610 



Till-: STANDARD DICTIONARY OF FACTS 



consisting of fifteen judges, who are chosen for 

 a term of six years; Circuit Courts, with three 

 judges, and District Courts, with thirty-two 

 judges. The chief sources of Mexican revenue 

 are the internal taxation and the customs, le.-s 

 than fifteen per cent, being obtained from other 

 soun 



3Iichigan. Its first Constitution was 

 framed and adopted in 1S3.~>. and Congress passed 

 the Act admitting it into the Union as a State 

 on January 1'ti. ls37. In ls.~>() a new Constitu- 

 tion was adopted which with little alteration 

 is still in force. The legislative authority is 

 voted in a Senate of thirty-two members elected 

 by the counties or groups of counties for two 

 years, and a House of Representatives of from 

 sixty-four to 100 members, the electoral districts 

 being rearranged according to population every 

 five years. Senators and Representatives must 

 be citizens of the United States and qualified 

 electors of the districts for which they are chosen. 

 Any bill may originate in either House. The 

 Constitution was amended in 1870, 1875, 1887, 

 and 1904. Amendments may be proposed in 

 either House ; if approved by a two-thirds ^ 

 vote of each House they are submitted for the 

 approval of the people in manner prescribed, 

 and, if this approval be given, the amendments 

 become part of the Constitution. For a com- 

 plete or extensive revision a Convention is re- 

 quired and the question is submitted to the j 

 electors. If the majority of those who vote are 

 on the affirmative side, the Legislature makes 

 provision for a Convention. The executive 

 power is vested in the governor, elected for two 

 years. He has the powers usually entrusted to 

 State -governors, including a limited veto, and 

 he makes administrative appointments, many of 

 which require the approval of the Senate. The 

 secretary of state, State treasurer, auditor- 

 general, and attorney-general are elected by 

 popular vote. The lieutenant-governor, elected 

 for two years, presides over the Senate, and in 

 case of the death, absence, or default of the 

 governor, succeeds to the governor's authority. 

 For local government the State is organized 

 in counties, cities, towns, and villages. There 

 are eighty-five counties, each of which is a cor- 

 porate body with a board of supervisors as its 

 administrative authority. Cities must have each 

 a population of not less than 3,000, but a few 

 which have been long incorporated have a 

 smaller population. Cities are classified in four 

 groups, according to population, and are divided 

 into three or more wards. 



Minnesota. The State Legislature con- 

 sists of a Senate of sixty-three members, one 

 being elected in each of the legislative districts, 

 and a House of Representatives of 119 mem- 

 bers elected in the same districts in numbers 

 proportioned to population. Eligible for either 

 House are all male citizens of the United States, 

 21 years of age, who have resided one year 

 in the State and six months in the district 

 just before election; but no office-holder under 

 the Federal or State government, except a post- 

 master, may belong to either House. The two 

 Houses have similar powers, but money bills 

 must originate in the House of Representatives. 

 No special laws relating to personal or local 



affairs or corporations can be enacted. The 

 House of Representatives can impeach State 

 ollicers before the Senate, which by a two-thirds 

 majority of members present may convict and 

 deprive of office. Some changes have been 

 made in the Constitution, chiefly, as in 1896 

 and 1S98, affecting the regulations for local 

 organization. Amendments proposed in either 

 House and supported by a two-thirds vote of 

 each and subsequently approved by the people 

 in manner prescribed, become part of the Consti- 

 tution. For an extensive revision, the proposal, 

 alter being approved by a two-thirds vote of 

 each House, must be submitted to the electors; 

 if approved, the Legislature provides for the hold- 

 ing of a convention; delegates are elected, meet 

 together, and make the revision which is then 

 releiTed to the people and, if approved, becomes 

 law. The chief executive officer of the State is 

 the governor, who is elected by the people for 

 two years. He must be a citizen of the United 

 States, 25 years of age, and resident in the 

 State for one year before election. In legis- 

 lation he has a limited veto and other powers 

 usually entrusted to State governors. The 

 lieutenant-governor presides over the Senate 

 and, on the death or absence of the governor, 

 he acts as governor. The secretary of state 

 is elected for two years; the auditor (elected 

 for four years) audits State accounts and super- 

 intends State lands; the treasurer and attor- 

 ney are elected for two years. Several important 

 officials, boards, and commisionsers, with duties 

 relating to health, equalization, charities, insur- 

 ance, railways, etc., are appointed by the gov- 

 ernor. The State is organized in counties (usually 

 under special acts), and in townships, villages, 

 and cities (usually under general acts). There 

 are eighty-two counties. 



Mississippi. The Constitution of 1817 

 was followed by others in 1832, 1868, and 1890. 

 Proposed amendments of the Constitution ap- 

 proved by two-thirds of the members of each 

 House voting on them on three several days, 

 and ratified by a majority of the qualified electors 

 voting on them, become part of the Constitution. 

 The Legislature consists of a Senate and a 

 House of Representatives, both elected for four 

 years. Ordinary sessions, unrestricted in length, 

 are held once in four years. Special sessions, 

 limited to thirty days, unless extended by proc- 

 lamation by the governor, are held alternately 

 with regular sessions, so that the Legislature in 

 fact meets biennially. Bills for raising revenue 

 and bills providing for assessment of property 

 must be approved by three-fifths of the mem- 

 bers of each House present and voting. The 

 chief executive officer of the State is the 

 governor, who is elected for four years, and is 

 not eligible for the succeeding term. He has a 

 limited veto, and the other powers usually 

 vested in State governors. Other officials 

 elected for four years are the secretary of 

 state, the lieutenant-governor, the treasurer, 

 and the auditor. Neither treasurer nor auditor 

 is eligible for the succeeding term, nor can the 

 one succeed the other. Mississippi is divided 

 into seventy-six counties. 



Missouri. The original Constitution, 

 adopted in 1820, was followed by those of 1865 



