

472 



MISSOURI. 



lican electoral ticket was placed in the field. 

 The Democrats held their State convention at 

 Jackson on June 8. Delegates to the National 

 Democratic Convention were selected, and presi- 

 dential electors nominated. The platform con- 

 tained the following : 



We favor reformation of the tariff' laws consisting 

 in a reduction of duties to the lowest rate consistent with 

 the needs of an economical administration of the Gov- 

 ernment. As far as practicable the burdens of taxation 

 should be borne by the luxuries of life, and the neces- 

 sities relieved of duty as far as possible. 



We condemn the so-called reciprocity policy of the 

 Eepublican party as a fraud invented in the name of 

 commercial freedom to perpetuate the present unjust 

 system of licensed spoliation, for the benefit of mo- 

 nopolies in the interest of the Republican party. 



There should be kept in constant circulation a full 

 and sufficient supply of money, consisting of gold and 

 silver and legal-tender paper currency at par with 

 each other. 



We believe that every legitimate power of the Gov- 

 ernment should be exerted to provide the people with 

 cheaper facilities for transportation, inasmuch as a 

 large portion of their earning is now taken from them 

 to pay the cost of marketing their products ; we there- 

 fore demand liberal appropriations by Congress for 

 the improvement of our rivers and harbors. 



The People's party and the Prohibitionists 

 also placed electoral tickets in the field. 



As the national election in November was the 

 first election occurring under the new State Con- 

 stitution, there was considerable curiosity to as- 

 certain the practical effect of the clauses of that 

 instrument relating to registration. Out of a 

 total of 76,742 voters registered, 68,137 were 

 whites and only 8,615 colored. We are told that 

 under the famous "understanding" clause of 

 the Constitution, 1,037 white and 1,085 colored 

 people were registered. No statement is made 

 showing how many of each race were rejected 

 under that clause. The vote at the November elec- 

 tion was very light, being as follows : Demo- 

 cratic electors, 38,301 ; People's party, 9,770 ; Re- 

 publican, 1,444 ; Prohibitionist, 1,079. In the 7 

 congressional districts the Democratic candi- 

 dates prevailed by large majorities. 



MISSOURI, a Western State, admitted to the 

 Union Aug. 10, 1821 ; area, 69,415 square miles. 

 The population, according to each decennial 

 census since admission, was 140,455 in 1830 ; 

 383,702 in 1840; 682,044 in 1850; 1,182.012 in 

 1860; 1,721,295 in 1870; 2,168,380 in 1880; and 

 2,679,184 in 1890. Capital, Jefferson City. 



Government The following were the State 

 officers during the year : Governor, David 

 R. Francis. Democrat ; Lieutenant-Governor, 

 Stephen II. Claycomb ; Secretary of State, Alex- 

 ander A. Lesueur ; Auditor, James M. Seibert ; 

 Treasurer. Lon V. Stephens ; Attorney-General, 

 John M. Wood, all Democrats ; Chief Justice of 

 the Supreme Court, Thomas A. Sherwood ; Asso- 

 ciate Judges, Francis M. Black, Theodore Brace, 

 Shepard Barclay, James B. Gantt, J. L. Thomas, 

 and George B. MacParlane ; Clerk, Jacob D. 

 Conner, all Democrats ; Superintendent of Public 

 Schools, Lloyd B. Wolfe. 



Finances. The bonded indebtedness of the 

 State has during the last four years been re- 

 duced $2,845,000, and in January, 1893, was but 

 $6,680,000, of which $1,380,000 bears 6 per cent, 

 and $5,300,000 3 per cent, interest. The annual 

 interest on the present bonded debt is $268,300, 



a reduction of $138,220. In the State revenue 

 fund there was on Jan. 1, 1891, a balance of 

 $180.997,73, and on Jan. 1, 1893, a balance of 

 $87,620.95. The balance in the treasury on Jan. 

 1, 1893, amounted to $562,277.48. 



The total receipts from the State interest fund 

 during 1891 and 1892 amounted to $892,7;!2.63 

 and $921,299.31 respectively. There was for the 

 State sinking fund, on Jan. 1, 1891, a balance of 

 $453,168.49, and on Jan. 1, 1893, a balance of 

 $52,172.17. 



For the State school fund, on Jan. 1, 1891, 

 there was a balance of $853, and on Jan. 1, 1893, 

 a balance of 1,538.77. This fund was created by 

 the act of the General Assembly, Feb. 6, 1837, 

 the moneys to be derived from the proceeds of 

 the sales of lands and the net proceeds of the 

 State tobacco warehouse ; the moneys so received, 

 by act of March 31, 1883, to be invested in State 

 certificates of indebtedness. The State Seminary 

 funds are derived from sales of land granted by 

 Congress, Feb. 17, 1818, and March 6, 1820 ; such 

 moneys, when amounting to $1,000, to be issued 

 in 5-per-cent. State certificate as required by act 

 of March 31, 1883, the money so received to be 

 transferred to the State sinking fund and used 

 for the reduction of the bonded debt of the State. 

 Of this State Seminary fund there was, on Jan. 1, 

 1893, a balance of $95.08. Of the State school 

 moneys derived from the interest on the State 

 certificates of indebtedness, and from the transfer 

 in 1891 and 1892 of one third of the ordinary 

 receipts into the State revenue fund appropriated 

 by the thirty-sixth General Assembly, there was, 

 on Jan. 1, 1891, a balance of $185,528.21, and on 

 Jan. 1, 1893, a balance of $186,274.16, the dis- 

 bursements for public schools in 1891 and 1892 

 having been $876,518.89 and $900,306.14. 



For the road and canal fund, the receipts in 

 1892 were $375.51. The executors' and admin- 

 istrators' fund, consisting of unclaimed balances 

 paid in by executors and administrators on the 

 final settlement of estates, showed a balance on 

 Jan. 1, 1891, of $34,856.79, and on Jan. 1, 1893, of 

 $18,634.42. The receipts from fees collected in 

 1891 and 1892 respectively were $28,858.95 and 

 $27,312.45. The disbursements in 1891 and 1892 

 respectively were for maintaining State insur- 

 ance department $15,930.16 and $16,463.16. Of 

 this fund there was transferred to the university 

 building fund, in 1892, $40,000. 



The earnings of the Missouri Penitentiary 

 arising from the hire of convict labor, and for 

 work done and materials furnished, were $194,- 

 547.17 in 1891, and $192,902.76 in 1892. 



The Colored Institute fund is derived from 

 tuition fees paid in by colored teachers. The 

 thirty-sixth General Assembly failed to make 

 an appropriation of these moneys, so that no 

 warrants could be drawn, and the balance on 

 Jan. 1, 1893, was $1,738.80. 



The disbursements for 1892 of the unversity 

 building fund amounted to $86,083.66. 



From the swamp land indemnity fund the 

 disbursements in 1891-'92 amounted to $763.42. 



The thirty-sixth General Assembly, at its 

 regular session, appropriated for the years 

 1891-'92 the sum of $3,159,771.42, out of the 

 revenue fund for the expenses of the Government 

 during that period. At its extra session in 1892 

 it appropriated for the same purpose $70>000. 



