GOVERNMENT. Tlw executive antIon- ity in Alsace-Lorraine is the German Emperor, who, to the introduction of the German con stitution in 1574, had also the right of enacting laws for the Reichsland, with the consent of the Bundesrath. At the head of the administration is the Statthalter, appointed by the Emperor, and assisted by a ministry divided into four depart ments, and a Council of State. The latter is pre sided over by the Stattlialter, and consists of the Secretary of State and a few other otli• ials, be sides a number of members appointed by the Em peror. The three districts of Lower and Upper Alsace and Loruaine are administered by presi dents and councils, in which all the constituent cantons of the districts are represented. The Provincial Committee, or Luudesuussclrus.c, con sists of 58 members, elected indirectly for a period of three years, 34 by the three district council•, 4 by the municipal councils of Strass burg, Kolmar. and Miilhausen, and 20 by the communal councils. In the Bundesrat Al sace-Lorraine is represented by two •ommission ers, whose functions, however, are only advisory.
The revenue is obtained •hielly from direct and indirect taxes, customs, and state forests. The budget balanced in 1900 at. over 60.000,000 marks (814,280,000). The public schools are under the supervision of the school board, presided over by the Secretary of State. Since the German occu pation the proportion of illiterates has dimin ished considerably. Education is still controlled to a considerable extent by the Church, as evi denced by the fact that over 27 per cent. of the teaching staff consists of clergymen and persons belonging to religions orders. Alsace-Lorraine contains one university, that of Strassburg. The population of Alsace-Lorraine in 1900 was 1,717,451, showing an increase of over 7 per cent. since 1890, and making Alsace-Lorraine one of the most densely populated sections in Ger many. Over 75 per cent. of the people are Roman Catholics, nearly 23 per cent. Protestants, and less than one per cent. Jews. Strassburg, the capital, has a population of over 150,000.