Judicial. The Supreme Court, consisting of seven judges, elected for ten years, is divided into two divisions, which sit separately. Kansas City and Saint Louis each have appellate courts, consisting of three judges, who are elected for terms of twelve years. Judges of the Circuit Courts are elected for six years. Criminal courts may be established in counties having a population exceeding 50,000. Each county has a probate and a county court. Justices of the peace are elected in the smaller civil divisions.
Local Government. A county-seat may be removed with the consent of two-thirds of the qualified voters. No new county can be created with less than 410 square miles. The transference of a portion of one county to an adjoining county must first have the approval of a majority of the electors in the counties affected. The General Assembly provides for the organization and classification of cities and towns, but the Constitution places a maximum limit of four to the number of classes that may be created. Sheriffs and coroners are elected for terms of two years, and are not eligible for more than four years in any period of six years. Under certain conditions cities having over 100,000 inhabitants may frame charters for their own government.
Finances. The first public debt was created for the sake of acquiring stock in the banks of the State. In 1835 it amounted to $1,397,000, against which the State held $1,250,000 of bank stock. Missouri was more fortunate than many other States, its banking enterprises not involving it in any financial difficulties. Up to 1850 Missouri remained free from the general tendency toward expensive public improvement, but when the era of speculative railroad construction came, was no exception to the rule. Within eight years many railroads were chartered and received from the State loans in the shape of guaranteed bonds amounting to about $24,000,000. The roads were expected to pay the interest, but almost all failed to do so, and the State became bound for the entire debt, which in 1862 was $27,370,090. Until 1880 it remained above twenty millions, but since then was reduced by skillful management to $12,213,000 in 1890, and to $6,280,839 in 1900. Most of the bonds have been acquired by the school fund and other funds.
The payment of interest on the large debt and into the sinking funds was a heavy burden on the budget, and constituted a large part of the expenditure between 1870 and 1900. The revenue of the State is derived partly from a tax on property, and partly from special taxes on railroads, various public franchises, and corporations. For the two years ending December 31, 1900, the total receipts were $4,640,751 for the State revenue fund, $2,622,692 for the State interest fund, and various sums for the numerous funds. The balance in the treasury in 1901 was $1,078,931.
Militia. In 1900 the men of militia age numbered 662,928. The militia in 1901 numbered 2677.
Population. The population by decades has been as follows: 1810, 20,845; 1820, 60,586; 1830, 140,455; 1840, 383,702; 1850, 682,044; 1860, 1,182,012; 1870, 1,721,295; 1880, 2,168,380; 1890, 2,679,184; 1900, 3,106,665. The rank of the State rose rapidly until 1870, when it reached fifth, at which point it has since stood. The increase between 1890 and 1900 was a little less than for either of the four preceding decades, and amounted to 16 per cent., as compared with 20.7 for the United States. The negro population, which is largely confined to the Missouri River counties, amounted, in 1900, to 161,234. The foreign-born population numbered 216,379—the largest for any of the States which are usually classed as Southern. Saint Louis was an early centre of German immigration, and the Germans still constitute over one-half of the total foreign born. In 1900 there was an average of 45.2 people to the square mile—a greater density than is shown in any other State west of the Mississippi. Missouri contains the largest centre of population located on the Mississippi River, and the percentage of urban population is therefore high. In 1900 the 35 places having more than 4000 inhabitants each contained collectively 34.9 per cent. of the total population.
Cities. In 1900 the six largest cities were: Saint Louis, 575,238; Kansas City, 163,752; Saint Joseph, 102,979; Joplin, 26,023; Springfield, 23,267; Sedalia, 15,231.
Religion. The two leading denominations, the Methodists and the Baptists, are of almost equal strength. The Catholics also have a strong representation. Probably the most rapidly developing denomination is that of the Disciples of Christ. It ranks third among Protestant denominations. The largest of the remaining denominations are, in the order named, the Presbyterians, Lutherans, Protestant Episcopalians, and Congregationalists.
Education. In 1900 6.4 per cent. of the population ten years of age and over were illiterate. The percentage of illiteracy for the negroes alone was 28.0 per cent., which was a decided decrease from 1890, when the corresponding per cent. was 41.7. Although the Constitution of 1820 provided for a public school system, it was not until 1833 that a school was organized which could legally enforce support. The office of State Superintendent of Common Schools was created in 1839. The State Board of Education consists of the Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney-General and Superintendent of Education. As is common in States which have a large rural population, the country schools are often in a very backward condition, in marked contrast with the town schools, which are generally very efficient. In many districts there has been a decrease in the rural population, resulting in an increasing number of very small schools. The wealth of many districts is too small to support a long term school. Short terms, inefficient teaching, irregularity of attendance, and lack of gradation and superintendence, therefore, characterize many country districts. However, the average length of the school term for the State—144 days in 1900—compares favorably with the corresponding term in the neighboring States. In 1900 the number of children between the ages of five and eighteen was 966,400, the number enrolled in the public schools, 719,817, and the average attendance for the school year, 460,012. The State has no compulsory attendance law. The attempt to articulate the high schools with the university has necessitated the appointment of an inspector to examine the work of the high schools. In 1900 about 70 of these schools were upon the approved list of the universities, but there are in all about 500 schools doing from two
