Party Organization.
T
The difference of opinion on national questions is the cause of a number of political parties in the United States.
As long as men and women think for themselves we shall have political parties.
It is really the product of a government by public opinion. Without political organizations it would be almost impossible to govern the policy and character of the country and control the affairs of the nation.
The political parties are the agents through which organizations are made.
As a test of one's love of his country and its government is shown by his work and aggressiveness.
Every citizen should study the ethics of his government, think for himself, and form his own opinion.
A person with no opinion on public affairs is a coward and unpatriotic.
Our nation depends largely upon moral and cultured people who will study the issues of the day and express themselves in positive terms on what they deem best for the nation and its government.
Organization is a number of people systematically united for some end. It is through organization that political parties become effective.
Political parties arose after the adoption of the Constitution. They are organized for national, state and local campaigns, and not originally a part of the government, but as we grew and the population became greater there arose different political parties. Every district, village, town and city has its permanent local campaign committees in elections, beside the state and national committees, which make a very complete organization.
The duty of the permanent committees is to keep the machinery of the party working. Really the permanent committees do the hard work in politics. They organize political clubs, solicit funds, issue calls for conventions, urge people to register and vote and in many other ways keep up the interest of the party.
Since the adoption of the Constitution there have been two principal parties advocating different principles.
The first parties were known as the Federalist and anti-Federalist.
The two great dominant parties now in the United States—the Democratic and Republican parties.
Our Constitution did not provide us with laws as to the way of selecting candidates for office, but just as soon as political parties came into existence, nominations followed.
The Democratic party is the oldest. It goes back to the days of Jefferson. It advocated "state rights," limiting the power of national government, tariff for revenue only. These were some of the issues discussed before the recent war, but other important issues in these days of reconstruction have taken their place.
The Republican party was formed before the Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States. It was originally called the Federalist party.
The Republican party remained in control of the national government until 1884 Grover Cleveland was elected for two terms, four years each.
This party originally advocated a high tariff.
The recent platforms of the two parties now in power will give the issues of the present day.
Committees.
T
The national committee of each party is formed of one member from each state, who organizes the national convention of his party.
The chairman of this committee of each party calls a meeting of his committee in the spring before the presidential election and decides when and where they will hold the national convention.
This year the Democratic convention was held in San Francisco, beginning on 28th of June.
The Republican convention was held in Chicago on the 8th of June.
Each convention adopted its own party platform.
The State Central Committee is the party organization in control of the party in the State. It is composed of one man from each of the eleven congressional districts elected by the people and a member at large.
State at Large—George B. Martin, Catlettsburg.
State Executive Committee from State at Large—J. A. Robinson, Lancaster.
Chairman Democratic National Committee, Homer S. Cummings, Baltimore, Md.
The county committee consists of one man or woman from each elective district in the county, and the city committee one from each ward or election district in the city.
The voters of the county of the party they represent meet at the court house at the county seat and elect a temporary chairman and the delegates to represent the party at the State convention.
If the people of the county favor a certain man for President they may instruct their delegates for this man in the State convention.
The fight at the convention is usually for chairman, who when elected usually appoints a committee to draw resolutions and names the delegates in the resolutions, which are reported back to the convention for action.
The call for State convention is issued by the State Central Committee of the party, and a copy of the call is sent to the chairman of each local committee. The convention is called to order by the chairman of the State Committee.
The secretary of the State Central Committee reads the call of the convention.
The convention is opened with prayer.
Motions are made that the chair appoint a committee on credentials, on permanent organization, and on resolutions.
A temporary chairman and secretary are elected.
The report of the committee on credentials is read, giving the number of delegates present, and rendering a decision concerning contested delegations.
The report of the committee on organization is usually adopted at once and names the permanent officers of the convention, which include a permanent chairman, secretary, assistant secretaries, vice chairman and sergeant-at-arms.
The chairman of the convention is generally a prominent party leader, and when he takes his seat he delivers a speech upon the issues of the campaign.
The platform is read by the chairman of the committee on resolutions and usually accepted without amendments. Then the convention takes up the nomination of candidates. After the nominations are made the vote is then taken by call of the counties by the secretary. When the candidates receive the number necessary to elect, generally a majority of all the votes cast, some one usually moves that his nomination be made unanimous. They elect all the officers in the same way.
National Convention.
T
The National Convention is called to order about noon on the day appointed in the official call, by the chairman of the national committee.
