291 RURAL XEW YORK 



one is in the end for the welfare of tlie other. 

 Every example of cooperation and of friendly under- 

 standing between city and country is, therefore, wel- 

 comed. There is no reason why the farmer, as well 

 as the merchant and the manufacturer, should not be 

 a member of chambers of commerce and other com- 

 mercial organizations centering in the city and be 

 chosen to public positions of trust and honor if he 

 has the ability to hold them. 



The principle of responsible representative gov- 

 ernment should give to State or other large units the 

 administration of the affairs that concern all the in- 

 dividuals alike, and should reserve to the subdi- 

 visions those that involve only smaller groups of indi- 

 viduals. Trouble always arises when either attempts 

 to override the other. 



POLITICAL DIVISIONS AND SYSTEM 

 OF TAXATION 



New York State is subdivided into sixty-one 

 counties, nine hundred thirty-two toM'nships and 

 something over twelve thousand school districts 

 (12,135). These are the main legislative and ad- 

 ministrative units of the State and are combined in 

 various ways for special purposes. For example, the 

 counties are grouped into fort^^-three Congressional 

 districts, and into fifty-one State Senatorial districts. 

 In addition there are village and city units that fre- 

 quently are set off from the minor divisions or over- 

 spread and supplant them. 



Government touches the farmer in establishing 



