VER- make it clear to the jury just what the connection is between the law and the facts. The instructions are called the "charge to the jury". The case is then said to be "submitted to the jury". The jurymen are sent to a room by themselves, where they elect one of their number foreman, and proceed to consider the question of the guilt of the person tried. They are kept shut up until they agree on a conclusion, or until it is clear to the judge that they cannot agree. If it seems that they will not agree, they are discharged and a new trial is had. When they are ready to give a "verdict", they are called into the court room, and the foreman hands to the judge the written conclusion signed by himself. If the accused or his counsel ask it, the jury is "polled", that is, the name of each one is called in answer to the question what his verdict is. If all agree that the prisoner is "guilty", the judge then, or very soon, sentences the prisoner. TENCE In the case of the crime of arson, the law gives a range of from one to twenty years. The judge may fix, within this limit, any term that he thinks is just. SEN The last act is the execution of the sentence by the sheriff, who takes the prisoner to the penitentiary within thirty days, and gives him into the keeping of the warden together with a copy of the sentence of the court. There are many places in the course of bringing a person to justice, where a trial may be de DELAY TRIALS layed or the execution of the sentence put off. During the trial, this is done by the lawyer for the person accused, by objecting to witIN nesses, or to testimony of witnesses, by moving to dismiss the case, etc. But the most frequent delay is caused by motions for a new trial. The grounds of a motion of this kind. must be stated very clearly. It is made to the judge presiding at the trial. If he "overrules" the motion, then an appeal may be made to the supreme court. If the supreme court finds that the first trial has not been conducted properly in any essential particular, the motion is sustained and a new trial granted. If the higher court should find that the statute under which the accused was tried was void and of no effect, then the prisoner would be discharged. Otherwise, the only effect of the supreme court decision. would be, either to find that the trial was all right, or else to find that there was an error made and that the case must be tried over again. REVIEW. Name the different districts in which you live. By whom is a constitution made? What have the people to do with a constitution? What is the use of a constitution? Why do you think constitutions have become longer than at the beginning of our government? Why is it necessary to have new laws every two years? How much does a legislature change the statutes? May it make all the changes it wishes? Define "lobbying" and "log-rolling". Give the manner of introducing bills into the legislature. How many committees does each branch of the legislature have? Why is the apportionment committee larger than most others? What is meant by "engrossing", "enrolling ", and "com- Who makes the rules that govern each house? Describe an apportionment. Is the governor the head of the State? Give reasons. Name the parts of the judiciary of Nebraska What is the use of the judicial department? Compare this part of the government with the other two. What has every citizen to do with the peace of the community? Before whom are the smaller crimes and offenses tried? If a crime is too important to be tried before a justice of the peace, who may try it? May a justice of the peace do anything with those who commit larger crimes? How does a judge know whether he may try a crime or not? What is a warrant? a return? Who are the "examining magistrates "? Define "subpoena", "bail", "bond". Tell how a grand jury is selected. What is the difference between "indictments" and Give the difference between felonies and misdemeanors. Define "verdict" and "sentence". Is it better for fifty guilty persons to escape punishment than for one innocent person to be punished? II. TAXATION. The one In the administration of government there remain three subjects of great interest. of these that most closely concerns the citizens of the state, is taxation. In the mind of the ordinary citizen the process by which he is taxed is vague and far away, except the terrible reality of taxes. The system in Nebraska, at least, is not TAX IS complicated, and may be easily understood by giving the subject a little attention. The main idea involved is a simple problem in percentage. The people of the State have property, a certain fractional part of which may be taken each CENT year to defray the expenses of government. AGE Certain officers of each State, county, and lower division estimate the amount that will be needed for the next year. The problem is simply this: Given the amount from which to raise the tax and the amount of tax needed; to find the rate. Divide the percentage by the base, and the result is the rate of taxation for the next year. The manner of finding each item, however, may not be clear. What kinds of property may be taxed, and how does the State know the amount of it? In regard to the first question, the BLE laws of the State name four kinds. First, ERTY all real and personal property; second, all moneys, credits, bords, or stocks, and other investments, the shares of stock of companies and associations and all other personal property, including property on the way to or from this State, if the owner lives in Nebraska; third, the shares of bank stock, if the banks are doing business in this State; fourth, the capital stock of companies organized under the laws of Nebraska. All kinds of companies have to pay taxes also. of Nebraska are very careful in saying just how the property and capital stock shall be assessed, TAXA PROP The laws in the case of gas companies, express companies, banks, brokers, manufacturing companies, railroads, telegraph companies, etc. ASSESS OF The process of valuation begins with the assessor of each precinct or township. The first VALUA step is the annual meeting of the assessTION ors of the county at the office of the county clerk, on the third Tuesday of March. The purpose is to fix the value of the ов various kinds of property to be assessed, The blanks which the assessor of a precinct or township uses are provided by the auditor of public accounts. They pass through the hands of the county clerk, who fills in the lists of lands and lots to be assessed. The assessor visits every part of his district between April 1st and June BOARDS 1st, and values all taxable property of QUAL- each person. The books are returned TION to the county clerk, and in the early part of June the county board hold a meeting, at which they review the work of the assessors. The board is said to sit as a board of equalization at this time, because it equalizes the values in the several districts. In metropolitan cities and cities of the first class, the council sits as a board of equalization. Those who think their lands valued too high may complain to the county board, or city council, while it is sitting as such board. In this manner the valuation of the property in a county is corrected, and justice is done to all, as nearly as possible. On the last day of the meeting of the county board in June, the IZA |