three, and two only should be of one party. They get $3 for each day's service.

In counties having 150,000 inhabitants and over, a county controller is elected to perform the duties of the auditors.

The Mercantile Appraiser. His duty is to furnish to the county treasurer a list of all merchants in the county, classified according to the amount of their annual business done. Upon this valuation a State tax is laid.

The fees are fifty cents for each place of business visited and a mileage of six cents. The appointment is made by the county commissioners.

The County Superintendent.-The official head of all the public schools in the county is the county superintendent. His duties are to hold annual examinations in all or most of the school districts for the purpose of giving certificates to persons who are qualified to teach, to visit all the public schools, if possible, once a year, to hold an annual institute for all the teachers of the county, and to make out an annual as well as a monthly report, for the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The certificates granted by a county superintendent are of two kinds-provisional and professional. The former is good for one year; the latter for as much of the term of the superintendent as remains unexpired when it is granted and for one year thereafter. It is granted only to experienced teachers.

He has power also to recommend teachers to the State Superintendent as worthy of a permanent certificate, which is granted by the State School Department to holders of professional certificates upon passing a satisfactory examination before a committee appointed by the State Superintendent. The county superintendent is

elected by a convention of the school directors of the county. His salary is fixed by the convention, the law fixing the minimum and the maximum at $1,000 and $2,000 respectively, according to the size of the county, the number of the schools, and its average length of school term. Any amount above the maximum may be agreed on; but the excess is not paid by the State, but is deducted from the county's share of the State appropriation. The county superintendent can succeed himself.

ANALYTICAL REVIEW.-What is the general character of a county office? Explain president judge and associate judges. In what court is a civil case tried? a murder case? an assault and battery case? are legacies recovered? What is the chief duty of a judge learned in the law? of one not learned in the law? Salary and term of judges? History of the jury? What is an indictment? When do costs enter into a verdict? Explain when a verdict is "For the Plaintiff." How does a posse comitatus come into existence? Who has charge of the county jail? What is a writ of execution? How is a vacancy in the sheriff's office filled? In what office would you look for the record of a manslaughter case? for the returns of a congressional election? Why does the prothonotary send the record of the fall elections to the Secretary of the Commonwealth? Who probates wills? How are estates settled when there is no will? Explain collateral inheritance. What kinds of papers must be recorded? What offices are combined into one in small counties? If you wanted to sue a county, against whom would you proceed? What officials are in the employ of the commissioners? What must be the politics of the board of Commissioners? If a county bridge needed repairs, to whom would you report? How is the treasurer paid for his services? What is meant by "representing the Commonwealth?" What advantage in the office of district attorney? What is the solicitor's duty in a county? the coroner's? the surveyor's? Why are children at certain ages not allowed in the almshouse? How are jurors selected? By whom are the county's accounts examined? Why should not all the auditors be of the same party? Duty of mercantile appraiser? State the difference between a provisional and a professional certificate? How is a permanent cer tificate obtained? How is the county superintendent paid?

CHAPTER V.

THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

The State, like the National government, has three departments—the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. The necessity of this tripartite form of government, which is common to all the States in the Union, is self-evident. We cannot conceive of a government by the people that does not have a power to make laws, a power to carry them out, and a power to explain what they mean. After a law has been made, it must be carried out or it will be a dead letter, commanding neither respect nor obedience. But a law is necessarily not always understood alike. One person takes this meaning out of it, another that. Then again, a law may not be based on the Constitution; in that case there must be a power higher than the legislative and the executive, to declare it unconstitutional. To settle disputes about the meaning and constitutionality of laws, is the highest function of the judicial department and it is finally vested in the Supreme Court.

THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.

The Nature of the General Assembly.-The legislative power is vested in the General Assembly,-commonly called the Legislature,-which consists of a Senate and House of Representatives. The members of the two bodies are chosen in the same way and by the same persons. There is a difference however in age and in term of office, and the number of senators is about one.

fourth of the number of representatives. In their function, the two bodies differ in this, that the Senate, besides having the law-making power, has some degree of executive power as well as judicial power. It confirms or rejects appointments of the Governor and thereby assumes executive power; it tries all cases of impeachment and is therefore also judicial in its nature.

As stated in another chapter, the first constitution of Pennsylvania provided only for one house. Our fathers were jealous of popular rights and therefore they opposed every form of government in which the people could not be in close touch with their rulers. It was for this reason that they did not favor an upper house; but time soon demonstrated that two houses are necessary, one to serve as a check on the other; and in the second constitution, two were created.

This theory of the division of the legislative power was almost unknown to the republics of ancient times; but now it is an axiom in the science of legislation.

The Duties of the General Assembly.—It is the duty of the General Assembly, or Legislature, to make such laws as are necessary for the welfare of the State; but it must make no laws that violate the constitution of the United States or that of Pennsylvania. It can legislate on almost any subject (See Constitution, Art. 3, Sec. 7); but there are a few things with which it is not allowed to meddle (See various Sections of Art. 3).

Other duties of the General Assembly are the election of two persons to represent the State in the United States Senate; the division of the State into representative and senatorial districts, as well as into judicial and congressional, once every ten years, immediately after each United States census; the fixing of the number, duties

and compensation of State, county and township officers; the appropriation of money, the raising of revenue and the submitting of amendments to the constitution.

How a Bill Becomes a Law.-(1) Bills may originate in either house (except revenue bills, which must come from the House). (2) No bill is considered unless it has been referred to a committee, returned therefrom, and printed for the use of members. (3) Every bill is read by the clerk on three different days, in each house, amendments to it being made on second reading and the same being printed for the use of the members before the final vote is taken on third reading. (4) After third reading the vote on final passage must be taken by yeas and nays and a majority of all the members elected to each house must be recorded as voting in its favor if it is to pass. (5) After having passed both houses, a bill, to become a law, must be signed by the Governor. If he vetoes it, he must return it to the house in which it originated and state his objections. If it then passes both houses by a vote of two-thirds of all the members of each house (yea and nay vote), it becomes a law over the Governor's veto. (6) If the Governor does not return the bill within ten days after it has been presented to him, it becomes a law without his signature. But if the Legislature adjourns before the ten days are up, the Governor has thirty days after such adjournment in which to sign or veto all bills in his hands.

Sessions of the General Assembly.-The General Assembly meets at 12 o'clock, noon, on the first Tuesday in January of every second year. The length of term is not fixed; it is generally about five months. Special sessions can be called only by the Governor. A special session of the Senate alone may be called, but not of the House