was given to him by representatives of the majority of our people. The difference between a king or an autocrat and a President is not in the amount of power he uses. The difference is in whether or not the power is given by the people to use for their good. If the Supreme Court does not decide cases as the people think it should the President

The Work of the United States, done by trained Civil Servants,
supervised by the Cabinet, and controlled by the Law.

This diagram presents the organization of the government of the United States. Note its similarity to the diagram on page 199 suggesting a short-ballot State government. Each part of one diagram corresponds to a similar part of the other. Both differ from the Commission-Manager city government in separating the execu tive from the legislature.

may gradually appoint new judges who will do so. He cannot do this at once because the judges are appointed for life; but he can slowly add new judges who think differently from the present ones. It is a wise provision that the appointments must come slowly, for we have seen that the law must not be changed too rapidly. We often get excited and demand things which, after we have had time to think them over more carefully, we find would not have been good.

341. Changing the Constitution. There is no more important question about the government of our Union than this one: How shall we change the constitution? Under self-government we make changes by amending this great law; under an autocrat it may require a revolution to make such changes. Those who formed our government thought that changes should be made slowly so that the government might not be thrown into confusion by thoughtless experiments. Therefore none can be made in our Federal government without the consent of three-fourths of the States. A change may be proposed by two-thirds either of the States or of the Congress. There are many people who think this method of amendment should be corrected somewhat, so that changes could be made more easily; but to find a new and better method is a difficult matter, and those who advocate one should think carefully of what they are doing before they go ahead. They are in danger of doing the government harm rather than good, for they may open the way to immature and careless changes.

SUGGESTIONS AND QUESTIONS

1. Draw a diagram of the government of the United States. Put on it first the people who elect the government; then the persons whom they elect; then the principal agents whom these persons appoint. If you wish to make a large diagram, put on it some of the bureaus into which the departments are divided.

2. What article in the constitution tells how the President is elected? What article describes the election of the members of Congress? What amendments describe the selection of members of the government? Why were these amendments made?

3. What article tells the States what powers they have? Why is it necessary to put these limits into the constitution? What article places limits on the power of Congress? Why were these limits put in? What amendments limit the powers of the States? What amendments limit the powers of the United States? 4. Is the civil service protected in our Federal Constitution?

If not, how is it protected? Why is it protected in State constitutions?

5. England has no written constitution. Why do we need one when she does not? France has a written constitution, but it does not limit the power of the government. Her courts do not declare laws unconstitutional. Which do you think is the better arrangement?

6. What article in our constitution tells how the people may amend it? Give a brief definite statement of the ways of amending it.

7. If you have a number of clubs in your school, write a brief constitution which might set up a federal government over them.

CHAPTER XXXVI

COLONIES AND SELF-GOVERNMENT

342. The Declaration of Independence. We have seen that our country began as a number of colonies along the Atlantic coast. Some of them were planted by England, and some by other European states, but they finally became all English-speaking. Gradually they grew strong; many people came to live here; the country was developed; commerce became important; and government from Europe grew more and more unwise. The people of the world had not yet learned the principle of self-government, and the rulers of England were not willing to allow the colonies to be governed in the interest of those who lived in them. Therefore we separated from our Mother Country and waged a war to compel her to allow us to govern ourselves. When we did this we published a Declaration of Independence in which we said that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. We meant that all people should be governed only with their own consent, and that they should be free to decide what kind of government they would have. But we did not mean that every little group of people might separate and have a little government of its own whenever it is dissatisfied. In this chapter we have a discussion of how the world is trying to give self-government to as many of its people as possible. 343. New Settlements. When people migrate to a new country they are glad to remain citizens of the home

land and to have the protection the home government can give them. The new country is generally already inhabited by people called natives, as ours was by the Indians. There is likely to be war between the newcomers and the natives, and it is difficult to find a just answer to the question, what are the rights of savages in a land that they are not making full use of. They may be using it only a little, while large parts of the world are so densely settled that there is hardly room enough for the people to work and make a living. As the world becomes more and more fully populated it will be more and more difficult to permit any part of it to be left unused. The resources of the world must be worked by the people of the world, and if some do not use them others will come in and fight for a chance to do so.

344. Backward Peoples. Some of the people of the world are pushing civilization forward all the time. Others, like the natives of central Africa, do not wish to have anything more than food, shelter, and a few other simple things. The Indians in America were like this. They were satisfied to hunt and fish and to roam about the country with no permanent houses or cultivated lands. Some of them were more civilized than others, but on the whole they made but little use of the lands they held. Europeans came and took the lands from them a little at a time, gradually pushing them westward. We are not proud of the way the Indians were driven out, and doubtless many things were done of which we should be ashamed. We are glad that our treatment of the backward people of the world is now more fair and just. But it is not an easy matter to decide how long savages who will not join in civilization should be permitted to roam about and kill others who wish to use the lands more completely.