The convention is opened with prayer.
The call is read, after which the national committee names a list of temporary officers for the convention, temporary chairman, secretary, clerks, sergeant-at-arms and stenographers.
The temporary chairman takes the chair and makes a formal speech on the political situation.
A resolution is adopted making the rules of the preceding convention the rules of the convention until otherwise ordered.
Motions are made for the appointment of committees on credentials, permanent organization, rules and resolutions, each consisting of one member from each state and territory.
Resolutions concerning contested seats are presented to the convention and referred without debate to the committee on credentials. (Every state is allowed double as many delegates as it has Senators and Representatives in Congress. The four men corresponding to the representation of the Senate are delegates at large, the others are district delegates, which number twenty-two district delegates and four delegates at large, making twenty-six delegates to the National Convention from Kentucky.)
This ends the first session of the convention.
When the convention assembles for the second session, the first business is the report of the credential committee.
In deciding contested seats, the committee on credentials gives each side a chance to present its claims, and then decides between them, generally in favor of the regular delegates, those endorsed by the state and the district committee.
Two full contesting delegations from the same state, sometimes seats are given to both, each delegate being entitled to one-half vote.
After the credential committee arrives at a decision concerning contested seats, its report including a list arranged by the states of all delegates entitled to seats is usually accepted by the convention with very little debate.
Then the committee on organization make their report, which consists of a list of permanent officers of the convention—previously arranged to some extent by the national committee. (This report is usually arranged beforehand and therefore adopted without much trouble, if any.) A committee is appointed to escort the permanent chairman to the platform, who usually delivers a speech on the issues of the coming campaign.
The chair calls for the committee on rules first, for their report.
Two rules of great importance in a Democratic Convention are: First—A rule requiring for the nomination of candidates two-thirds of the whole number of votes in the convention. The Republican requires only a majority.
Second Rule—The so-called unit rule under which a majority of each state delegation is allowed to cast the entire vote to which the state is entitled even against the protest of a minority of the delegation. These two rules are strictly adhered to in the Democratic party only.
While waiting on the resolution committee's report, miscellaneous business is disposed of, such as the election of national committees and of committees on notification. Such committees usually consist of one delegate from each state and territory, the members being designated by the respective delegations.
About the third day the resolution committee is ready to report the platform.
This platform is a formal statement of the party's attitude upon the public questions of the day; next to the nomination of candidates it is the most important work of the convention.
The platform of any party is usually adopted as read.
Nominations for candidates are next in order, and these begin with the roll call of the states arranged alphabetically for the presentation of candidates for the presidential nomination. Several candidates are often nominated. The delegation from any state when called in its turn may pass its right of nomination to any other delegation not yet called.
Some good and influential speaker will nominate the candidate from his state, and it is usually seconded by a good speaker from some state that has not a candidate.
After roll call for nominations is completed the convention proceeds to the first ballot.
The chairman of the delegation from his state when the state is called by the secretary of the convention, arises and announces the vote of his state. Sometimes a candidate is nominated by acclamation, but usually many ballots are necessary to decide the contest.
If a candidate is not nominated on the first few ballots, a dark horse sometimes receives the nomination, but this is seldom the case.
As soon as a candidate receives the number of votes necessary to nominate, which is two-thirds of the delegates in a Democratic convention and a majority in a Republican convention, usually some one moves that the nomination be made unanimous, which is adopted with great applause.
After the nomination for President is over the convention proceeds in the same way to nominate a candidate for Vice President.
At the national convention of each party a new national committee is appointed to carry on the campaign and act until the next convention.
The platform adopted at the national convention of either party is an expression of the principles of the party.
Sometimes a plank is put in to catch voters. On some questions the plank may not be plain, but may straddle the issues.
The national platform gives the principles to which the party is committed and its attitude on important public questions.
Registration.
I
In all cities where registration of the voters is required, men and women register on the same day in the ward or precinct in which they live.
For the purpose of registration the polls open from 6 o'clock a. m. to 9 o'clock p. m.
There are four election officers who have a book in which are registered the names of all the legal voters in their precinct. Two of these officers are called judges; one is a sheriff and the other is a clerk.
A person desiring to register enters the voting place and announces his or her intention to register. The judge takes the name, residence, party affiliation and citizenship, and may also inquire as to any other matter that would affect his or her right to vote at an election.
If found to be qualified, that is 21 years of age and a resident of the state for one year, a resident of the county for six months, and a resident of the precinct for sixty days, they may register unless in a class prohibited by law from exercising the right to vote.
