tain all these things takes money, and the people
living in the other parts of the town not sharing the benefits would
hardly like to help pay for them. Hence it is but just that the people
living in the thickly settled portion of the town should be permitted to
separate from the rest and form an organization by themselves.

Again, the circumstances being different, the regulations must be
different in this part of the town. For instance, in the country a man may
drive as fast as he pleases, while here fast driving endangers life and
must be prohibited. In the country sleigh-bells are not needed, while here
they must be used to warn people of the approach of teams. In the country,
if a man's house takes fire no other person's property is endangered; but
here the danger is such that all the people are interested in each man's
house, and the community may require that chimneys be properly constructed
and ashes safely disposed of.

How Incorporated.--Villages are, with rare exceptions, incorporated under
a general law specifying the number of inhabitants, the mode of voting on
incorporation, etc.

The method in Minnesota, which may be taken as typical, is as follows:
Upon petition of thirty or more voters resident upon the lands to be
incorporated, which lands have been divided into lots and blocks, the
county commissioners appoint a time, and give due notice thereof, when the
voters "actually residing within the territory described," may vote upon
the question. If a majority of those voting favor incorporation, the
commissioners file with the register of deeds the original petition, a
true copy of the notice of election, and the certificate showing the
result of the vote. The village thus becomes incorporated, and has the
usual corporate powers. It organizes by electing officers.

Elective Officers.--The usual elective officers of a village are a
president, three trustees, a treasurer, and a recorder, who are chosen for
one year, and two justices of the peace and a constable, elected for two
years. [Footnote: The difference in term is accounted for by the fact that
the justices and constables are in a measure county officers.]

The Council and Its Powers.--The president, the three trustees, and the
recorder constitute the village council. They may make, for the following
purposes among others, such ordinances or by-laws as they deem necessary:

1. To establish and regulate a fire department; to purchase apparatus for