2. _To serve as a medium between the state and the lower organizations._
The state uses the town, village, and city to value property for purposes
of taxation and as election districts. But it gets its taxes and its
election returns through the county. Here again may arise the question,
why not send the state taxes directly to the capital and make election
returns directly also? At least two good reasons appear: It would increase
the work and therefore the number of officials at the capital, and if a
mistake should be made it could not be so easily discovered and corrected.

3. _To carry on public works beyond the power of the towns individually._
A desired local improvement may be beyond the power of a town either
because it is outside of the jurisdiction of the town or because of its
expense. Thus, a road may be needed between two centers of population,
villages or cities, which would run through several towns, while the
jurisdiction of the towns individually extends only to their own borders.
Or a bridge over a wide stream may be needed, which would be too expensive
for the town in which it is located. The road and the bridge would better
be provided by the county.[Footnote: Sometimes state aid is secured. Do
you think it wise, as a rule, for the state to grant such aid?] And the
poor can generally be better cared for by the county than by the
individual towns, for the county can erect and maintain a poor-house.

4. _To secure certain local officers not needed in every town;_ for
instance, a register of deeds, the coroner, the judge of probate, the
superintendent of schools (in most states), and the surveyor.

5. _To serve as a territorial basis for the apportionment of members of
the legislature._ This is, perhaps, merely an incidental gain. But its
convenience in defining legislative districts is obvious.