GOVEENMENT AND ADMINISTRATION. 369 



State Goverxmekts, 



Berlin, the seat of the Imperial Govcrnnient, is likewise the capital of Prussia, 

 where the legislatvire of that kingdom, the Landtag, holds its meetings. The 

 Herrenhaus, or House of Lords, includes the royal princes ; about sixty heads of 

 princely or other noble houses ; a number of life members, chosen bj^ the King 

 amongst rich landowners and other notabilities ; eight representative peers of the 

 eight provinces, elected by the landowners ; representatives of the universities ; 

 the burgomasters of all towns having over 50,000 inhabitants ; and an unlimited 

 number of members nominated by the King. The House of Deputies [Ahgeord- 

 netcnhaus) consists of 433 members, elected indirectly by all male taxpa3"ers 

 over twentj^-five years of age, divided into three categories, according to the 

 amount of taxes they pay. Financial projects and estimates must first be sub- 

 mitted to the second Chamber, and they can be rejected, but not amended, by tlie 

 Upper House. 



The Executive Government is carried on by a Ministry, the ten members of 

 which are appointed by the King. 



Bavaria, Saxony, Wiirttemberg, Baden, and Hesse have analogous representative 

 institutions, with two Chambers, whilst the other smaller monarchical states content 

 themselves with a single Chamber. In the two Mecklenburgs, however, constitu- 

 tional " shams " have not yet been introduced, notwithstanding the requirements 

 in that respect of the Imperial Constitution. Their institutions are still essentially 

 feudal, serfdom having only been abolished in 1824. The so-called Landed- 

 union consists of 705 large landowners {Ritferschaft) and 47 burgomasters, but 

 its influence upon the finances of the country is a very small one. The three free 

 cities have municipal institutions, with a Senate and a House of Burgesses, the 

 former being the executive, presided over by a burgomaster. As to the ReicJisJand, 

 its political institutions are gradually being assimilated to those of the other states 

 of the empire, the Statthalter, or Governor-General, being appointed by the 

 Emperor. 



It will be seen from this sketch that the number of " legislators " in Germany 

 is a very large one, for the various representative bodies of the states number no 

 less than 2,111 members, many of whom, however, have seats in two assemblies. 



Local Governmekt. 



The political prej)onderance of Prussia must in the end lead to introduction 

 into the other states of its system of local government. That kingdom is 

 divided into 13 provinces, subdivided into 36 governments and 467 districts 

 (Kreise), amongst the latter being included all towns of 25,000 inhabitants and 

 upwards. 



The towns have a " magistrate," elected by the ratepayers, a burgomaster, 

 whose election has to be confirmed by the King, presiding over the executive 

 98 



