a responsible ministry, and the independence of the judiciary, perhaps the most distinctively American features of our constitution, are features common to nation, state and city. In the states as in the nation the legislature is composed of a senate and a house of representatives, each embodying a different principle of representation, and a different tenure of office. The same division occurs in many states in the municipal council, but this is not so in Montana.

Illustrations of the same analogy could be multiplied almost indefinitely, but enough has been given to indicate its completeness.

Sovereignty. Every citizen of the United States owes a two-fold allegiance to the nation and to the state. This allegiance is direct and entire in respect to both. In certain particulars the Nation exercises control and in certain the state, but in both the authority is exercised directly on the citizen. In only one direction is the prerogative of the National exercised through the state government, and in only one direction can the state government command the Nation. In case of war or to repel invasion the President of the United States, may, through the Governor of a state, summon the militia of a state and assume command of them. When it becomes apparent that the resources at the command of the Governor are insufficient to preserve order and to execute the laws of the state, the Governor may appeal to the President, and he must furnish assistance. But in this case even, the Nation retains authority over its own servants.

Participation of the State in the National Government. The people of a State co-operate with those of other states in the election of the President of the United States. They are also represented in the United States Senate by two Senators, and in proportion to the population in the House of Representatives. The Congressional Representative is elected by a popular vote and his term of office is two years. The vote for President is also popular, but it is not direct. Instead of voting directly for their choice, the people vote for a certain number of electors, and the electors chosen are in honor bound to vote for the choice of the people whom they represent. The Senators are chosen. as the legislature of the state may determine. In the state of Montana this is by the legislature direct. The term of office of the President is four years, that of the Senators is six years, but the terms of the two Senators are so arranged that both do not expire at the same time.

By an unwritten law of procedure, the National government also chooses from the various states, and in about the proportion of their respective populations, its employes in the governmental departments and in foreign countries. In 1893 there were eighteen citizens of Montana employed in the executive departments at Washington.

Authority of the United States Within State Limits. For enforcing the laws of the United States, collecting United States taxes and other purposes the National government appoints its own servants in each

state.

These are almost always citizens of the state in which their duties are performed. According to the last United States Official Register, or Blue Book, as it is commonly termed, there were within the boundaries of the state of Montana nearly a thousand persons engaged in the interests of the National government, without reckoning officers and soldiers of the regular army, detachments of which were located at Forts Assinnaboine, Keogh and Missoula. About a dozen people are employed in the assay office.

Public Lands. The ownership of a large portion of the territory of the state of Montana is retained by the United States, and demands the attention of two sets of government employes. All matters respecting boundaries and surveying are under the direction of the United States Surveyor-General of the survey district of Montana, whose headquarters are at the state capital, and under whom is a considerable force of clerks, draughtsmen and deputy surveyors. There are also land offices at several places in the state, to which is assigned the duty of allotting the lands belonging to the National government to actual settlers under the laws respecting homestead and pre-emption. At these land offices also direct sales of land are sometimes made.

Temporarily a number of United States Mineral Land Commissioners are now engaged within the state, their duties being confined to disputes existing between the National government and the Northern Pacific Railroad regarding the mineral lands.

Indian Service.-About two hundred and fifty persons were employed on the various Indian reservations, about two-fifths of this number being the Indian police and one-fifth instructors in the Indian schools. The remainder were engaged in the judiciary department or in offices from which the government collects a

revenue.

Judiciary Department.-The judicial district of Montana comprises a part of the ninth judicial circuit, the two Judges representing which at present have their headquarters at Portland, Ore., and San Francisco, Cal. The force at present employed in the district consists of a Judge, an Attorney, a Marshal, a clerk and fifty-two United States commissioners distributed over the state.

United States Taxes.-Owing to the unpopular nature of direct taxes when assessed by the National government, such taxes as are collected by the United States are what are known as indirect taxes. These are taxes which, while ultimately paid by the consumer, are so incorporated into the price of his goods as not to be recognized by him as a tax. And gener

ally in laying the tax the government has in view, not only the creation of revenue, but also some philanthropic or economic advantage. This is true of customs duties which aim to discourage the consumption of luxuries or of products of foreign factories, and of the internal revenue tax which is directed against luxuries or industries which should be discouraged.

The Collector of customs duties has his headquarters

at Fort Benton. A deputy collector and inspector is stationed at Sweet Grass station, on the Great Northern Railway. Mounted inspectors patrol some of the Indian reservations, and other employes of the custom house are distributed through the state.

The internal revenue district of Montana embraces the states of Idaho, Utah and Montana, and in 1893 had a force of fourteen employes, six of whom were stationed in the state of Montana.

Post-Offices.-In 1893 there were three hundred and ninety post-offices in the state, and consequently three hundred and ninety postmasters. This allows rather more than one post-office for every five hundred inhabitants, and the compensation of the postmasters ranged that year all the way from eighty-eight cents to thirtyone hundred dollars. In the various post-offices were employed thirty-eight clerks and nineteen lettercarriers. In the railway mail service in the state were forty-two employes. The contracts for railway mail service were let to twenty different contractors, and there were one hundred and sixty-two star routes, the business of which was distributed among forty-nine contractors.

The revenue derived from carrying the mails is not considered either by the government or the people as a tax, but rather as a reasonable payment for services performed. It has always been the object of the government to make the post-office department nearly selfsustaining, and, consistently with this object, to furnish the most complete service at the lowest possible rates.

421952 A