The Mayor is the chief executive officer an the police of the city. By and with the conse council, he appoints a chief of police and oth officers and watchmen. In case of disturband appoint as many special constables as he m necessary, and he may discharge them whe thinks their services no longer needed.

The City Council consists of the alderme the judge of the election of its own men majority of the members elected constitutes for the transaction of business.

The council chooses its own president president. In case the mayor is absent from or for any reason is temporarily unable to president of the council acts as mayor, with Acting Mayor.

Passing Ordinances.-The mode of passing nance is unlike anything that we have conside this time, and deserves special attention on a its resemblance to the mode of making la state and general governments. It is as If a proposed ordinance is voted for by a m the members of the council present at any me presented to the mayor. If he approves it,

*In some states the city council consists of two bodies.

or resoruiоn ѕhап по

ՍԵԼԵՆԱ-Ես

in five days, Sundays excepted, after presented to him," it shall have the proved by him.

Ordinances. The ordinances and ncil are published in a newspaper of by the council as the official means 1 are posted in three conspicuous 1 for two weeks, before they become

-The city council has about the village council in regard to streets, 1 extinguishment of fires, etc.-the somewhat more extensive. But it s for public purposes, as has before lly elects the assessor, the city attormissioner, and a city surveyor, and r officers.

reasurer, assessor, justices of the constables, have duties similar to sponding officers in a village or a

e Pertinent Questions.

ld claim the same seat in the city council, matter?

which a proposed ordinance may become

E, from a Latin word veto, meaning I forbid.

civil actions and in criminal prosecutions.

Name the principal officers in your city. The alde your ward.

What are some of the dangers of city government Macy's Our Government, pp. 51-53, and Nordhoff's] Young Americans.

Questions for Debate.

Resolved, That for a community of 5000 inhabitan village organization is better than a city organizati

CHAPTER VI.

THE COUNTY.

Need of.-A county organization is neede following reasons:

1. To establish the lower organizations. A seen, the organizations within the county lished by county officers. But, it may pr asked, why not have them organized by directly? There are at least three good rea the first place, it would be too burdenson state; that is, the state would act through lature, and to organize all the individual so tricts, towns, villages, and cities, would tal

44

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GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE STATE.

much of the time of the legislature. In the second place, the organizing could only be done at certain times, namely during the session of the legislature, and in the meantime communities would have to wait. In the third place, the records of incorporation would be inaccessible in case they were needed for reference. To serve as a medium between the state and the lower organizations. The state uses the town, village, and city to value property for purposes of taxation and as election districts. But it gets its taxes and its election returns through the county. Here again may arise the question, why not send the state taxes directly to the capital and make election returns directly also? At least two good reasons appear: It would increase the work and therefore the number of officials at the capital, and if a mistake should be made it could not be so easily discovered and corrected.

3. To carry on public works beyond the power of the towns individually. A desired local improvement may be beyond the power of a town either because it is outside of the jurisdiction of the town or because of its expense. Thus, a road may be needed between two centers of population, villages or cities, which would run through several towns, while the jurisdiction of the towns individually extends only to their own borders. Or a bridge over a wide stream may be needed, which would be too expensive for the town in which it is located. The road and the bridge would better be provided by the county.* And the poor can generally be better cared for by the county than by the individual towns, for the county can erect and maintain a poor-house.

*Sometimes state aid is secured. Do you think it wise, as a rule, før the state to grant such aid?

THE COUNTY. HOW ESTABLISHED.

45

4. To secure certain local officers not needed in every town; for instance, a register of deeds, the coroner, the judge of probate, the superintendent of schools (in most states), and the surveyor.

5. To serve as a territorial basis for the apportion· ment of members of the legislature. This is, perhaps, merely an incidental gain. But its convenience in defining legislative districts is obvious.

6. To make justice cheap and accessible. It is well in many ways, as we have seen, to have in every town, village, and city, courts of limited jurisdiction. But to establish justice in any generous or satisfying sense there should be within the reach of every citizen a court competent to try any difference between individuals regardless of the amount in controversy, and able to punish any crime against the laws of the state. To bring such a court within the reach of every one was the original reason for the establishment of the county, and remains today the greatest advantage derived from its existence.

Establishment.-Counties are established by the state legislature.

In thinly settled parts of a state the counties are much larger than in the populous parts. A county should be large enough to make its administration economical, and yet small enough to bring its seat of justice within easy reach of every one within its boundaries. In the ideal county a person living in any part thereof can go to the county seat by team, have several hours for business, and return home the same day.

County Board. The administration of county affairs is in the hands of the county commissioners or supervisors. This board is usually constructed on one of two plans: Either it consists of three or five members,