complete.  In Russia, for example, the larger part of the vast population is resident in village communities which have to a considerable extent the power of managing their local affairs.  Such a village community is called a mir, and like the English township it is lineally descended from the stationary clan.  The people of the Russian mir hold meetings in which they elect sundry local officers, distribute the burden of local taxation, make regulations concerning local husbandry and police, and transact other business which need not here concern us.  But they have no share in the national government, and are obliged to obey laws which they have no voice in making, and pay taxes assessed upon them without their consent; and accordingly we say with truth that the Russian people do not possess political freedom.  One reason for this has doubtless been that in times past the Russian territory was the great frontier battle-ground between civilized Europe and the wild hordes of western Asia, and the people who lived for ages on that turbulent frontier were subjected to altogether too much conquest.  They have tasted too little of civil government and too much of military government,—­a pennyworth of wholesome bread to an intolerable deal of sack.  The early English, in their snug little corner of the world, belted by salt sea, were able to develop their civil government with less destructive interference.  They made a sound and healthful beginning when they made the township the “unit of representation” for the county.  Then the township, besides managing its own affairs, began to take part in the management of wider affairs.

QUESTIONS ON THE TEXT.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS AND DIRECTIONS.

1.  Obtain the following documents:—­

  a.  A town warrant.
  b.  A town report.
  c.  A tax bill, a permit, a certificate, or any town paper that
      has or may have an official signature.
  d.  A report of the school committee.

If you live in a city, send to the clerk of a neighbouring town for a warrant, inclosing a stamp for the reply.  City documents will answer most of the purposes of this exercise.

Make any of the foregoing documents the basis of a report.

2.  Give an account of the following:—­

  a.  The various kinds of taxes raised in your town, the amount of each
     kind, the valuation, the rate, the proposed use of the money, etc.
  b.  The work of any department of the town government for a year, as, for
      example, that of the overseers of the poor.
  c.  Any pressing need of your town, public sentiment towards it, the
      probable cost of satisfying it, the obstacles in the way of meeting
      it, etc.

3.  A good way to arouse interest in the subject of town government is to organize the class as a town-meeting, and let it discuss live local questions in accordance with articles in a warrant.  For helpful details attend a town-meeting, read the record of some meeting, consult some person familiar with town proceedings, or study the General Statutes.