PART I.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THE WORK OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
The Preservation of Order.—The first and most important work of any government is the preservation of order. We think of this function most frequently as exercised in the arrest of offenders who violate the law. In fact, most young persons receive their earliest ideas of government by seeing the policeman, or constable, who stands for the authority of the government. But he is not the only officer who is concerned in preserving order. The police officer who makes an arrest cannot punish his prisoner, but must merely hold him until it is decided that he deserves punishment. This is the work of a court, with its justice, or judge, and the jury. If the prisoner is declared guilty, then the police officer executes the orders of the court by collecting a fine or by imprisoning him. We have here illustrated two divisions of governmental authority: (1) the judicial, which decides whether the law applies in particular cases; and (2) the executive, which carries out the requirements of the law and the orders of the court.
Law-Making.—The executive and the judicial officers are both subject to higher authority: the one applies and the other executes the law. The framing of the law is the third function of government. This work is called legislation, and is carried on by such bodies as the town board, the village board, and the city council. But these law-making bodies do not have independent authority; they are bound more or less strictly by the opinions of those who elected them to office; i.e., the body of voters.
The Three Divisions of Government.—We say, then, that in our country government is based finally upon the will of the people. For the expression of their will they choose numerous officers, who may be grouped under three heads, corresponding to the general divisions of government: legislative, executive, and judicial.