Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 18.djvu/433

SOUTH DAKOTA. being no line crossing the State from east to west. Railway construction was greatest in the decade 1880-1890. The mileage in the latter year was 2610, which figure had increased in 1900 to 2961 miles. The Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul, the Great Northern, and the Chicago and Northwestern have the greatest mileage.

In 1872 the first national bank was organized in Yankton. In the following twenty years banks multiplied, and in 1889, when division came and the Territory was organized as a State, South Dakota had 33 national and over one hundred private banks, which figures included also the banks organized under the general incorporation law. This rapid organization of small banks was due to the high rate of interest on mortgages, often amounting to 14 per cent. and 15 per cent. The bad crops of 1889-91 reduced the value of real estate, made foreclosure of many mortgages necessary, and caused the failure of many banks. The necessity of some regulation of the banking business became evident, and in 1891 the first banking law of the State was passed, making the shareholders responsible for an amount equal to their stock in addition to their actual investment, allowing dividends on net profits only, etc. Between 1890 and 1900 the national banks diminished both in number and in the volume of transactions, and the State banks have now the larger part of the business. The condition of the banks in 1902 is shown in the following table:

The State Constitution was adopted by popular vote in October, 1889. Proposed amendments must secure the approval of a majority of the members elected to each House, and a majority of the electors voting at a popular election. Upon the approval of two-thirds of the members elected to each House and a majority of the people voting at a popular election the Legislature shall call a constitutional convention. Voters must be citizens, or foreigners who have declared their intention of becoming citizens and have resided in the United States one year, in the State six months, in the county thirty days, and in the election precinct ten days, Pierre is the capital.

The Legislature convenes on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of January in the odd years. It consists of a Senate of 45 members and a House of 87 members. The people have the right to propose measures, which the Legislature must submit to a vote of the electors. The people may further require that, with certain exceptions, any laws enacted must be submitted to the people, and not more than five per cent. of the electors are required to invoke these initiative or referendum rights. The Governor's veto does not extend to matters referred to the people.

The executive power is vested in a Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, elected

for two years, the latter being, ex officio, president of the Senate. The Governor has a veto power on legislation, which may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both Houses. He may veto items of an appropriation bill and approve the rest. The other officers are a Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, Snperintendent of Instruction, Commissioner of School and Public Lands, and Attorney-General—all holding office for two years.

There are five Supreme Court judges, elected for four years. The State is divided into judicial court districts, in each of which a judge is elected for four years.

The larger part of the public debt was incurred in 1883-89, before the admission to Statehood, and for the construction of hospitals, normal schools, and college buildings. At the time of admission the debt amounted to $710,200 in 4½ per cent. and 5½ per cent. bonds, but in addition South Dakota was obliged to pay to North Dakota in settlement of accounts more than $150,000. The Constitution limited the borrowing power of legislation to $100,000, but this limit was soon reached. In 1892 the debt was more than one million dollars, and in 1895 $1,562,800, of which $424,000 were in warrants. In 1902 the bonded indebtedness was $417,500 and the outstanding warrants were $250,000, making a total debt of $667,500. The income in the beginning came mainly (almost 85 per cent.) from a State tax. Later the sale and lease of public lands developed into an important source of income, which by a special provision of the Constitution must go into the permanent school fund, while the interest on deferred payments must be devoted to current school expenses. During the fiscal year 1901-02 the total income was $2,174,257, and the total expenditure $2,098,620, almost 60 per cent. of which was for school purposes. There was a balance of $840,525 in the treasury, of which $633,000 lay in the school fund.

In 1900 there were 87,505 men of militia age. The organized militia in 1901 numbered 949.

The population in 1890, according to the first State census, was 328,808, and the figure increased in 1900 to 401,570. In the latter year South Dakota ranked thirty-seventh in population. The foreign-born population was 88,508, among whom the Norwegians, Germans, Russians, and Swedes were the most numerous. There were 9293 Indians taxed and 10,932 not taxed. There were only 5.2 persons to the square mile in the State. There are five towns having (1904) more than 5000 inhabitants each. In 1900 Sioux Falls had a population of 10,206, Lead City 6210, Yankton 4125, Aberdeen 4087, and Mitchell 4055. South Dakota sends two members to the National House of Representatives.

The Catholic Church includes about one-thirteenth of the inhabitants. The Lutherans are the strongest Protestant denomination.

In 1900 only five per cent. of the population over ten years of age were illiterate. There were then 129 days in the school year. Owing to the large scattered rural population, the educational difficulties have been extreme. In 1900 there were only 176 graded schools, as against 3191 ungraded, the former being almost wholly in the towns. Only the towns have high