1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Kansas

KANSAS (see ). The pop. of Kansas in 1920 was 1,769,257, as against 1,690,969 in 1910, an increase of 78,288 or 4.6%. Relatively to the other states, Kansas lost its position, falling from 22nd to 24th place. Of the 105 counties, 48 showed an increase and 57 a decrease in pop. during the decade. The average number of inhabitants to the sq. m. was 21.6 in 1920. There were three cities of over 25,000 inhabitants, 14 from 10,000 to 25,000 and 10 from 5,000 to 10,000. The urban pop. (in cities of over 2,500) increased from 29.2% in 1910 to 34.9% in 1920.

History.&mdash;Kansas has been overwhelmingly Republican in politics and there has been practically no Democratic press in the state. W. R. Stubbs was elected governor in 1909 and reëlected in 1911, as representative of the reform wing of the Republican party. Under the leadership of William Allen White, Victor Murdock and Henry J. Allen, the reform wing of the party joined the Progressive movement and the primaries in Aug. 1912 declared for Roosevelt for presidential nominee. The division in the Republican ranks resulted in giving the electoral vote of the state that year to Wilson and in the election of a Democratic governor, George H. Hodges. In 1914 the Republicans regained control of the state Government by the election as governor of Arthur Capper, owner of the Topeka Capital and of a group of farm papers, and he was reëlected in 1916, although the electoral vote of the state again went to Wilson. Henry J. Allen, Republican, owner of the Wichita Beacon, was elected governor in 1918 and reëlected in 1920. In the latter year the electoral vote for President went to Harding by enormous majorities. The World War was enthusiastically supported by all parties. One of the larger training camps, named from Gen. F. Funston (who died early in 1917), was located on land adjoining the Fort Riley military reservation. The state supplied 63,428 men to the rank and file of the army. The amounts subscribed to the war loans were: First Liberty Loan, $11,108,750; Second, $27,895,200; Third, $47,381,200; Fourth, $73,914,550; Victory Loan, $51,208,250.

(F. H. H.*)