The upper house of the Bavarian parliament (_Kammer der Reichsräte_) is composed of (1) the princes of the blood royal (being of full age), (2) the ministers of the crown, (3) the archbishops of Munich, Freising and Bamberg, (4) the heads of such noble families as were formerly "immediate" so long as they retain their ancient possessions in Bavaria, (5) of a Roman Catholic bishop appointed by the king for life, and of the president for the time being of the Protestant consistory, (6) of hereditary counsellors (_Reichsräte_) appointed by the king, and (7) of other counsellors appointed by the king for life. The lower house (_Kammer der Abgeordneten_) or chamber of representatives, consists, since 1881, of 159 deputies, in proportion of one--reckoned on the census of 1875--to every 31,500 inhabitants. A general election takes place every six years, and, under the electoral law of 1906, is direct. Qualifications for the general body of electors are full age of twenty-five years, Bavarian citizenship of one year at least, and discharge of all rates and taxes. Parliament must be assembled every three years, but as the budget is taken every two years, it is regularly called together within that period. No laws affecting the liberty or property of the subject can be passed without the sanction of parliament.
_Revenue._--The following is a fairly typical statement of the budget estimates (1902-1903), in marks (= 1 shilling sterling):--
Receipts. Mks. Direct taxes 38,199,000 Customs and indirect taxes 50,900,990 State railways 184,551,000 Posts and telegraphs 41,665,100 Forests and agricultural dues 37,395,000 Imperial assignments 62,571,605 ------------ 415,282,695 =========== = £20,764,135
Disbursements. Mks. Civil list 5,402,475 State debt 51,323,200 Ministry of the Royal house and of Foreign dept. 688,398 Ministry of Justice 20,615,299 Ministry of interior 30,055,338 Public worship and education 34,667,673 Minister of finance 6,696,780 Constribution to imperial exchequer 72,647,090 ------------ 222,296,253 =========== = £11,114,813
The public debt amounts to about £95,000,000, of which over 75% was incurred for railways.
_Army._--The Bavarian army forms a separate portion of the army of the German empire, with a separate administration, but in time of war is under the supreme command of the German emperor. The regulations applicable to other sections of the whole imperial army are, however, observed. It consists, on a peace footing, of three army corps, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Royal Bavarian (each of two divisions), the headquarters of which are in Munich, Nuremberg and Würzburg respectively. The Bavarian army comprises sixty-seven battalions of infantry, two battalions of rifles, ten regiments of cavalry (two heavy, two Ulan and six Chevauxlegers), a squadron of mounted infantry (_Jäger-zu-pferde_), twelve field- and two foot-artillery regiments, three battalions of engineers, three of army service, and a balloon section; in all 60,000 men with 10,000 horses. In time of war the total force is trebled. (P. A. A.)