whose duty
it is to enforce these laws. The nature of the work entrusted to him
requires that he should have a corps of assistants, inspectors who are
to keep a watchful eye on the goods likely to be adulterated and collect
samples of such goods from the various places in the state where they
are exposed for sale, and chemists who are to analyze the samples thus
procured and determine whether manufacturers and dealers are complying
with the law. Unless an adequate sum is appropriated for this purpose,
and for prosecuting those who are violating the law, such laws can not
be enforced.

In our state governments the subdivision of authority has been carried
so far that no effective control over the enactment or enforcement of
state laws is possible. Under the influence of the doctrine of checks
and balances the policy of widely distributing political authority has
inured to the benefit of those private interests which are ever seeking
to control the government for their own ends, since it has supplied the
conditions under which the people find it difficult to fix the blame for
official misconduct. Indeed it may be said that wherever power should be
concentrated to ensure responsibility, it has been almost invariably
distributed.

CHAPTER X

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

Our municipal government, like the rest of our political system, was
originally an inheritance from England. The governing power in colonial
times was a single body, the common council, such as exists in England
to-day, composed of mayor, recorder, aldermen, and councilmen. As a rule
the councilmen were elected annually by the qualified voters, while the
mayor was appointed by the colonial governor. The council had authority
to enact local regulations not in conflict with English or colonial
legislation. The mayor had no veto and usually no appointing power.

The Revolution did not modify the general scheme of municipal government
in any important respect. The mayor was still, as a rule, appointed by
the governor, who now owed his office directly or indirectly to the
qualified voters of the state. The power to grant municipal charters,
which before the Revolution was exercised by the provincial governor,
was now lodged in the state legislature.

The important changes in municipal government were made after, and may
be regarded as an effect of the adoption of the Federal Constitution. As
the centralization of authority in the hands of the common coun