The clerk then writes the name and address in the registration book entering also color and political affiliation. When this is done the registration is completed, and the elector is qualified to exercise the right of suffrage in all subsequent elections, special elections and primary elections for one year. The officers of the election give him or her a certificate of registration signed by all four officers of the registration, and if they lose this certificate they cannot vote at the regular election unless they get a duplicate certificate from the county clerk, which costs 50 cents.
In the different class cities there are some differences as to the method and time of registering, but in Kentucky the generalregistration is usually on the first Tuesday of October, in all cities and towns of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth classes. The hours for registration are from six o'clock a. m. to nine o'clock p. m.
Special registrations are held thereafter as follows: One special registration may be held by order of the city authorities, which will be conducted exactly as the first registration above referred to, and during the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next preceding the general election day those persons who were absent or sick, or unable to attend and register on the regular registration days, may appear before the county court clerk at his office in the court house, and register, to have the same effect as if the registration had taken place in the manner above referred to, also on the day before the election and on election day, public officers of the state, and the United States government, traveling salesmen and certain ministers of religion may apply before the county court clerk in the court house and be registered if they will make oath that they were not present in their city or town during any of the previous registration days. Persons that have become eligible to vote at the general primary election, which occurs on the first Saturday in August may register two weeks before the election in the county court clerk's office as above described, provided such persons were not in the city on any of the previous regular registration days, or who were not then qualified to register and may vote in the primary election in the same manner as other qualified electors.
The primary election is conducted in the same manner as any other election.
When you register the clerk gives you a certificate of registration, which you keep to show the election officers when you go to vote, that you have registered.
Persons living in the country and small towns do not have to register.
Voting Form
The names of all candidates are arranged in columns, under the party device to which they belong. A voter by putting a cross mark in the circle under the rooster votes for all the Democratic nominees of his party. In the circle under the log cabin votes for the Republican nominees of his party.
This does not require a knowledge to even read, only to be able to distinguish between the pictures of a rooster and a log cabin.
Candidates in the United States are usually nominated either in a party primary or a nominating convention.
Primaries are conducted like elections. The name of the party running for an office is put on the ballot of his party with the names of others who have filed similar petitions. On the day set for the primary the voters go to the polls and cast their vote as at a general election. The candidate who receives the largest number of votes is the nominee of the party for that office.
Primaries cost more than conventions—they are like elections—you have to advertise extensively and meet the voters. In a few months the election follows and you practically go over the same.
Only the voters who can vote in the party primary are those who registered for the previous election as members of that party.
Certificates and petitions of nomination must be filed with the Secretary of State not more than seventy-five days and not less than forty-five days, before the day fixed by law for the election of the persons in nomination, also certificates and petitions are directed to be filed with the clerk of the county court not more than seventy-five and not less than forty-five days before the election.
The primary elections are conducted in the same manner as any other election.
The two methods of making nominations are by a caucus or convention system, and the primary election system.
The qualifications for a voter at a primary are the same as election. On the first Saturday in August each year from 6 o'clock a. m. to 4 o'clock p. m. there shall be held at the regular polling places in each election precinct a primary election for the nomination of candidates for office by political parties, to be voted for at the next November election. You do not register to vote in the primary, and a citizen not of age at the time of the primary, but will be twenty-one before the November election can vote in the primary.
Primaries are conducted similar to elections—about same laws and regulations.
After all the political parties have nominated their candidates then the struggle for election begins.
The period of a few months between the nominations and elections is spent by each party in trying to get votes for its candidate.
Every voter must be twenty-one years old, a resident of the state for one year, of the county six months, and of the precinct sixty days.
On election day the voter goes to the polling place and appears before the election officers, who will probably be the same ones who presided at the registration. You give your name and residence, and if you live in a city where registration is required you must produce your registration certificate and one of the judges may consult the registration book to see if you have registered. If found to be registered, the clerk will write your name and address upon the stub of the ballot book and endorse his own name on the back of the ballot, and remove the ballot from the book leaving the stub (called the primary stub) in the book.
The voter will go into a voting booth with the ballot folded, then unfold the ballot, take the stencil, press it on the ink pad and if you desire to vote a straight party ticket place the stencil mark in the circle immediately underneath the device of the party whose candidates you desire to vote for. If you desire to vote for candidates irrespective of any party affiliation you will place the stencil mark in the small square immediately following the name of each candidate for whom you desire to vote.
