STATE GOVERNMENTS, Character istics of. As a federation, the government of the United States comprises the national gov ernment controlled by its legislative and ad ministrative departments, and the separate gov ernments of the 48 States of the Union. Under the national Constitution, each State may or ganize its government system as it pleases, but it must be republican in form, or organized so that the will of its citizens can be ascertained and enforced. When forming the Union under the Constitution of 1787, the 13 original States reserved to themselves certain characteristic rights, which the Federal government is bound by fundamental law to respect. These can be reduced only by amendments to the Constitu tion. Nearly all forms and powers of gov ernment were comprised in the sphere of State authority with the exception of those relating to foreign affairs, army and navy, interstate commerce, coinage and the tariff, the powers of the national government being specified in the fundamental law. The individuality, the
dignity of the sovereign State, the only gov ernment officially known to foreign states, is represented by the national government pos sessing the powers involved in international relations, including war and diplomacy. In domestic matters, general economic interests are under its control. By contrast, the States control the mass of governmental power in respect to life, property and education and legislate freely on property rights, occupations, crimes, charities, sanitation and schools. Ex cept import and export taxes, each State may levy what taxes it pleases; and it may legis late for the general welfare of its citizens sub ject only to the few restrictions of the national Constitution. The differences of taxation and legislation in each State form their distinctive characteristics. See STATE; TAXATION ; UNITED STATES — STATES CONSTITUTIONS ; and articles on the different States of the Union.