community. The severity
of the climate and the character of the soil made it impracticable to
cultivate large farms. The colonists had come mainly from the towns of
England. These considerations and the presence of fierce and unfriendly
Indians caused the settlers to group themselves into compact settlements.
Their self assertion prompted them, and their intelligence enabled them,
to take active part in public affairs. Hence the importance of the town in
New England.

In the South, the colonies were planted largely in the interests of the
proprietaries. The leading spirits had been county gentlemen in England
and they naturally favored the county system. The mass of the people were
unaccustomed and indifferent to direct participation in the government.
Again, the warm climate and fertile lands were favorable to large
plantations and a dispersed population; so that the character of the
people and the circumstances under which they lived were alike favorable
to the establishment of the county system pure and simple. To quote the
pithy statement of Professor Macy, "The southern county was a modified
English shire, with the towns left out. Local government in New England
was made up of English towns with the shire left out."

Subsequently counties were formed in New England for judicial purposes,
but the towns retained the greater number of their functions; and in the
south, the counties were afterwards subdivided into election and police
districts, but the administrative power remained with the county.

The Middle States divided the local power between the town and the county.

Migration is chiefly along the parallels of latitude. And people from
habit and instinct organize new governments largely on the plans to which
they are accustomed. Hence we are not surprised to find that in the states
formed south of the line of the Ohio, the county is the principal division;
while in the northwestern states the town is the important factor. Though
in the Northwest the county is more important than in New England, the
influence of the towns in county affairs is generally maintained by the
selection of members of the county board from the several towns.

Illinois is a good example of the truth of the generalizations at the
beginning of the preceding paragraph. The state is very long and reaches
far to the south. The southern part of the state was settled first, and
almost pure county government prevailed. By and by the northern