When the ballot is thus completed you lay the stencil aside, fold the ballot in exactly the same manner as when you received it from the clerk and then return it to the judge of the election, who removes the secondary stub from the ballot and deposits the ballot itself in the ballot box. If any voter spoils or defaces a ballot by mistake so that it cannot be used hemay return it, and get another, and the fact noted by the clerk by writing the word "spoiled" on the stub and spoiled ballot.
No person except the election officers shall remain within fifty feet of the polls, except when voting.
It shall be the duty of the sheriff in each county before an election to secure in each precinct of the county a suitable room in which to hold the election, and have sufficient booths in which electors shall mark their ballots, screened from observation.
Our laws concerning elections are more stringent in the past few years. Every precaution is taken to insure honesty of elections.
No officer of election shall do any electioneering on election day.
In all elections in Kentucky the voting shall be by ballot.
The ballot boxes are opened and inspected before voting begins to see that they are empty.
Electioneering is forbidden within one hundred feet of the polls.
Twice as many official ballots are provided for every polling place as there are registered voters in the district.
If a person is illiterate he is allowed assistance in marking his ballot.
An inspector may challenge a person's vote, but if they swear they are eligible their vote is recorded and marked challenged.
A person cannot vote who is not naturalized for at least ninety days before election. Also a person convicted of bribery or an infamous crime, a deserter from the army or navy, and one who bets on that election cannot vote.
The Governor of the State may restore one to citizenship so that they can vote.
In registration polls are opened from 6 a. m. to 9 p. m., but in election polls are opened from 6 a. m. to 4 p. m.
When the polls are closed the ballots are counted by the election officers and announced and placed in ballot box, which is locked by officers, who then take the ballot box, poll books, certificates, etc., to the county clerk who unlocks the box in thepresence of the election officers to see if the packages containing the ballots are properly sealed, and if so, the county clerk issues his receipt for the box and ballots—one to the judge, and one to the sheriff.
The county clerk within a certain time sends the ballots to a canvassing board which examines them and makes an official announcement of the number of votes cast for each candidate, and gives them a certificate of their election. The successful candidates are notified and later installed into office.
Amendments to the Constitution are handled in the same way as an election. The ballot contains the amendment proposed with "Yes" or "No" printed at the side. The party voting crosses out one of these words, puts the ballot in the blank envelope and returns it as in an election.
Voting by mail is often a great convenience.
The world is becoming more democratic and the right to vote for representation is now arranged so that all eligible citizens of the United States, twenty-one and over, may have a part in governing his or her country.
If a voter is out of the state or county and holds his residence in the same place as when he voted last—or calls home—he or she can vote by mail. He must first register, which is also done by mail.
A printed ballot with return envelope is sent to him. The ballot is marked by placing a cross opposite the name of the candidate voted for, then put in a blank envelope, sealed and enclosed in an envelope addressed to the secretary or clerk of the county or chairman of the tellers.
This envelope must be signed by the one voting. The blank envelope containing the ballot is opened and the ballot deposited in the ballot box.
The one voting must take an oath before a notary public that he or she is eligible.
When the voters go to the polls on election day to vote for President and Vice President every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November they really cast their ballots for the electors who were nominated at the state convention. The names of the state electors of each party are printed on the ballots under the party name. The ones receiving the most votes are elected, and are morally bound to vote for the candidate of the party that elected them.
The campaign continues until the election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The electors elected in November meet at their state capital in January and vote for President and Vice President. The result of this vote is dispatched at once to the President of the Senate at Washington, D. C. The electors of the different states meet at Washington on the morning of the second Monday in January after their election, and give their vote at or after twelve o'clock according to law.
On the second Wednesday in February succeeding the meeting of the electors, the Senate and House of Representatives meet in the Hall of Representatives at 1 o'clock p. m. with the President of the Senate presiding.
Two tellers are appointed in each House to whom shall be handed, as they are opened by the President of the Senate, all the certificates and papers purporting to be certificates of the —— electoral voters, which certificates and papers shall be opened, presented and acted upon in alphabetical order of the states; said tellers having then read the same in the presence and hearing of the two Houses, shall make a list of the voters as they shall appear from the said certificates, and the votes having been ascertained and counted, according to law; the result of the same shall be delivered to the President of the Senate, who shall announce the result of the vote, which announcement shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the persons elected President and Vice President of the United States, and together with the list of voters be entered on the journals of the two Houses.
