Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-15
The VIRGIHIAa-PILOT'S
HOME STUDY CIRCLE
Continued from Fourth ragc.)

tive body made up of representatives.
chosen by general vote one from each
canton. These councillors are elected
Ior SIX years, one-half being renewed
every three years. The membership of
The council varies from fifteen or TWEEN
" 10 more than sixty. according 10 the
size OF the department. lis main bust
ness is to consider the budget of the
department and the management of the
schools, the local courts, adminis;ra tiou
OIL roads. railroads, lunatic asylums
poor relief and other similar admins
trative work of the department In all
cases if in his Judgment it oversteps
It's jurisdiction. the president of the
republic may annul its acts, and he
mas III all cases Il veto. 1T has no right
OIL taxation, although it may appro-
priite certain moneys for the expense
OF local government. The chambers at
Iaiis nave the power to determine
S.r,c'iy the source of the money that ii
Is To use ANA the president or minister.
through the project, can, If he will.
direct the administration.
Likewise the district ACCOMPLISHMENTS
mas sub-prefect appointed by the pre-
iect' responsible to him and really act
inS merely as his agent; also II council
OF the district elected. one member
from each canton, has the function OF
ulNidlnE among the communes the
snare OF the taxes which must be paid
by the district. Tho sub project and
council are always in a position. of
course. to furnish suggestions and adj
vice 10 the admins trative officers ap-
pointed by the central governments
Inc canton has no separate admins
tratiVe work. 1t is, as we have seen. an
electoral district. 1t is also a judicial
district for the justice of the peace 4
muster district for the army, n road
district, etc. serving as IL convenient
territorial unit for administrative or
ganization.
Inc commune is the unit of local gov
ernment and in many cases it is n unit
or real local self government. for tho
tendency is increasing for the central
government not to interfere Every
commune elects municipal council Of
IRON ten to thirty-siN members. accord
ing 10 Its population. This municipal
couhcli elects mayor from among It's
own members and one or more assist
ant mayors. according to the size of
inc commune. When the mayor. how
ever, is once elected. he becomes inn
meulately the agent of the central gov
erhment at Paris and is responsible TO
H. not to the council. The municipal
council may pass ordinances for the
government of tho commune. which
however, require the confirmation of the
project, or. In the case of certain inn
portant cities. of the president of the
republic, before they become valid
The mayor or the municipal council
may be suspended for a month by the
project for due cause, although the req
son need be only a political one This
period may be extended, as was lately
dohe In the case of the mayor of AL
gers, TO three months by the minister
OF the interior. or. in case of need. The
mayor may be removed or the council
GlssolVed. With this perfectly central
l@eu organization on the one hand and
win the powerful temptation for n
totierlng ministry TO support itself BIZ
hi"Nihg appointments pleasing to some
ol the deputies, one readily sees how
Just may be tho complaint sometimes
made that, administrativcly speaking
france has despotic government with
continually changing dcspot.
On the other hand. one must not
overlook the obvious advantages Of
having practically all the local gov
ernments throughout n country like
FRANCE organized on substantially the
same plan from the smallest village to
the largest cities nor the increase in Of
lciency that will certainly come from
having local officials perform their
work under the inspection of trained
oliicers who are able to furnish to one
section OF the country the experience
gained In another. Some of the ex-
cellent results Of the rigid system of
organization are to be seen IN the mag
innocent systems OF roads and bridges
ana aqueducts and in the munificent
patronage OF the arts and sciences even
under the republic.