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MISSOURI grass and is finely adapted to stock-raising.

Manufactures.— The industrial establishments are centered chiefly in the larger cities, St. Louis and Kansas City. There were, in 1914, 8,386 manufacturing establishments with an average number of 152,182 wage earners. The capital invested amounted to $522,548,000. The amount paid in wages was $89,197,000. The value of materials used was $388,715,000, and the value of the products $637,552,000.

Banking.— On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 137 National banks in operation, with $45,995,000 in capital, $7,669,136 in outstanding circulation, and $22,311,850 in United States bonds. There were also 1,325 State banks, with $41,323,000 capital and 24,464,000 surplus; 6 private banks, with $65,000 capital and $168,000 surplus; and 82 trust and loan companies, with $22,423,000 capital and a surplus of $19,477,000. The exchanges for the year ending Sept. 30, 1919, at the United States clearing house at St. Louis and Kansas City amounted to $19,101,774,000.

Education.— There were, in 1919, 721,752 children enrolled in the public schools. Of these 528,455 were an average daily attendance. The number of teachers was 20,208. with an average monthly salary of $69.19. The total amount expended for schools was $17,780,426. Compulsory education was provided by the legislature in 1909. Agriculture is taught in the high schools. Enrolled in the high schools are about 50,000 pupils. There are five normal schools. Among the institutions for higher learning are Washington University at St. Louis, University of Missouri at Columbia, St. Louis University at St. Louis, Missouri Wesleyan College at Cameron, Christian University at Canton, Central College at Fayette. There are several colleges for women.

Churches.— The strongest denominations in the State are the Roman Catholic; Regular Baptist, South; Disciples of Christ, Methodist Episcopal, South; Methodist Episcopal; German Evangelical Synod; Cumberland Presbyterian; Lutheran, Synod, Conference; Regular Baptist, Colored; Presbyterian, North; African Methodist; Presbyterian, South.

Finance.— The receipts for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 1919, amounted to $25,062,337 and the disbursements to $23,233,925. The balance on hand at the end of the year was $5,791,823. The State debt amounted to about $6,500,000.

Railways.— The railway mileage in 1919 was 9,382. The longest roads within the State were the St. Louis and San

Francisco, and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy.

Charities and Corrections.— The State Board of Charities and Corrections has supervision of the charitable and correctional institutions, which include hospitals at Fulton, St. Joseph, Nevada, and Farmington. There is an industrial school for boys at Booneville and schools for the deaf, blind, and epileptic.

State Government.— The governor is elected for a term of four years. Legislative sessions are held biennially beginning on Wednesday after the first Monday of January, and are unlimited as to length of session. The legislature has 34 members in the Senate and 142 in the House. There are 16 representatives in Congress. The State government in 1920 was Democratic.

History.— Missouri was first visited by the whites, under De Soto in 1541, and under Marquette in 1673. Early in the 18th century a brisk trade in furs between the French and the Indians led to French settlement. St. Louis, St. Genevieve, and other towns were founded about the middle of the century, but in 1762, after the conquest of New France by the English, this country was transferred to Spain. It was restored to France in 1800, and purchased by the United States in 1803, as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1812, a portion of Louisiana was set aside as the Territory of Missouri, and in 1821 it was admitted into the Union as a State. The question of its admission gave rise to a long and bitter political controversy in the halls of Congress, the South wishing to make of it a slave State and the North vigorously resisting. The dispute was at length settled by a compromise offered by Henry Clay, to the effect that slavery should be permitted in Missouri, but forever excluded from all other parts of the Louisiana Purchase N. of lat. 36° 30', In 1836 Missouri was reduced from its Territorial to its present State limits. On the outbreak of the Civil War the people of Missouri were divided in sentiment, and both sides took up arms. Many conflicts took place in the State, but the activity of the Union party saved it from secession. After the war bitter feeling died away, improvements began, and the State entered upon a career of prosperity which has since continued.  MISSOURI COMPROMISE, a term given to a compromise under an act of Congress passed in February, 1821, at which time Missouri was admitted into the Union as a slave State, declaring that all territory W. of Missouri and N. of lat. 36° 30′ (the S. boundary of 