assemblies preponderate.[399] The Kreistag is a body
of substantial importance. It chooses, directly or indirectly, all the
elective officials of the circle, of the district, and of the
province; it creates local officers and regulates their functions; it
enacts legislation of a local nature; and it votes the taxes required
for both its own and the provincial administration.

[Footnote 399: For a fuller statement of the
electoral system see Lowell, Governments and
Parties, I., 325.]

*292. The Commune.*--The smallest of Prussian governmental units (p. 272)
is the Gemeinde, or commune.[400] Of communes there are two distinct
types, the rural (Landgemeinde) and the urban (Stadtgemeinde). The
governments of the rural communes (some 36,000 in number) are so
varied that any general description of them is virtually impossible.
They rest largely upon local custom, though reduced at some points to
a reasonable uniformity under regulating statutes such as were enacted
for the communes of eight of the twelve provinces in the
Landgemeinde-ordnung of 1891.[401] There is invariably an elective
Schulze, or chief magistrate. He is assisted ordinarily by from two to
six aldermen (Schoeffen) or councillors. And there is generally a
governing body (Gemeindevertretung), composed of elected representatives,
when there are as many as forty qualified electors,--otherwise
the people acting in the capacity of a primary assembly
(Gemeindeversammlung),--for the decision of matters relating to local
schools, churches, highways, and similar interests. It is to be
observed, however, that most of the rural communes are so small that
they have neither the financial resources nor the administrative
ability to maintain a government of much virility. Such action as is
taken within them is taken almost invariably with the approval of, and
under the guidance of, the authorities of the circle, principally the
Landrath.[402]

[Footnote 400: The Amtsbezirk is essentially a
judicial district. See p. 243. In the eastern
provinces it is utilized also for purposes of
police administration.]

[Footnote 401: For an annotated edition of this
important instrument see F. Keil, Die
Landgemeinde-ordnung (Leipzig, 1890).]

[Footnote 402: On Prussian local