If no one receives a majority of all the electoral votes the Constitution provides that the House of Representatives shall choose a President and the Senate a Vice President. (Article XII, National Constitution.)
The President and Vice President are inaugurated on March 4th succeeding the election.
They take the oath of office on a platform on the east front of the Capitol. The President delivers an address outlining his policies, then returns to the White House.
Taxation.
T
The national government is supported by taxation in various ways, and it requires a great amount of money to carry on the business of our country even in times of peace—over $2,000,000,000. This money is raised through a system of taxation of two kinds—direct and indirect.
A direct tax is a tax on real property or a poll tax.
An indirect tax is a tax on one individual, but is indirectly paid by another. (Taxes assessed on merchandise are indirect, as the consumer pays them.)
Most of the money is raised by import duties and excise taxes.
Import duties are taxes on imported goods.
Excise tax is a tax levied on goods manufactured in this country.
Duties are taxes on goods imported from foreign countries. The consumer on imported goods indirectly pays the duty assessed by the government.
There are two kinds of duties—specific and ad valorem.
Specific duties are fixed amounts levied on certain commodities as the yard, pound and gallon.
Ad valorem duties are levied at a certain rate per cent on the value of the articles taxed.
Duties are leviable on either imports or exports.
Imports relate only to goods brought into the country from abroad.
Exports relate to goods sent out of a country.
There is a special system for the collection of import duties, by naming many places along the coast to be used as "ports of entry," where custom houses in charge of collectors have been established. "Each custom house has a collector and the government has employed a large force of officers and special agents to overtake any dishonesty—attempting to smuggle goods through without paying duty."
The state legislature levies the state tax, the city council the city tax, and the taxes to keep up the national government are levied by Congress.
The law making power of Congress and state legislatures not only have the power of passing laws, raising money by taxation, but also the right and power of saying how that money shall be spent.
There are several kind of taxes collected for the benefit of the county, town, city and state, viz.: Poll tax, income, inheritance, franchise, property.
Poll tax: This is a tax on the person and not on property. A male citizen twenty-one and over must pay a poll tax of $1.00 even if he has no property. He must pay this tax before he can vote. In Kentucky the poll tax is one dollar.
Income Tax: There is an income tax levied on the income one receives and not on the amount of property he has. It is levied on salaries or profits upon business. Unmarried persons with an income of over $1,000.00 and married persons with an income of over $2,000.00 must pay an income tax.
Inheritance Tax: Many states have an inheritance tax levied on property inherited. This tax is really designated to reach wealthy people, and is easily collected since probate court records state the amounts. Kentucky has an inheritance tax, drawn and introduced by L. F. Johnson, of Frankfort, in 1906.
Franchise Tax: The government or state gives to a person or corporation special privileges, the rights to use the streets of a city for railway, water, lighting, gas plants, etc., is considered valuable property in the right vested in them by their franchise. This is really a source of income and should be taxed.
Property Tax: Property owners pay a large part of the money raised by taxation. Personal property which includes bonds, stocks, mortgages, household goods, jewels, etc.
Real estate which includes houses, lots, lands and building.
While taxes are levied upon real estate there are some kinds of property exempt from taxation, viz.: public institutions and libraries, cemeteries, school houses, churches, and other public buildings.
A great amount of revenue is derived by state and local governments from licenses, fees and special assessments. Men and women engaged in certain kinds of business must pay to the national, state and local governments a license or fees, as merchants, peddlers, manufacturers, pawnbrokers, etc.
A fee is a sum paid to an officer of the government, state, city or county for performing some public service or for a license in business. If you wanted to get a deed to land recorded you would have to pay the officer a fee.
The expense of our government is enormous, but the paying of taxes is one way in which all must take part.
While the acquisition of new territory has increased the expenses of our nation, yet it has made us the greatest nation in the world.
We have expanded by acquisition of new possessions which Congress organized under the direct control of the "Federal Government," but giving them limited powers of self government, through legislation of their own. When their population is sufficient they will be admitted as states.
Today our national flag contains forty-eight stars, and no part of the United States except Alaska and Hawaii remains under a territorial form of government.
Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867.
The President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints the governor and judges of the courts.
They have a legislature composed of two houses whose members are elected by the people. A delegate to Congress with the right to take part in debates but not to vote is also elected by the people.
