Civil Government in the United States Considered with Some Reference to Its Origins Part 33

e. Two names suggestive of an abiding antagonism in American politics.

f. A view of the Elastic Clause that commends itself to all.

g. The party of Hamilton and its successors.

h. The party of Jefferson and its successor.

6. Great practical questions that have divided parties:-- a. The Tariff.

b. Internal Improvements.

c. A National Bank.

d. The present att.i.tude towards these three questions.

e. The shifting of ground in arguing the tariff question.

f. The reason for this change of base.

7. Civil Service reform:--

a. The att.i.tude of parties a few years ago.

b. The present att.i.tude of the same parties.

c. A question not foreseen.

d. The number of officers appointed.

e. The non-political nature of their duties.

f. The principles that should prevail in their selection and service.

8. The "spoils system":-- a. Early appointive officers in New York and Pennsylvania, b. The driving of good citizens out of politics.

c. The character of the men called to the front.

d. The effect on civil service and on politics.

9. Rotation in office:-- a. A new idea about government offices.

b. Crawford's law of 1820.

c. Failure to grasp its significance.

d. Jackson's course in 1829.

e. Removals from office down to Jackson's time.

f. Removals during the first year of Jackson's administration.

g. Origin of the phrase, "spoils system."

h. Promises and practice down to 1885.

i. The evils conspicuous since the Civil War.

10. The Civil Service Act of 1883.

a. A board of examiners.

b. Compet.i.tive examination of candidates.

c. The spread of the principles of the reform.

d. The merit of the system.

e. Two old abuses stopped.

f. Further measures needed.

11. The Australian ballot system:-- a. The object of this system.

b. The printing of the ballots.

c. What a ballot contains.

d. Ballots at the polling-places.

e. The booths.

f. The manner of voting.

g. The advantages of the system.

h. An additional precaution against bribery.

12. What is the att.i.tude of the people towards bribery and corruption?

13. What reforms must be accomplished before others can make much headway?

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS AND DIRECTIONS.

1. How much money is needed by the United States government for the expenses of a year? How much is needed for the army, the navy, the interest on the public debt, pensions, rivers and harbours, ordinary civil expenses, etc.? (Answer for any recent year.)

2. From what sources does the revenue come? Tell how much revenue each of the several sources has yielded in any recent year.

3. What is the origin of the word _tariff_?

4. What is meant by _protection_? What is meant by _free trade_? What is meant by a _tariff for revenue only_? What is meant by _reciprocity_? Give ill.u.s.trations.

5. What are some of the reasons a.s.signed for protection?

6. What are some of the reasons a.s.signed for free trade?

7. Which policy prevails among the states themselves?

8. Which policy prevails between the United States and other nations?

9. Mention all the kinds of United States money in circulation. Bring into the cla.s.s a national bank bill, a gold certificate, a silver certificate, any piece that is used as money, and inquire wherein its value lies, what it can or cannot be used for, what the United States will or will not give in exchange for it, and whether it is worth its face in gold or not.

10. Is it right to buy silver at seventy-five cents and then put it into circulation stamped a dollar, the Government receiving the profit? Can you get a gold dollar for a silver one?

11. Is a promise to pay a dollar a real dollar? May it be as good as a dollar? If so, under what conditions?

12. If gold were as common as gravel, what characteristics of it universally recognized would remain unchanged? What would become of its purchasing power, if it cost little or no labour to obtain it? Why is it accepted as a standard of value?

13. During the Civil War gold was said to fluctuate in value, because it took two dollars of paper money, sometimes more, sometimes less, to buy one dollar in gold. Where was the real changing? What was the cause of it?

14. What men are at the head of the national government at the present time? (Think of the executive department and its primary divisions, the legislative department, and the judicial.)

15. What salaries are paid these officers? Compare American salaries with European salaries for corresponding high positions.

16. Should a president serve a second term? What is the advantage of such service? What is the objection to it? Is a single term of six years desirable?

17. Ought the president to be elected directly by the people?

18. Name in order the persons ent.i.tled to succeed to the presidency in case of vacancy.

19. Who is your representative in Congress?

20. Who are your senators in Congress?

21. What is the pay of members of Congress? Who determines the compensation? What is there to prevent lavish or improper pay?