No More Learning

Mathews' American State Government (1924), Chap. V.
Holcombe's State Government in the United States (1926), Chap. XV.
Mathews and BerdahFs Documents and Readings in American Govern-
ment (1928), Chaps. XVTII-XDC
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? CHAPTER XXIII
(pp. 522-553)
STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS
1. How important is the use of the ballot?
2. Of what importance is a primary election?
3. What is the relation between the State and National
party organization?
4. Make a list of the different units in the State party or-
ganization. How important is each?
5. Outline the work of a State party convention.
6. Why is the county organization important?
7. Trace the historical development of Tammany Society.
8. What is the difference between Tammany Society and the
Democratic Organization in New York County?
9. Of what importance is the precinct, the ward, or the
election district in politics?
10. List the regulations that are provided by law for the
control of elections.
11. For what purpose are legal restrictions placed on political
parties and their activities?
12. Indicate the chief feature of the "Australian ballot sys-
tem. " Why is this name applied?
13. What is the difference between the party-column or
Indiana ballot and the office-column or Massachusetts ballot?
14. Trace briefly the development of the non-partisan idea.
15. What are the arguments in favor of absent-voting legis-
lation?
16. What principles are quite generally involved in absent-
voting laws?
17. According to the law what is a political party?
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? 76 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
18. What provisions are made for determining party member-
ship? Give your opinion of each.
19. List the regulations laid down by law for protecting the
voter at the ballot box.
20. To what extent have State legislatures attempted to
regulate State party organizations?
21. What is the direct primary? For what purpose was it
adopted?
22. To what extent is the direct primary used?
23. List the advantages and disadvantages of the direct
primary.
24. How does the indirect primary differ from the direct
primary?
25. Is the indirect primary still in use? Explain.
26. What has been done to control the use of money in
elections?
27. Point out the purpose of the movement for non-partisan
politics.
28. In what unit of government does the non-partisan or in-
dependent element play the most important part?
29. What is the most far-reaching non-partisan organization
in the United States?
30. What has been the effect of a half century of warfare on
party abuses?
Questions and Problems for Further Study and
Discussion
1. What are the functions of a political party?
2. Do you think that every voter ought to join some political
party and support its candidates and policies?
3. If a voter does not approve the candidates nominated
by his party or the policies which it adopts, what should he do?
Do you think that independent voting ought to be encouraged?
Explain.
4. What is the method of procedure in calling and conducting
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? STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS 77
a caucus in your State? A primary election? A State conven-
tion?
5. How are the delegates to the county and State conven-
tions chosen in your State?
6. Which parts of the party organization in your State
complete their work in a short time and disband? Which con-
tinue in existence between elections though not active con-
tinually?
7. What is the difference between a "closed" and an "open"
primary? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
8. Which is more important in your State, the primary or
the general election? Explain.
9. If the direct primary is used in your State for nominating
candidates, how does the party proceed to prepare its platform?
10. What is meant by registration of voters? How frequently
must one register in your State? What is the procedure for
registration?
11. Make a list of arguments for and against compulsory
voting.
12. Explain how money is raised for the conduct of political
campaigns. Is it the duty of every party member to contribute?
13. Is your State predominantly in control of one party?
Would it be more conducive to good government to have two
parties of about equal strength? Explain.
14. On an outline map of your State indicate the number of
votes by counties that were cast by each of the major parties
for the office of Governor in the last election. Of what value
might these be to one interested in active politics?
15. Is an individual justified in standing with one party in
National politics and with another in State politics?
16. Is it inevitable that "in the democratic forms of govern-
ment the operation of universal suffrage tends toward the selec-
tion of the average man for public office rather than the man
qualified by birth, education, and integrity"?
17. Would it be better to vote for an undesirable candidate
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? 78 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
who will support the political program you want than for a more
desirable candidate who is opposed to your political program?
18. How can the voters secure dependable information as to
candidates and issues?
19. Was William Howard Taft right in saying that "The
general primary is a fraud"?
References
Beard's Readings in American Government and Politics, New and Re-
vised Edition, Chap. XXX.
Munro's The Government of the United States, Third Edition, Chap.
XXXI.
Ogg and Ray's Introduction to American Government, Fourth Edition,
Chap. XXXVIII.
Bates and Field's State Government (1928), Chap. V.
Holcombe's State Government in the United States (1926), Chaps. VT-
VIII.
Mathews' American State Government (1924), Chap. IV.
Mathews and Berdahl's Documents and Readings in American Gov-
ernment (1928), Chap. XVIII.
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? CHAPTER XXIV
(pp. 554-585)
THE STATE LEGISLATURE
1. Of what importance is the legislature in State Govern-
ment?
2. In general, how do the powers of the State legislature
compare with the powers of Congress?
3. By what different names is the State legislative body
known in the United States?
4. Is the principle of legislative organization the same in
all of the States? How do you account for this?
5. How do the two houses of the legislature compare as to
the source of their authority and the nature of their powers?
6. List the merits of the bicameral system of legislative
organization.
7. Would a legislature organized on the unicameral basis
be equally as satisfactory as a bicameral legislature? Discuss.
8. What was the purpose of Mr. Colvin's study in New
York State and what significant information did it reveal?
9. How do State legislatures compare as to size? What is the
psychology of numbers, if any?
10.
What is the usual basis for the apportionment of repre-
sentatives in the legislature? Is this the correct basis? Explain.
