Some variations in the minor details of the system are to be found, but the general features are the same in all the States in which it has been adopted. The essential part of the system is that the entire machinery of election is put into the hands of the State, instead of being left, as heretofore, to the promiscuous methods of political parties.* "The Australian system of voting would be an immense power in clipping the wings and suppressing the evils of political bossism. Upward of eighty-five million people conduct their elections in accordance with its provisions, so that it is neither an untested experiment nor a questionable expedient. Wherever a free and accurate expression of opinion is desired it finds a home, so that it cannot be justly claimed as the method of any one country or people. "The cardinal features of the Australian system are compulsory secrecy of voting, uniform official ballots containing the names of all candidates printed under State or municipal authority, and official equality of nominations when made either by a party convention or by a paper signed by a given number of voters; under this system all qualified voters have equal facilities for voting and all candidates have equal facilities for receiving votes. "The Australian system has produced effects far wider than the mere achievement of a single reform. It offers not only free and pure elections, but free nominations. It offers a method of nomination that is free to all, and it emancipates us from the rule of the political bosses. There is abundant testimony that it is the best, the most rapid and the most facile mode of obtaining the unbiassed wish of voters. It secures tranquillity, purity and freedom of choice. For all these reasons I heartily favor it."-Gov. ROBT. E. PATTISON. QUESTIONS DEVELOPING THE GOVERNMENT OF THE WHAT is a State? What are the civil divisions of a State? What is a constitution? When was the constitution now in operation in this State adopted? How can the constitution of this State be amended? Has it ever been amended? Does the constitution of this State contain a bill of rights? What is an elector? What is the difference between an elector and a citizen? What are the qualifications of an elector in this State? Are the local officers, State officers and Federal officers elected on the same or on different days? Why? Who is the highest executive officer of this State? When is he elected? For how long a term? What are his qualifications? State some of his duties. What is his salary? Has this State a lieutenant-governor? What are his qualifications? When is he elected? For how long a term? His duties? His salary? What are the other executive officers of this State? How is each chosen? State some of the duties of each. Name some of the administrative officers of this State. What is the name of the legislative body that makes the laws of this * These questions are suggestive only, and are to be modified or extended at the discretion of the teacher, so as to develop the methods and harmonize the variations and peculiarities in the forms of local government. A copy of the State constitution should always be used in studying the government of a State. State? How many branches has it? What are their names? What is the term of service in each? When does this body meet? Where? How often? How many State senatorial districts are there in this State? In which State senatorial district do you reside? Who is the State senator from this district? What are his qualifications? His term of service? His salary? How many representative or assembly districts are there in this State? In which representative district do you reside? Who is the State representative from this district? What are his qualifications? His term of service? His salary? How many congressional districts are there in this State? How many representatives has this State in Congress? In which congressional district do you reside? By what authority is the State divided into congressional districts? Who represents this congressional district in Congress? What are the qualifications of a representative? How is he chosen? For how long a term of service? What is his salary? How many United States senators has each State? What is his By whom are they chosen? For how long a term of service? What are the qualifications of a United States senator? salary? What are the names of the different State courts in this State? Which is the highest State court in this State? What are the titles of its judges? How are they chosen? What is their term of office? Is this State divided into State judicial districts? In which State judicial district do you reside? In which United States circuit court district is this State located? Where does the United States circuit court for this State meet? What justice of the United States Supreme Court presides in this circuit? How many United States district courts are there in this State? Who is the resident United States district judge? When does the United States district court meet? Where? How are the judges of the United States courts chosen ? What other officers besides the judges are connected with the United States courts? What are their duties? How are they chosen? What are the names of the different county courts in this county? In what courts are civil cases tried? Criminal cases? In what courts are estates of deceased persons adjudicated? How are the judges chosen in this county? What is the salary of the judges in this county? Where do the courts of this county meet? Who is the present county attorney? How is he chosen? What is his term of service? What are his duties? His salary? Who is the sheriff of this county? How is he chosen? What is his term of service? His salary? What are his duties? What are the other officers of this county? What are their duties? What are the civil divisions of this county? What is the title of the judicial officer in this township, town or parish? Of the executive officers? Of the legislative officers? Of the administrative officers? What are the duties of each? Which of these officers are required to give a bond for the faithful performance of their duties? Explain the nature and operation of a bond. What is the title of the chief executive officer of a city? How is he chosen? What are his duties? His term of office? Name the other executive and administrative officers of a city. How are they chosen? What are their duties? Their terms of office? What is the title of the chief legislative body of a city? Of how many branches is it composed? What are the principal duties of the legislative department of a city? How are the members of the legislative department of a city chosen? Are they paid a salary for their services? What judicial officers are there in a city other than the county judges of the county in which the city is located? What are the duties of these officers? How are they chosen? How are they paid for their services? PROBLEMS IN CIVIL GOVERNMENT. If the regular candidate of the political party to which you belong were a person inferior in ability, morally and intellectually, to the candidate of the opposing party, which candidate would you vote for, and for what reason? A certain town wishes to construct waterworks, but it has no money for that purpose. In what two ways may it legally proceed to obtain the required funds? Which do you think would be the better? At a certain local election there was reason to believe that more votes were cast than there were lawful electors in the district. By what process would the facts in the case be ascertained, and how would the case be settled beyond further dispute? If an elector own land in several States, can he vote in them all? What facts determine his legal residence? Can a member of Congress at the same time hold a State office, according to the Constitution of the United States? What is the reason for this? According to the Constitution of the State in which you live? Is the reason the same? A politician described the civil service as "a system by which it is hard to get into an office and easy to get out of it;" he further said that he believed in a civil service "that makes it easy to get into an office, but hard to get a man out of the office." Do you think that he touched on any principle of popular government that could be made to work in practice? What principle? Do you think that the government of the people of the United States would be a more perfect government if there was only one political party in the country? If not, for what reason? In the assessment of real property the owner may complain that he is assessed too high; has he any means of getting the assessment changed? If he cannot get it changed, is he justified in refusing to pay his taxes? Why? In the older States many State officers are appointed by the governor by and with the consent of the Senate; in the newer States nearly all State officers are elected by the people. How do you explain this remarkable difference in the civil government of the States? Which do you favor? Why? In one of the States in the Union which requires by its Constitution that every person before he can vote must be able to read a section of the State Constitution, an illiterate man was taught to repeat a section from memory, and when his vote was challenged he (apparently) read the section, it having been pointed out to him by the person who had taught it to him. Was his vote illegal? Was he guilty of breaking the spirit of the law? Should he be punished? Are all citizens of the United States electors? Is there a difference between the meanings of the words "electors," "inhabitants," residents" and "citizens"? Which of these constitute "the sovereign people of the United States"? What principles of our government are illustrated in the following: An election. The inauguration of the President. The levy of a tax. The impeachment of a State officer. A jury trial. The support of public schools by taxation. The improvement of rivers and harbors by and at the expense of the National Government. The privileges of a member of the State or of the National legislature. The existence of a United States Supreme Court. |