WHY WE HAVE STATES.

1. Historical reason. We have states n we had such organizations at the time this was established. The colonies, founded times, under different auspices, by people religion, politics, and material interests, rema independent of each other during colonial ti separating from England became independe 2. Geographical reason. Different clim pographic conditions give rise to different and therefore necessitate different regulati Theoretical reason. The theory of c ment is that of decentralization of power." think it best to keep power as near as pos people. If a certain work can be accomplish individual enterprise, we prefer that it be do than through any governmental agency. If done by the town just as well as by the count it to the town. And as between the state and government, we assign no duty to the latte be performed as well by the former.

3.

4.

sons.

*

Practical reasons. There are many p

Among them may be mentioned the f

*There being a constant tendency to centralization, this be emphasized. See Nordhoff's Politics for Young Americ

ich the state can do better than

t.

e also a high court of justice to pealed from the courts below.

TES ARE CREATED.

originated in revolution.

They

ree and independent states," and ation by force of arms. Each he Union" by ratifying the conconstitution states have been adon terms prescribed by congress. as follows:

er of people in a territory equals umber required to secure a reprehe inhabitants thereof may petitheir delegate, for an act authora state government.

s granted, an "enabling act" is defines the territory to be comprovides for the calling of a conequires that the state government publican in form, states the numin congress which the state shall sus, and offers a number of propoor rejection by the convention.

HOW STATES ARE CREATED.

73

Among these are proposals giving land for the support of common schools and of a university, and for the erection of public buildings; and offering a portion of the net proceeds of the sale of public lands within the state for internal improvements. These offers are conditioned upon non-interference on the part of the state with the holding and selling by the United States of the lands within the state owned by the general government, and their exemption from taxation. The enabling act for Minnesota is given in the appendix, pp. 355-8. It is in a large measure typical. Students in most of the states can find the enabling act for their state in the legislative manual thereof.

Michigan, Kansas and Oregon formed their constitutions without an enabling act.

3. The constitutional convention provided for in the enabling act, having ascertained that it is the wish of the people to form a state, frames a constitution and submits it to the people of the proposed state for adoption.

4. If it is adopted,* copies of the constitution are sent to the president and to each house of congress.

5. If the constitution framed is in accordance with our institutions, it is accepted and the state is admitted.† Kentucky, West Virginia, Maine, California and Texas became states in the Union without having been territories. The first two were detached from Virginia, and the third from Massachusetts, and admitted at once as states. California and Texas had been independent states before admission.

As typical of the mode of restoring the southera states to their old place in the Union, the act restorir g Tennessee is given on page 358.

*Wisconsin rejected the constitution of 1846, and New York that of 1867. + The acts of congress of 1866 and 1867, admitting Colorado, were both vetoed by president Andrew Johnson.

people granting or withholding
pose of the instrument is to give
he government; another is to
ninorities from the tyranny of
che states has a constitution.
st of the countries of Europe,
is called the constitution is not
gely of the maxims of exper-
unctioned by custom. When a
becomes prevalent it gradually
art of the constitution.

in this country probably arose charters granted to the colonies ivileges, were in writing. And emselves grew out of a practice securing the rights of towns and s wrung from the king. Some erties, too, had been secured. entioned the charter granted by agna Charta, or great charter, n in 1215; and the Petition of us Act, and the Bill of Rights, th century.

s granted to colonies were so hat they were adopted as connies became states. The charter

I its constitution till 1818. And

branches or departments, and provide for th tion and general procedure of each. Then cellaneous provisions, relating to franchise, amendments, etc.

Their usual defects.-We have flourished fully under our system of government that w have a great reverence for our national and stitutions. So far has this feeling gone th number of people seem to fancy that the magic in the very word constitution. A quence state constitutions are usually too contain too many miscellaneous provisions. these relate to transient or petty matters whi affairs for public action at all, should be left tion. Changes in the constitution weaken for it.

Rarely should anything go into charter which has not stood the test of tim has the promise of endurance as a necessary of the rights and liberties of the people.

BILLS OF RIGHTS.

These usually assert or guarantee the follo Republican Principles.-That government tuted by the people and for their benefit; that