Municipal Corporations.— The legislature provides by general laws for the incorporation, organization and classification of cities arid towns in proportion to population, which laws may be altered, amended or repealed by the general laws. Any county or incorporated city or town may make and enforce, within its limits, all such local police, sanitary and other regulations as are not in conflict with the char ter or with the general law. A municipal cor poration can in no way become a stockholder or raise money for, or make donations to, or loan its credit to any company, corporation or association, except for school, water, sanitary and illuminating purposes.
Government.— The powers of the govern ment of the State are divided Into three dis tinct departments, the legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative power is vested in a senate and house of representatives. The senate at present consists of 37 members and the house of 65 members. These are elected •for the term of two years. Each county is entitled to one senator; the representatives are apportioned by the counties according AO population, each county being allowed at lest, one representative. The sessions of the legislature are held biennially, commenc lig on the first Monday after the first day of January and are limited to 60 days except at the members' expense. The governor may convene the legislature by proclamation, but no extra session shall continue for longer than 20 days. The executive department consists of a governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state:, State auditor, State treasurer, attorney general and superintendent of public instruction, each of whom shall hold office for two years beginning the first Monday in January next after his election. The supreme executive power of the State is vested in the governor. He is commander-in-chief of the military forces of the State, except when called into actual service of the United States. He has power to nominate, and by and with the consent of the Senate appoint, all officers whose offices are established by the constitution and to appoint other officers whose election or appointment is not otherwise provided for, to fill vacancies that may be caused by death, resignation or otherwise in office created by constitution or statute.
The governor, secretary of state and at torney-general, constitute the Board of Par dons, a Board of State Prison Commissioners and a State Board of Examiners. The super
intendent of public instruction, the secretary of state and attorney-general constitute the State Board of Public Instruction of which the superintendent is president. The governor, secretary of state, attorney-general, State auditor and superintendent of public instruc tion constitutes a State Board of Land Commis sioners. The judicial power of the State is vested in a court for the trial of impeachments, a Supreme Court, District Court, Probate Court, court of the justice of the peace and such other courts inferior to the Supreme Court as may be established bjr law for any important city or town. The court for the trial of impeachments is the senate, the judgment of which does not extend beyond removal from and disqualification to hold office in the State. The power of impeachment rests solely with the house of representatives. When the gov ernor is impeached the chief justice shall pre side.
The Supreme Court consists of three jus tices, and are elected by the electors of the State at large for a term of six years. At least five terms of the Supreme Court are held annually. It has jurisdiction to review, upon appeal, decisions of District Courts or judges thereof. It has original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, certiorari, prohibition and habeas corpus and all writs necessary to plete its appellate jurisdiction. It also has original jurisdiction over claims against the State, but its decisions are merely recommend atory, and reported to the legislature. The State is divided into 10 judicial districts for each of which a judge is elected by the electors thereof for a term of four years. A District Court is held in each country at least twice a year and has original jurisdiction in all cases both at law and in equity, also certain other appellate jurisdiction. The Probate Courts are courts of record and .have original jurisdiction in all matters of probate, and to hear and deter mine all civil cases where in the debt or dam age claimed does not exceed the sum of $500 exclusive of interest, and concurrent jurisdic tion with justices of the peace in criminal cases. Justices of peace have such jurisdiction as may be conferred by law, but not of any case wherein the value of property of the amount in controversy exceeds the sum of $300, nor where the boundaries or title of real prop erty are called in question.