11. Does the apportionment of senators and representatives
in our State legislatures in any way violate the democratic
principle of equality in representation? Discuss.
12. In what way is the plan of distributing representatives in
Illinois unique? Of what value is it?
13. Should the term of legislators be long or short? Explain.
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? 8o PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
14. How does the length of the term of legislators vary in the
United States? The salary?
15. What in general is the character of the men and women
chosen as representatives to our State legislatures?
16. Characterize in general the powers of the legislature.
17. What limitations are imposed upon State legislatures by
the Federal Constitution? Where in the Constitution are these
to be found?
18. List the limitations that are placed upon the powers of
the State legislatures by the State constitutions.
19. How does the organization of the State legislature compare
with that of Congress?
20. Describe the organization of a typical State legisla-
ture.
21. What steps have been taken to regulate the powers of
committees in the legislature?
22. List in regular order the various steps through which a
bill must pass in the State legislature before it becomes a law.
Note all irregularities that might occur.
23. Is it true that "legislative procedure in the American
states is characterized by chaos and irresponsibility"?
24. What general criticisms are often made of our State legis-
latures?
25. Explain the attempts at reform that have been under-
taken in several States.
26. Point out the chief features of the "bifurcated" or "split
session" as adopted in California.
27. Of what importance is a legislative reference bureau?
Does your State have such a bureau?
28. Describe the plan of reorganized State Government pro-
posed by Herbert Croly in his Promise of American Life. What
is your attitude toward this plan?
29. Describe the structure of the legislature as provided for
in the Model State Constitution. Give your reaction to this
plan.
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? THE STATE LEGISLATURE 81
Questions and Problems for Further Study and
Discussion
1. Give the following information concerning the legislature
in your State.
a. Type of organization g. Term
b. Number of members h. Salary
in each house i. Powers
c. Qualifications j. Special privileges
d. Disqualifications k. Method of removal
e. Method of nomina- I. Number and kind of
tion sessions
/. Method of selection
2. What officers does a State legislature have, and how are
they selected?
3. Point out the importance and functions of committees
in the legislature.
4. Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of the
committee system in the State legislatures.
5. What are some of the difficulties involved in securing
sound and desirable legislation?
6. What are the essentials of a good law-making body?
7. Are there any classes in the legislature that are over-
represented? Do you favor a scheme of proportional repre-
sentation?
8. Is there any direct connection between the size of a legis-
lative body and its representative character?
9. What use have the legislatures made of their police power?
10. What is a joint committee? A joint resolution?
11. Do you think that the members of the legislature should
follow the instructions of their constituents when voting for
measures, or should they vote according to their judgment of
what is best without regard to the expressed will of the people?
Explain.
12. Is there an organization in your State whose duty and
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? 82 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
purpose it is to study the records of members of the legislature
in order that honest and efficient legislators might be elected?
If not, do you think that such organization would be desirable?
Give reasons for your answer.
References
Beard's Readings in American Government and Politics, New and Re-
vised Edition, Chap. XXV.
Munro's The Government of the United States, Third Edition, Chaps.
XXXII-XXXIII.
Ogg and Ray's Introduction to American Government, Fourth Edition,
Chaps. XXXI-XXXIII.
Bates and Field's State Government (1928), Chaps. VI-VIII.
Holcombe's State Government in the United States (1926), Chap. DC
Mathews' American State Government (1924), Chaps. VI-VII.
Mathews and Berdahl's Documents and Readings in American Govern-
ment (1928), Chaps. XX-XXI.
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? CHAPTER XXV
(pp. 586-606)
THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR
1. Of what importance is the office of Governor?
2. Is it true that "Politics, even more than the law, tends
to exalt the position of the governor "? Explain.
3. May the office of Governor be regarded as a stepping
stone to the presidency of the United States? Give reasons
for your answer.
4. List the usual qualifications for the office of Governor.
5. What are some extra-legal qualifications that improve
one's chances for election to the office of Governor?
6. What are the variations in the length of the term of
office of the Governor in the States? The salary?
7. Is there a tendency to lengthen or shorten the term of
office for Governors? Explain.
8. Characterize in general the scope of the Governor's
powers.
9. Should it be possible to remove a Governor from office
before the expiration of his term? Explain. What provisions
are made in your State for this purpose?
10. What is the relation of the Governor to administration?
11. Do all States of the Union have precisely the same type
of administrative organization? Explain.
12. What is the nature of the administrative machine in the
reconstructed States? Name some of these States.
13. Describe the organization of State adrninistration in New
York.
14. Does the Governor occupy a position of greater or less re-
sponsibility in the reconstructed States? Explain.
83
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? 84 PROBLEMS IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
15. What is the position of the Governor in the administrative
machine of those States that still retain their old administrative
organization?
16. Point out the advantages and disadvantages of adminis-
trative decentralization.
17. Have attempts been made to counteract the evils of de-
centralization in administration without consolidation of the
agencies of administration? Illustrate.
18. Who, in general, is responsible for the enforcement of the
laws of a State? How extensive is the power of the Governor
in this connection?
19. To what extent does the Governor enjoy the power to
grant pardons, reprieves, and commutations of sentences?
20. How significant is the GoverncA power as commander-
in-chief over the armed forces of the State?
21. List the legislative powers of the Governor. Explain each.
22. Is it true that the Governor is a leader in legislation?