LEGISLATURE (2)

Legislature, n. — The legislatures of some of the more important states having constitutional government are as follows, the general name (or a translation of it) of the legislative body collectively being given under the heading legislature, or parliament: StateLegislature, or parliamentUpper House NameNumber of members — how chosen or composed — term of officeLower House NameNumber of members — suffrage — term of office ————————————————————————————————- ArgentinaNational CongressSenate30 — 2 from each provincew and 2 from capital — 9 yearsHouse of Deputies120 (1 to 33,000) — Manhood — 4 years Austria Belgium Brazil Chile Denmark France German Empire *Great BritainParliamentHouse of LordsAbout 600House of CommonsAbout 670 — 7 years, or until dissolution Greece Hungary Italy Japan Mexico Netherlands #Norway Portugal PrussiaLandtagHerrenhausNo limit — very various classes — For different termsAbgeordnetenhaus433 — Indirect election, general suffrage§ — 5 years, or until dissolution Spain Sweden Switzerland United StatesCongressSenate92(1908) — 6 yearsHouse of Representatives391 (1908) — 2 years. ———————————————————————————————— *In the self-governing colonies of Great Britain the legislative body usually consists of two chambers, the names of the legislature and the chambers varying. Thus in Australia the Federal Parliament is composed of the Senate and the House of Commons, in New Zealand the General Assembly is composed of the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives, etc. #Members of the Storthing are chosen for three years by direct election by manhood suffrage, forty-one being elected from the towns and eighty-two from the rural districts. The Storthing on assembling divides into the Lagthing including one fourth and the Odelsthing including three fourths of the total membership of the Storthing. All new laws are laid first before the Odelsthing. If the two houses do not agree they vote in joint session, a majority of two thirds of those voting being necessary to a decision. § While theoretically general, the suffrage is so classified as often practically to disfranchise those who are not property holders.