oint ballot. Then, unless there
should be an overwhelming difference of opinion, the second chamber
usually has its will, which is perfectly right, because it represents
the people. The king must approve all legislation to make it
effective, and his veto is final, except in matters concerning
taxation and the expenditure of public money. The diet has the sole
power to levy taxes and make appropriations with or without his
consent.

The first chamber, which corresponds to our Senate, is composed of
one hundred and fifty members, elected for terms of nine years by the
provincial councils and by the city councils in towns of more than
25,000 inhabitants. As the councils are elected by the taxpayers, both
men and women, the members of the first chamber may be regarded as the
representatives of the property-owning portion of the community. To be
eligible to the first chamber a candidate must be thirty-five years
old, own property assessed at $21,000, or pay taxes upon an income
of not less than $1,100. Rank does not count. The qualification is
pecuniary entirely, and so evenly is property distributed in Sweden
that only ten thousand people in the entire kingdom are eligible to
the first chamber of the diet.

The members of the second chamber, two hundred and thirty in number,
are elected for three years, of whom eighty are elected by the towns
and one hundred and fifty by the rural districts. Each must have
property worth $270, or have leased $1,600 worth of land for five
years, or pay taxes on an income of $214. These are also the
qualifications for voting for members of the parliament.

There is very little of politics in Sweden. There are three parties,
known as the conservatives, the liberals, and the socialists. The
conservative party is comprised of the aristocracy, the church, the
agricultural classes and people of conservative sentiment generally.
The liberal party is composed of progressive elements, the theorists,
the artisans, the machinists, and the thinking men among the
laboring element, who advocate a reduction of the tariff on imported
merchandise and free trade so far as possible; a separation of church
and state on the theory that no man should be taxed to support a
religious faith that he does not believe in; a reduction in the army
and navy and other official expenses; the modification of the election
laws as above stated; rotation in office, so that all shall have a
chance, and they oppose the genera