1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Nevada

NEVADA (see ).—The pop. in 1920 was 77,407; in 1910, 81,875, a decrease of 4,468, or 5.5% as against an increase of 93.4% for the preceding decade. The native whites in 1920 numbered 55,897; foreign-born whites 14,802; Indians 4,907. The density of pop. in 1920 was 0.7 per sq. mile. The urban pop. (in places having more than 2,500 inhabitants) was 19.7%, the rural 80.3%. Reno, with a pop. of 12,016, an increase of 10.6% over the 1910 figures (10,367), was the only city having more than 5,000 inhabitants.

History.—The Progressive party maintained an organization in Nevada in 1912 which polled a vote second to that of the Democrats. The Democratic party continued in undivided power until the election of 1920 gave many important offices to Republican candidates. Emmet D. Boyle, Democrat, was elected governor in 1915 and re-elected in 1910.

Amendments to the constitution of Nevada were made in 1909, 1911, 1913, 1915, and 1919. The most important were those for the recall and female suffrage in 1911 and 1913. The state prohibition law was enacted, pursuant to a direct vote of the people cast Nov. 5 1918. The Legislature ratified the 16th Amendment (income tax) to the Constitution of the United States in 1911, the 17th (direct election of senators) in 1913, the 18th (prohibition) in 1919 and in the same year endorsed the proposed woman suffrage amendment. In a special session held Feb. 7 1920 it ratified the 19th Amendment (woman suffrage). Legislative sessions are limited to 60 days. Budget legislation was adopted in the session of 1919 and amended in 1921. The state is divided into 17 counties, two new ones having been created in 1911 and 1919. In 1921 a four-year term of office was provided for county officers. The same session provided for criminal execution by use of lethal gas.

In the World War Nevada furnished 5,535 men to the army, navy and marine corps, of whom 3,211 were inductions, 2,324 volunteers. Only one state, Montana, surpassed Nevada in the percentage of men contributed. Nevada gave 160.4% surplus of volunteers, one out of every 9 men of military age, one out of every 33 inhabitants. A surplus of 304.7% above the true proportion was given to the draft, and the selected men were turned over to the military authorities without expense to the Federal Government. The following figures show the amount subscribed in the five Liberty loans: First, $2,943,750; Second, $3,472,200; Third, $4,793,400; Fourth, $5,996,150; Fifth, $3,668,700; a total of $20,874,200, nearly five millions more than the state's quota. In 1919 the Legislature passed a land settlement Act providing a bond issue of $1,000,000 for soldier settlement work in coöperation with the Federal Government.


 * (J. E. W.*)