GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 



609 



has sole power of impeachment, and impeach- 

 ment cases are tried by Senate. The highest 

 officer of the State is the governor, elected 

 for four years. He is commander-in-chief 

 of the State militia, and, with consent of 

 Senate, appoints all civil and military officers of 

 State whose appointment or election is not 

 otherwise provided for by law. He may remove 

 for incompetency or misconduct civil officers 

 who received appointment from the executive 

 for a term of years. He may convene the Legis- 

 lature or Senate alone for special sessions. He 

 has a veto which may be overcome by a three- 

 lit "t 1 is vote of the members elected to both Houses. 

 He may grant pardons and reprieves except in 

 cases of impeachment, but must report his action 

 to the legislature whenever required. Other 

 officers are the secretary of state, treasurer, 



' >inpt roller, the adjutant-general, the 

 attorney-general, and the superintendent of 

 duration. The State is divided into twenty- 

 four counties. 



Massachusetts. The first Constitution 

 of the State, after having been submitted to and 



d by the people, was formally adopted 

 at a Convention held at Boston on June 15, 1780. 

 It has been amended from time to time, the 

 earliest amendments having been made in 1821 

 and the most recent in 1894. The Constitution 

 provides for a legislative body consisting of a 

 Senate and a House of Representatives, styled 

 collectively the General Court of Massachusetts. 

 The Senate consists of forty members elected 

 annually by popular vote, the State being di- 

 vided into forty senatorial districts, each of 

 \v h i c h returns one Senator . The House of Repre- 

 sentatives consists of 240 members, elected in 

 Hit districts, each of which returns one, two, or 

 three representatives, according to population. 

 Then- is an annual session of the Legislature 

 and special sessions may be called by the gov- 

 ernor in ease of exigency. Money bills must 

 originate in the House of Representatives, 

 but may be amended in the Senate. If the sub- 



.nder consideration are of public interest, 



i* are advertised and the people have a 

 riiiht to appear and speak in support of or 

 against the passing of certain laws. Amend- 

 of the Constitution must be proposed 

 in the General Court, and agreed to by a 

 majority of the Senate and two-thirds of the 

 House of Representatives present and voting 



:i; they must In- re!-rred to the General 

 Court next elected, and it then agreed to by 

 similar majorities, they arc submitted to the 

 IN-OJ.I.-. and, if approved and ratified by a ma- 

 jority of the mialifii-d voten voting thereon at 



gaily held for the purp" 

 conn- part of the Constitution. The executive 



"I the State n the 



Masted by a council. He is chosen by popu- 

 ite and holds office for one year. but 

 hmble who has not resided within 

 ite for the seven years last past I! 



has power to adjourn or prorogue (for not 



more than ninety days), or to summon the Gen- 

 >urt. He is commander- in-chief of the 

 army and navy. !! may. with the ad- 



vice of his council, pardon convicted offend. -r-. 



but not those convicted before the Senate on 



impeachment by the House. He appoints (with 

 the consent of his council) the judges, the so- 

 licitor-general, and many other officials, and 

 he has general supervision of the administration 

 of affairs in the State. The council with which 

 he acts consists of eight councillors elected by 

 popular vote in the eight districts into which 

 the State is, for this purpose, divided. The 

 lieutenant-governor, who becomes acting gov- 

 ernor in case of the death of the governor, or 

 of his absence from the State, is similarly elected 

 by the people, and holds office for one \ ar. 

 The secretary of the commonwealth is also 

 elected by the people for one year. Other of- 

 ficials elected by the people for a year are the 

 treasurer and receiver-general, who is ineligible 

 for more than five successive years of office; 

 the State auditor, and the attorney-general. 

 There are fourteen counties in the State, 

 thirty-three cities and 321 towns. The cities are 

 granted charters by the State Legislature. The 

 mayor is the executive officer in each city, and 

 the legislative bodies are usually a board of alder- 

 men and a common council. The counties are 

 administered by officers styled the county com- 

 missioners. 



Mexico. Under the present Constitution, 

 which bears date of February 5, 1857, Mexico 

 is a federative Republic. It was originally di- 

 vided into nineteen States, but at this time there 

 are twenty-seven, with two Territories, and the 

 Federal District, and, while each manages its 

 own local affairs, they are bound together as an 

 inseparable body by the constitutional laws. 

 The form of government in Mexico is broadly 

 similar to that of the United States, the 

 tive vesting in a President, who is elected for a 

 term of four years, and who is assisted by a Cabi- 

 net, while the legislative power is conferred upon 

 a Congress, which is composed of two Houses 

 a Senate and a House of Representatives. Hie 

 President may serve any number of terms, and 

 the present Executive, General G. Porfirio Diaz, 

 is now in his sixth term, as he had already served 

 five four-year terms when he was inaugurated 

 December 11, 1900. Under the direction of the 

 President and a Council, the administration is 

 carried on by the Secretaries of State in 

 of the following portfolio*: I-'oiviun Affairs, 

 Interior, Justice and Public Instruction, Agri- 

 culture and Colonisation, Finance, Communi- 

 cations and Public Work-. War and 

 Senate consists of iifty-six member-, two from 

 each State, who must be at least ii() years 

 of age. They are elected by the ballots of 



all respectable males and serve for a term of two 

 years. Representatives must be 25 years 

 of age. They are elected for an equal term 



with the Senators and in a similar manner. The 



nt ii elected bj popularly choten 



at a general election. There is no state religion 



and all religion" BOtl are equal 

 before the law I lm^ relip 



course, is Roman Catholic, but no ecclesiastical 

 body can own realty, and since 1863, when all 

 the ihunhes were cloned and the lands confis- 

 cated, many of the buildings have been assigned 

 to serve as hospitals, schools, etc. The judicial 

 n Mrxicii i- entirely distinct from that 

 of the executive. It includes a Supreme Court, 



