The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-12-04
CITIZENSHIP COLUMN
CHAPTER vi.
Making Laws.
Lesson 2.


1: Q. Who makes the laws in cit
les?
A. Laws are made in cities by
the City Council or City Commission.
2. @. Does the Council or Commits
sion in all cities have the entire con-
troll in making laws?
A. No, in many cities the people,
if they wish, may vote whether the
laws of the Council or Commission
shall go into effect or not.
3. Q. What is this right of the peo-
pie called?
A. 1t is called the referendum.
4. @. How may the people pass a
law against the wish of the Council?
A. The people may present law
to the vote under what is known as the
Initiative"
5. @. How are laws passed under
the Initiative" and referendum
A. Laws are passed under the
"initiative' and referendum" by ma
jority vote.
6. Q. How are laws made in each of
our forty-eight States?
A. Laws ave made for each
State by the State Legislatures and
approved by the Governor.
7. @. How are the State Legisla-
lures elected.
A. The people elect the Legisla-
lures, which consist of two separate
groups of delegates, one called the
Senate, and the other the House Of
| Representatives, or the Assembly.
g. @. If the Governor disapproves
a law which the Legislature has
passed, and refuses to sign it, may the
| Legislature pass it without his ap-
prevail?
| Yes, usually the Legislature may,
by vote of two-thirds of it's members,
pass law disapproved by the Cover
! nor.
9. @. Can the Initiative" and ref
erendum be used in passing State
laws?
A. Yes, in nearly half of our
States the people may pass laws
through the Initiative" and "referen-
dunn
10. @. What matters of importance
to the people must the State regulate
by law?
A. The State must pass laws re-
latlns to roads, education, police pro-
lection and property rights.
Lesson 3.
1. Q. What are the three chief law
making bodies in our country?
A. The Congress of the United
States, the State Legislature, and the
City Council Or Commission.
2. Q. What powers of law-making
has the Congress of the United States?
A. Congress has power to pass
laws which relate to matters in which
all the States are interested.
3. @. How many lawmakers do the
people of each State have in the Sen
. ate?
A. Each State has two lawmak-
ers in the Senate.
4. @. How many representatives
does each State have in the House of
Representatives?
A. Each State has one member
in the House of Representative for
every 100000 people living within the
State, but each State has at least one
member
5. O. Whenever we need a law for
all the States how can it be enacted?
A. Whenever we need a law.
bill may be introduced into Congress,
and if approved by both houses and
signed by the President, it becomes a
law.
6. @. Why do we give Congress the
| right to pass law without the appro-
val of the President?
A. Because in America we be-
lieve that laws must be passed by the
rule of the majority.
Z. Q. What is the only way that
laws can be passed in this country?
A. Laws can only be passed in
this country by the majority of the
people, acting directly or through
their representatives.
g. @. In what way do we protect
the few from possible injustice by the
majority?
| A. Our Constitution guarantees
certain rights to every one and even
majority cannot pass laws on these
matters.
g. Q. What are these rights which
the Constitution guarantees?
A. The Constitution guarantees
to every one the inalienable right Of
| free speech, freedom of religion. free
| dom from search from false imprson-
ment and trial by jury.
10. Q. If mistakes are made in pass
| ing laws, what can each citizen do to
correct them?
A. He must take pains to learn
| about public matters, and to vote for
| lawmakers who know what is best 10
be done and who are honest and fair