TWENTIETH CENTURY TEXT-BOOKS EDITED BY A. F. NIGHTINGALE, PH. D., LL. D. SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES BY BERNARD MOSES, PH.D., LL.D. PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE PREFACE THE main purpose of this book is to show what the Government of the United States is, by giving a sketch of its organization and the general methods of its working. It deals not only with the central, or Federal government, but also with the State, Territorial, and local governments; and all of these taken together make up the Government of the United States. Students who undertake the study of this Government should keep in mind the fact that each of the governments, local, State, and Federal, exercises some part of the political power of the nation. This is the territorial distribution of power. He should also keep in mind the fact that in the town or city government, as well as in the State or Federal government, the power which each holds is divided among the legislative, the executive, and the judicial departments. This is a distribution according to the kind of power to be exercised. Thus, in order to understand how this nation is governed, one must give attention to both of these forms of distribution. The topics here treated, concerning the organization and powers of the Government, constitute a general subject by themselves. If properly comprehended, they show us what the Government is. They are sufficient to occupy the student during the time usually allotted to this study, and they must 284809 |