reduce costs, since they buy and manufacture and sell in larger quantities than the small manufacturer. This saving is of value to us all-provided we get the benefit of it in lower prices. Therefore some argue that we should not compel the combinations to dissolve, but should regulate prices. Others believe that trusts should be split up and competition fostered by means of the laws which now prevent "unfair trade practices," such as selling goods far below cost to drive out a competitor, and obtaining "rebates" from railroads, that is, secret agreements for cheaper rates.

The trust problem is the problem of fair play in business for the manufacturer, for the laborer, for the public. It has been solved only in part.

The States have also passed many laws in an effort to end monopoly or prevent its evils, but with little success since their laws cannot touch interstate com

merce.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT

SECTION 1

1. Does the local or national government come closer to our daily life?

2. What are the greatest services that the national government does for us?

3. Why must the national government protect us from foreign

enemies?

4. What nation has been conquered again and again?

5. How many wars has America fought?

6. What was the longest period between wars and what was the average interval?

7. Of what value is it to a citizen travelling abroad to have a strong

and courageous government at home?

8.

What great steps have been taken toward preserving the peace of the world?

9. When does the President send troops into a State to preserve

order?

SECTION 2

10.

How does America of to-day differ from America of 1789? 11. Where do our foods now come from?

12.

13.

How does this change increase the responsibilities of the national government?

Why are the States not allowed to coin money?

14. What coins are now minted?

15. What kinds of paper money are there in circulation?

16. What is the per capita circulation of money?

17. Why is the post-office not run for profit?

18. What five services does the post-office offer?

19.

20.

21.

Under what clause of the Constitution does Congress have power to regulate railroad rates?

Why did the nation build the Panama Canal?

What does the pure food and drug law provide?

22. What has the national government done for the farmer through grants of land and what is it doing now?

23. What does the Department of Agriculture do for the farmer? 24. What does conservation mean? What does the government do to preserve our forests?

25. What does the Department of Labor do for labor?

26. Why cannot it do more?

27. What is a protective tariff?

28. What is the Republican defense of it?

29. What is the Democratic case against it?

30. How has it affected the nation?

31. What is a trust?

32. How can it interfere with fair play in business?

33. What is a monopoly?

34. What laws has the nation passed to cure the evils of the trusts?

35. What trusts has it dissolved?

36. Are there any economies from trusts?

37. Is the problem solved?

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What has the national government done for you to-day?

3. Has America ever been obliged to put down a rebellion?

4.

5.

6.

7.

How many countries can you name that have been invaded by a foreign enemy?

Are foods and drugs marked in any way to show that they have been inspected by the national government?

How many kinds of coins and paper money have you seen?

8. Have you ever seen the Interstate Commerce Commission's schedule of railway rates? It is required to be posted in every railroad station.

CHAPTER XIV

THE GOVERNMENT OF A STATE

1. THE STATE

State Governments. We now come to the governments of the States. As you will recall, each State is left free by the Constitution to govern itself as it sees fit in its local concerns. That is our theory of home rule. It possesses all powers not delegated to the national government and not denied to it by the Constitution. (Amendment X.) Therefore it is impossible to describe any one system of State government that will hold true of all forty-eight States. As a matter of fact, no two are exactly alike. What follows is only a rough sketch which must be filled in and perhaps altered a little to apply to your own State.

In general outline the State governments are very much like the national government. The seat of the State government is the State capital. There are three branches exactly as in the government at Washington.

The State Executive.-The executive (corresponding to the President) is the governor, elected directly by the people of the State. His term is usually two or four years. His salary ranges from $2,500 in Nebraska and Vermont to $12,000 in Illinois. The lieutenantgovernor corresponds to the Vice-President.

One important difference to be noted is that some of the governor's chief assistants are always elected along

with him by the people and not appointed by him. A treasurer and a comptroller (who handle the funds of the State), a secretary of state and an attorney-general are usually among these. (Do not confuse this secretary of state with the national secretary of state, who has charge of our foreign affairs. The State, as we have seen, has no foreign affairs, and its secretary is simply the keeper of the State's records and election returns.) A governor thus has no body of chosen advisers exactly corresponding to the President's Cabinet, and he cannot select or control his chief agents.

This feature of our State governments has been much criticised, for it divides responsibility and prevents unified handling of the State's affairs. It also puts an undue burden on the voter, who often does not know anything about the minor candidates. The "short ballot" is the name given to the plan of cutting down the number of elective offices. We have a "short ballot" in the national election now, for we vote only for President, Vice-President, senator, and representative. The "short-ballot" would apply the same principle to State, county, township, city, and village.

Appointments. The governor has many appointments to make. Chief among these are a superintendent of education,* who has general supervision of the public schools, a superintendent of prisons, and a State engineer, who has care of the State highways.

Many States have created numerous boards or commissions in recent years to handle various matters, all appointed by the governor. There are boards of agri

* In several States the superintendent of education is now elected by the people.