elections for terms similar to those for 

 which Governors themselves hold office. In 

 some States commissioners are appointed by 

 the Governor. 



