Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 14.djvu/370

NEBRASKA. . The eastern part of Nebraska enjoys adequate railroad facilities, and three lines, the Burlington and Missouri River, the Union Pacific, and the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley, cross the State from east to west. The western part of the State has no north and south lines. The principal era of construction was in the decade 1880-90, during which the mileage increased from 1953 miles to 5407 miles. There were in 1900 5695 miles in operation. There is a State Board of Railroad Commissioners. The Missouri River is not used for purposes of navigation.

. The first session of the Territorial Legislature in 1855 pronounced currency banking a crime, and no banks were chartered. The necessity for currency, however, was such that insurance companies issued a disguised form of paper money. In 1856, under special charters, certain institutions did a banking business, in spite of the laws to the contrary. The general panic of 1857 swept all such institutions out of existence. For almost a decade all the banking business was performed by private banks; then national banks began to be organized.

A considerable increase in the number of banks came about in 1880, when the era of railroad building commenced. The number of State banks almost doubled in one year, and in the following decade (1880-90) increased from 83 to 513, but diminished somewhat after the panic of 1893. The national banks during the same period increased from 10 to 120. An act regulating banks was passed in 1889, establishing a State Banking Board, and providing for reports and examinations. In 1893 there were eight savings banks in Omaha, but only one existed in 1900. The following table is compiled from the official reports of 1902:

. The State Constitution forbids any bonded debts of over $50,000 except in case of war, but when the disbursements have exceeded the receipts. State warrants have been issued which drew interest. In 1891 an act was passed by the Legislature relating to registration of unpaid warrants, which practically made them a bonded debt. Besides, special relief bonds were authorized and so a funded State debt created which in 1894 amounted to more than $500,000. This funded debt was paid out by 1898. On December 1, 1902, the floating indebtedness of the State was $1,989,328, but the educational trust funds held $1,457,351, so that the net indebtedness was small. The income for the preceding twenty-four months was $6,742,551, and the expenditures $6,925,315. The educational expenditures constituted almost two-thirds of the whole.

. The present Constitution was adopted in 1875. If three-fifths of the members of each House approve a proposed amendment, it is submitted to a vote of the people, and if approved by a majority of the electors voting, it becomes a part of the Constitution. Every male person of the age of twenty-one years and upward who is a citizen of the United States, or has declared his intention thirty days previous to an election to become a citizen, and who is neither insane, an idiot, nor an unpardoned felon, shall be entitled to vote, provided he has resided in the State six months and in the minor districts a term prescribed by law. Registration of voters is required by law in cities of over 2500 inhabitants. The State elections are held biennially on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

. The Constitution places a maximum limit on the Legislature of 33 Senators and 100 Representatives. It meets biennially in odd-numbered years on the first Tuesday in January. Each member is elected for two years and receives $5 a day and mileage, but salary is allowed for only sixty days at any one sitting. Unless at the request of the Governor, bills cannot be introduced after the fortieth day of the session. The power of impeachment rests with the Senate and House in joint convention; the trial of impeachment, with the judges of the State district courts.

. The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Attorney-General, and Commissioner of Public Lands and Buildings each hold office for two years. The Governor's veto extends to any item or items of appropriation bills. He has the usual pardoning power, subject to legislative regulation.

. The judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court, district courts, county courts, justices of the peace, police magistrates, and inferior courts created by law for cities and incorporated towns. The three Supreme Court judges are elected by the State at large for six years. The State is divided into six districts, in each of which a district judge is elected for four years. The county judges are elected for two years.

. No county can be created with or reduced to a less area than 400 square miles, nor can any county be divided without the approval of a majority vote of the people. The Legislature provides by law for township organization.

. Property acquired by a wife after marriage remains separately hers. Women who own assessed property, or who have children of school age, may vote in school meetings. The liquor laws provide for high license. The legal rate of interest is seven per cent., ten being allowed by contract, and the penalty for usury is forfeiture of interest and cost.

The State has six Representatives in the National Congress. The capital is Lincoln.

. The population of Nebraska by decades was: 1860, 28,841; 1870, 122,993; 1880, 452,402; 1890, 1,058,910; 1900, 1,066,300. In the decade 1880-90 Texas was the only State west of the Mississippi whose absolute growth was as great as that of Nebraska, but in the following decade the population remained almost stationary, its increase being exceeded by that in every other State in the Union but one. Many of the northeastern counties of the State made large gains in the last decade of the century, but elsewhere decreases were common. Owing to its