There is only one government for both the city and State, viz. the municipal council composed of two houses, similar to that of Hamburg (see HAMBURG ) . The Senate is composed of 16 mem bers, 10 of whom 'mist be lawyers: the Lower House, the Biirgersehaft, of 150. The latter are elected by the citizens under an unequal suffrage. The administration is carried on by twelve de partments, called ministries, each presided over by a Senator.
Bremen owns its gas-works, water-works, and electric plant, all of which are under the man agement of a single department, called the 'Deputation ffir Gas- and Wasserverso•gung.' The municipal management of all of these under takings has proved to be a great benefit to the citizens, besides yielding an increasing annual net income to the city treasury. The electric plant has been in operation since 1893 and has proved equally successfnl.
The street ears are in the hands of private companies, paying the city one-fourth of all their net income in excess of 5 per cent. on the capital stock, in addition to a tax of 1 per cent. on the gross income and all ordinary taxes levied upon business establishments. With the exception of one line, which employs horses, the city lines have been using electricity as a motive power since 1893.
The street-eleaning, the health department, and all that goes to make the city clean and healthful, are well administered, as may be seen from the following figures of death-rates in the city and country districts, per thousand: 1894, city, 16.76; country, 22.33; 1898, city, 10.69; country, 21.70.
The public schools are maintained and con trolled by the city. In addition to the elemen tary schools, there are a high school, a commer cial school, and a numb`. of trade schools. Among the charitable institutions of the city there are three orphan asylums, two homes for neglected children, several hospitals, etc. It is interesting to note that firemen spends nearly twice as much money on education as on police. The population of Bremen is increasing rapidly: in 1870, 81,000; in 1880, 113,000; in 1890. 125.
000; in 1000, 163,000. The population of the State in 1900 was 224,700.
IhsToity.—Bremen, mentioned in 782 as a missionary centre, was made the scat of a bishop ric by Charlemagne in 788. In 845 the see of Hamburg was united to that of Bremen, and the latter became the capital of the new archiepisco pal diocese. In 965 Bremen was made a market town, and was placed under the jurisdiction of the archbishop; but by the Thirteenth Century it had succeeded in acquiring virtual independ ence in secular affairs. It prospered wonderful ly; it extended its trade to England and Scandi navia, founded a number of colonies, and ruled over both banks of the Weser to the sea. It joined the Hanseatic League in 1276, but was expelled, readmitted, and expelled for sel fishness• The inhabitants became fervent Prot estants, joined the Sinalkaldic League in 1532, and in 1547 decisively defeated an Imperial army at Drakenburg. In two wars (1654, 1666) fire men won its autonomy from Sweden, to whom the secularized diocese had been ceded (to form a, duchy) in 1648; but it was not till 1741 that the independence of the city, which had been made a free Imperial town in 1646, was acknowledged fully. In 1810 Bremen NV11 s incorporated into the French Empire, but it regained its freedom in 1813 and in 1815 became a member of the Ger man Confederation. As a member of the German Empire, it remained outside of the Zollrcrein till 1888. A popular revolution in 1304 made the government of the city partly democratic: the liberal regime was confirmed in 1433 and 1531. The present Constitution was adopted in 1854. The Duchy of Bremen was ceded by Sweden to Hanover in 1719.
Consult: Denknoile der Gesehiehte and Kunst der in-fen Hanscstadt Bremen (3 vols., Bremen, 1870) : Meese, Jahrbueh fur Bremisehe Statisti.; (BreAan. 1892) : Die Freie Hansestadt Bremen and Umgrgend (13remen, 1893) ; V. Bippeu, Gesehiehte der Stadt Bremen (Bremen, 1898).