PREFACE TO REVISED EDITION Several important amendments have recently been made to the Constitution of the State of Iowa, and new laws have been enacted by the General Assembly, so numerous and of so great importance that all text books on Iowa government have become seriously defective and misleading. A careful revision of "Iowa, its Constitution and Laws" has therefore been made by the author, who has had the benefit of the scholarly assistance of Hon. Charles W. Lyon, Assistant Attorney General of the State of Iowa. Remembering the generous approval with which earlier editions of this book have been received by Iowa schools and schoolmasters, the publishers confidently expect this new edition to meet all the demands to which changed conditions have given rise. CHARLES E. MERRILL CO. March 15th, 1908. CONTENTS III. Development of the Constitution IV. Relation of the State and Nation V. Constitution aided by Statutes . XVIII. Constitutional Amendments XIX. Miscellaneous Provisions . XX. Counties and County Government INTRODUCTION Order of Study—The natural order of inquiry into the government of one of the United States begins with its Constitution. In harmony with this thought we devote the first chapter of the following study of Iowa to the text of its fundamental law. We suggest, however, that at the outset the pupil be not required to do more than carefully read this text, and that the more minute examination of its provisions be taken up in connection with the subsequent chapters in which they are re-stated and explained in detail. Definitions—It cannot be too strongly urged upon teachers and pupils that they do not leave any topic which is discussed in this little volume until the meaning of the language employed has been thoroughly mastered. While careful effort has been made to state rules and principles in plain and ordinary terms, it has been impossible to avoid always the use of words and phrases peculiar to law books and writings. The Constitution also contains many terms not at first readily understood by the non-professional reader. In most instances of this kind we have given definitions and explanations which will enable the young person of ordinary intelligence to grasp the idea sought to be con 7 |