GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 



641 



senators. The executive is given by the Con- 

 stitution to the president of the Republic, 

 elected for the term of four years. The presi- 

 dent is assisted in his executive functions by a 

 council of ministers divided into five depart- 

 ments, namely, that of the interior, foreign 



. finance, war and marine, and instruc- 

 tion and public works. 



I tab. The original Constitution of 1895 

 force as amended in 1900. The Legislature 

 ists of a Senate and a House of Representa- 



but the Constitution provides for the 

 initiation of any desired legislation by the legal 



or such number of them as may be deter- 

 mined by law, and such voters may require any 

 law passed by less than a two-thirds vote of eacn 



of the Legislature to be submitted to the 



voters of the State before coming into effect. 



- -nate (in part renewed every two years) 



s of eighteen members, elected for four 

 years; the House of Representatives has forty- 

 six members elected for two years. Bills may 

 originate in either House. The House of Repre- 

 sentatives may impeach; the Senate tries im- 

 pead nnen ts. Eligible to either House are 

 citixens 25 years of age, three years resi- 



n the State, and one year in the district 

 next before the election. Amendments to the 

 Constitution may be proposed in either branch 

 of the Legislature, but to be embodied in the 

 itution, they must be carried by a two- 

 thirds vote of all the members of each House | 

 ratified by a majority vote of the people. 

 The chief executive power is vested in a ! 

 governor elected for four years. He is com- 

 mander-in-chief of the militia. With the con- 



i the Senate he has the appointment of 

 various officials. The governor, justices of the 

 Supreme Court, and attorney-general consti- 

 tute a board of pardons. Tne governor has 

 the power of veto but its exercise may be over- 

 ridden by a two-thirds vote of all the members of 

 eadi House. Other State officials are the secre- 

 tary of state, auditor, the treasurer, the at- 

 torney-general, and the superintendent of 

 public in-truction; all elected for four years. 



ire twenty-seven counties in the State. 

 \ rnezuela. The Republic of Venezuela 

 was formed in 1830, by secession from the other 



re of the Republic of Colombia. The Con- 



stitution in force is that of 1904. Legislative 



aut horit y is vested in a congress of two chambers, 



-enate and the chamber of deputies. The | 



former consists of twenty-six members elected 



years, two for each state, Venezuelans by 



birth and over 30 years of age. The latter is 



ited as follows: Each state chooses by 



election one deputy, a Venezuelan by 

 birth and over 21 years of age, for every 40,000 

 inhabitant^, and one more for nn excess of 20,000. 



lernl district and the territories \\hich are 

 KUtlieientlv populous elect deputies in manner 

 prescribed by law. Deputies are elected for six 

 years. Congress meets biennially and sits for 

 days. Executive power is in the hands 

 of tin president .11, I cabinet of minister- 

 president holds office for six years and cannot be 



i for the following term. He must be a 



,'-l.m by birth and over 30 years of age. 

 In case of temporary or permanent inability to 



act, his place is taken by the first and second 

 vice-presidents. The presidents and vice-presi- 

 dents are chosen by an electoral body which is 

 itself elected by congress within fifteen days of 

 its assembling, and which consists of a senator 

 or deputy for each of the federal entities and one 

 additional for the federal district. The cabinet 

 consists of the ministers of internal affairs, 

 foreign affairs, finance, and public credit, war, 

 and marine, development, public works, public 

 instruction. 



Vermont. The Constitution in force at 

 the time of admission was that of 1786. In 1793, 

 a new Constitution was adopted which, with 

 amendments made in 1828, 1836, 1850, 1870, 

 and 1883, is still in force. The State Legislature 

 consists of a Senate and House of Representa- 

 tives having, the former thirty and trie latter 

 246 members. Senators must be 30 years of age 

 and Representatives 2 1 . The governor is elected 

 for two years. He exercises the chief executive 

 power and appoints all State officers not other- 

 wise proyidea for by law. He has power to par- 

 don, or in certain cases only to reprieve; his 

 veto can be overridden by a majority vote of 

 each House. Other important officials are 

 the lieutenant-governor, treasurer, and auditor. 



Virginia. The first Constitution of Vir- 

 ginia was adopted on June 29, 1776, and with 

 fittle change it survived till recent years. The 

 Constitution now in force was adopted by the 

 Convention of 1901-02. It provides for a Legisla- 

 ture called the General Assembly, consisting of 

 a Senate and a House of Delegates, the former 

 containing not more than forty nor less than 

 thirty-three members, and the latter not more 

 than 100 nor less than ninety. Senators are 

 elected for four years, one-half retiring every 

 two years. Eligible to either House are persons 

 resident in the district and qualified to vote for 

 members of the General Assembly, except paid 

 office-holders of the State or of the Union. The 

 executive power resides in a governor, elected for 

 four years by the voters of the State. He must 

 be 30 years of age, must have been a citizen of 

 the United States for ten years, and have resided 

 in the State for five years. He is not eligible for 

 the succeeding term. He is required to take 

 care that the laws are faithfully administered; 

 he recommends the legislative measures which 

 he considers necessary; is commander in-chief 

 of the military forces* has power to grant re- 

 prieves and pardons after conviction, but must 

 report to the legislature on each caae. In legis- 

 lation he has a limited power of veto, which may 

 be overridden by a two-thirds majority of eacn 

 House, if such majorit v includes a majority of the 

 elected members. There is a lieutenant-gov- 

 ernor, a secretary of the commonwealth, and a 

 State treasurer, each of whom is elected for the 

 same term ami in the same manner as the gov- 

 ernor. The auditor is appointed for four yean 

 by the two Houses sitting together. 



Washington was admitted into the Union 

 as a State in 1889. The Constitution of 

 that year was amended in 1894, 1896, 1900. and 

 1904. Legislative authority is vested in a Legis- 

 lature consisting of a Senate and a House of 

 Representatives, the latter composed of not less 

 than sixty-three nor more than ninety-nine 



