aldermen from each ward of the city. They serve for two years, one being elected annually.

The Council may enact such ordinances not in conflict with State law as may be necessary for the government and welfare of the city.

Executive and Administrative-The officers who direct the affairs of a city of the third class are the following:

Other officers as council may authorize.

All are elected for a period of two years.

Judiciary—The city judiciary consists of a police court, over which presides a police judge. The police judge is a conservator of the peace, and has exclusive original jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances.

Cities of Fourth Class-The legislative powers of a city of the fourth class are vested in a board of aldermen. Each ward is represented by two aldermen, whose terms expire on alternate years. This causes one to be chosen from each ward annually. The mayor is president of the board.

The Authority of the board of aldermen is similar to that reposed in the legislative bodies of the municipalities before considered: to pass by ordinance such meas

ures, not inconsistent with the laws of the State, as may serve to promote the interests of the city.

Executive and Administrative officers are chosen The elective officers are—

for two years.

Members of the police force.

Besides these, the board of aldermen may authorize such other officers as the needs of the city may demand.

The Judiciary-The Laws of 1895 provide that in cities of this class the mayor and board of aldermen may by ordinance provide for the election of police judges, who shall be elected at the regular elections. This officer is a conservator of the peace, and has exclusive original jurisdiction of all violations of city ordinances. When the office of police judge is thus created the mayor is thereby deprived of jurisdiction over offenses against ordinances except in case of the absence, sickness, or disability of the police judge.

Length of Term-In cities of all classes judicial officers of the city are elected at the regular city elections for terms corresponding in length to the terms of the other elective officers.

Villages-The villages of Missouri are of two classes: incorporated and unincorporated. In an incorporated village control is vested in a board of trustees of from five to nine members, who are elected annually. If the population of the village is not over twenty-five hundred, the board consists of five members; if more than that number, of nine members.

Qualifications of Trustees-A trustee must be a male citizen, twenty-one years of age, a citizen of the United States, a householder of the village, and a resident therein for a year next preceding his election.

Powers-This board possesses legislative, executive, and judicial authority, and exercises additional powers similar to those vested in cities of the fourth class.

The board has power to elect a chairman, and to appoint the following officers:

Assessor,

Collector,

Constable or marshal,

Treasurer,

and such other officers as may be necessary.

The president, or chairman, has powers similar to those of a mayor of a city. He is the judicial officer of the village, having power to hear and decide cases affected by village ordinances. He also attends to levying and collecting the village taxes, for which purpose he is empowered to secure from the clerk of the county court a certified abstract of all taxable property within the village.

Unincorporated villages are governed as any rural precinct by the authority of the township or county in which they are situated.

TOPICAL ANALYSIS

Government of Cities and Villages.

I. CITIES OF SECOND CLASS.

a. Legislative body.

1. How constituted.

2. General powers.

b. Executive.

1. Elective officers.
2. Appointive officers.

c. Judicial.

1. City system.

2. State system, etc.

II. CITIES OF THIRD CLASS.

a. Legislative body.
1. How composed.

2. Its powers.

b. Executive authority.

1. Elective.

2. Appointive.

c. Judicial.

1. City system.

2. State system, etc.

III. CITIES OF FOURTH CLASS.

a. The council.

1. Its powers.

b. Executive officers.

1. Elected.

2. Appointed.

c. City judiciary.

IV. TENURE OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS.

V. VILLAGES.

a. Incorporated.

1. Board of trustees.

a. Powers.

2. Executive officers.

b. Unincorporated.

1. How governed.

CHAPTER XVI

THE STATE GOVERNMENT

Legislative Department

Three Departments-As before remarked, the powers of the government of Missouri are lodged in three departments: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. We now enter upon their study, as component parts of the State government, in the order named.

Legislative―The law-making power is vested in a Senate and House of Representatives. These two Houses constitute the General Assembly of the State of Missouri.

House of Representatives-The House is now composed of one hundred and forty representatives. The distribution of members to the different parts of the State is effected by apportionment as provided in the Constitution.

a. Representatives are apportioned every tenth year, 1891, 1901, etc.

b. The basis of apportionment is the United States decennial census.

The process may be thus described:

The number representing the population of the State is divided by two hundred. The quotient obtained is called the ratio of representation. The work performed in 1891 may be indicated thus:

Population of the State by the census of 1890, 2,679,184. This divided by two hundred gives a quotient 13,395, the ratio of representation.