Hawaii: Hawaii is a regularly organized territory and is governed like Alaska; President appointing the governor with the consent of the Senate, etc.
Possessions: The Philippines, Porto Rico, and other islands are possessions rather than territories of the United States.
Philippines: The Governor General and eight commissioners appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate are at the head of the general government of the Philippines.
"Five members of the commission are heads of the executive departments as well as having legislative powers. The other four members have only legislative power."
Commission: The nine members of the commission appointed by the President constitute the Upper House of the Legislature known as the Senate.
Lower House: The members of the Lower House of Representatives are elected by the people of the various civilized districts.
The nine commissioners represent the legislative body and have control of that part of the island not civilized.
Courts: They have a system of courts in which the judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President, and the judges of the lower courts are appointed by the Governor General with the approval of the commission.
Commissioners: There are two resident commissioners sent to the United States from the Philippines with seats in the House of Representatives, but cannot vote, only taking part in the debates.
Provinces: The islands are divided into provinces "each of which is governed by a provincial board of three members, and each province has its own city or town with its local government." Two of the members of the boards are elected by the people, and the third, who is the treasurer, is appointed by the Governor General, but usually a "Filipino."
Under President Wilson's administration "The new organic law granted the people of Porto Rico a greater self government than they had ever enjoyed."
They have a Governor appointed by the President, a legislature of two Houses elected by the people, and a system of courts.
"There are seventy-six cities and towns which enjoy some local government."
They send as their representative to Congress, a resident commissioner. While these new possessions are expensive they add great wealth and power to our nation.
Taxes are contributions that the people are required by the government to pay in order to meet the expenses of our nation.
We are not patriotic unless we respond to the call of our government.
Some states have the referendum and initiative power of helping to make laws.
If a state legislature passes a law that the people do not approve of a petition may be signed by a certain number of voters which will require the law to be referred to the people for their approval or disapproval.
Referendum means referring a law passed by the legislature back to the voters for their approval or disapproval.
"If five per cent of the voters of a state and two-thirds of the congressional districts do not approve of a bill passed by the General Assembly they sign a petition and file it with the Secretary of State in ninety days after the General Assembly adjourns." The question involved is then submitted to the voters at the next election for their approval or disapproval.
The initiative is the right of the voters to start legislation. The object of the initiative and the referendum is to compel legislative bodies to act and respect the will of the people whom they represent.
The initiative petition must be filed four months before the regular election with the Secretary of State.
The District of Columbia, including Washington, the Capital of the United States, is governed by Congress and by judicial and executive officers appointed by the President of the United States. The people have no power of self government.
The Constitution gives Congress the exclusive right of government in the District of Columbia.
It is governed by three commissioners appointed by the President. One must be an officer of the army and the other two appointed from civil life.
Congress keeps a watch over the District, and devotes certain days to considering the business of the District.
The courts of the district are Court of Appeals, Supreme Court, police court, justices of the peace.
The judicial officers are appointed by the President.
The District of Columbia has no representative in Congress.
The Panama Canal Zone is under the control of a governor who is appointed by the President of the United States.
"It is neutral and open to vessels of commerce and war of all nations, but war vessels must pass through without delay and while in the canal cannot load or unload troops or munitions of war."
The cost of the construction of the canal was about $400,000,000. It shortens the voyage from New York to San Francisco 8,000 miles.
These islands are naval stations and are governed by the naval officers stationed there.
Commerce is divided between the state and Federal governments. We have interstate commerce, foreign commerce and commerce with the Indians. Congress regulates commerce.
Interstate commerce is carried on in the United States, as when goods are shipped from one state to another, or one place in a state to another, either by land or water. The Interstate Commerce Commission provided for by Congress is composed of nine men appointed by the President, and regulates interstate commerce. The members of this commission receive a salary of $10,000.00 annually.
Foreign commerce is commerce carried on with foreign countries. Certain regulations are prescribed for vessels engaged in foreign commerce, "Enter" and "Clear" ports.
All vessels registered in the United States are protected by the government in any part of the world. Only vessels can be registered by a citizen of the United States. No foreign vessel can register.
Congress regulates commerce with foreign nations and among the states, and Indian tribes.
The government looks after the interest of "Indian affairs." There are about 300,000 Indians on 150 reservations in different states and territories all under the protection of the United States.
The national government has set aside several large tracts of land for National Parks. The Yellowstone National Park is about half as large as Massachusetts and is the most beautiful and interesting park in the world.