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THE STANDARD DICTIONARY OF FACTS 



officials elected for four years are the lieutenant- 

 governor, treasurer, auditor, attorney-general, 

 and superintendent of public instruction. 



Liberia is a negro Republic on the coast of 

 West Africa. Founded in 1822, by American 

 philanthropists for the settlement of ireed slaves. 

 It was declared independent in 1847, was 

 recognized as a sovereign Mate by Great 

 Britain in 1848, and by the United States in 

 1862. The Constitution is on the model of that 

 of the United States. The President is elected 

 for four years, the House of Representatives 

 (fourteen members) for two years, and the 

 Senate (nine members) for six. The Liberian 

 Development Chartered Company (British) in 

 1906, advanced 100,000 to the government, 

 with which a government bank was founded, 

 roads were built, other public works were 

 commenced, and a military constabulary force 

 was established. In addition two British 

 officials were appointed to reorganize the cus- 

 toms service and the country's finance. 



Louisiana. The Constitution of 1812 was 

 succeeded by those of 1845, 1852, 1864, 1868, 

 1879, and 1898; the last-named was amended in 

 1900, in 1902, and in 1904, and is still in force. 

 Amendments proposed in the General Assembly 

 and approved by a two-thirds vote of each House 

 are submitted to the popular vote for ratification. 

 The Legislature consists of a Senate of forty-one 

 members and a House of Representatives of 115 

 members, Senators and Representatives being 

 chosen for four years. The powers of the two 

 Houses are similar, but bills for raising money 

 must originate in the House of Representatives, 

 and the- Senate tries cases of impeachment 

 brought by the other House. Senators must be 

 at least 25 and Representatives 21 years of age; 

 both must have been citizens of the State for 

 five years and residents in the State for two 

 years next before their election. The chief 

 executive officer is the governor, who is elected 

 for four years, and has the powers usually 

 entrusted to State governors, including the 

 limited veto. Other officials elected for four 

 years are the lieutenant-governor, the treasurer, 

 the secretary of state, the auditor, the attorney- 

 general, and the superintendent of education. 



Maine. The first Constitution of Maine, 

 adopted in 1819, was frequently altered by 

 amendments, which, to the number of twenty- 

 one, were in 1776 incorporated in the document. 

 Between 1876 and 1898 nine amendments were 

 adopted. Proposed amendments, passed by a 

 two-thirds vote of both Houses of the Legis- 

 lature, are submitted to the voters at the next 

 election, and, if then passed by a majority of 

 those voting, they become part of the Constitu- 

 tion. For extensive revision a constitutional 

 convention may be, but never has been, called 

 by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of the Legis- 

 lature. The Constitution provides for a Legis- 

 lature of two Houses, the Senate, consisting of 

 thirty-one members, and the House of Repretssn- 

 tatives with 151 members, both Houses being 

 elected at the same time for two years. Senators 

 are elected in districts formed of groups of towns, 

 and Representatives are chosen by cities, towns, 

 and plantations according to population. 

 Senators must be 25 and Representatives 



21 years of age; members of both Houses 

 Houses must be citizens of the United States, 

 resident in Maine for one year, and in the dis- 

 trict or town for three months before the election. 

 But no member of Congress, no office holder of 

 the Federal Government, except a postmaster. 

 no paid officer of the State, except justices of the 



| peace, notaries public, coroners, and militia of- 

 Doen, may sit in either House. The powers of 

 the two Houses are similar, but money hills 



| must originate in the House of Representatives. 

 The chief executive authority resides in the 

 governor, who is elected for two years by popular 

 vote. He must be 30 years of age, born in 

 the United States, resident in the State tor five 

 years next before election, and he may not hold 

 any other office, either under the United States 

 or under the State of Maine. He recommends 

 legislative measures, and has a veto which lapses 

 if unused for five days, and which may be over- 

 ridden by a two-thirds vote of each House. He 

 is commander-in-chief of the military forces 

 and he along with the council, appoints many 

 State officers. He may grant pardons, etc., but 

 has to report to the Legislature on each case of 

 his exercise of this power. The governor has 

 an advisory council consisting of seven members 

 chosen every two years by joint ballot of Sena- 



j tors and Representatives. The council's advice 

 and consent are required for appointments, and 

 its warrant for payment of money from the 

 treasury. The secretary of state, treasurer, 

 and attorney-general are appointed by joint 

 ballot of the Legislature. Other officers are the 

 superintendent of schools, various commissioners 

 (for labor statistics, insurance, land, etc.), and 

 also boards and commissions for State institu- 

 tions, railways, assessment, health, fisheries, etc. 



| For local government the State is divided into 

 sixteen counties, subdivided into towns, cities, 

 plantations, and various unincorporated places. 

 Counties are administered by boards of com- 

 missioners elected for six years, one commis- 

 sioner retiring every year. These boards have 

 elective officers and supervise county finance, 

 property, jails, roads, etc. 



Maryland. The first Constitution of 

 Maryland was succeeded by others in 1857, 1864, 

 and 1867, that of 1867, amended ten times (last 

 in 1901), being still in force. Amendments 

 proposed in the General Assembly must obtain 

 a three-fifths vote of all the members elected to 

 each House; they must then be submitted to 

 the people, and, if approved by a majority of 

 those voting, they become part of the Constitu- 

 tion. The Legislature consists of a Senate and a 

 House of Delegates, the two bodies together 

 being known as the General Assembly. There 

 are twenty-seven Senators and 101 Delegates. 

 The Senators serve for four years, and the Senate 

 is renewed to the extent of half every two years. 

 The Delegates are elected for two years. Sena- 

 tors must be 25 years of age, and 

 Delegates 21. Clergy, members of Congress, 

 and federal officials are ineligible for either 

 Senate or House of Delegates. No person is eli- 

 gible who has not lived in the State three years 

 next preceding election. Any bill may originate 

 in either House and be altered, amended, or re- 

 jected by the other. The House of Delegates 



