1938: Illinois

On December 3, 1938, Illinois celebrated 120 years of statehood. Third among the states in population, with an estimated 7,878,000 in 1937, Illinois had by the 1930 census 7,630,654 of whom 7,266,361 were whites, 328,972 Negroes, 28,906 Mexicans, 5,946 Asiatics and 469 Indians. Of foreign-born whites 15.6 per cent came from Germany, 14.2 per cent from Poland, 9.1 per cent each from Sweden and from Italy, 7.1 per cent from Russia, and other appreciable numbers from Czechoslovakia, Ireland, England, Canada, Austria and Hungary.

Major cities and their population are Chicago, 3,376,438 (1930); Peoria, 104,969; Rockford, 85,864; East St. Louis, 74,347; and Springfield, the capital, 71,864. The area of Illinois is 56,665 square miles, ranking it twenty-third in size among the states.

Agriculture.

Illinois is one of the important agricultural states, with corn ranking first among its products. In 1938 corn averaged 45 bushels per acre, second only to the 1937 average. The total production of grains was 19 per cent higher than the ten-year average, 1927-36; hay and forage production 25 per cent higher and soybeans and cowpeas more than three times the average for the same period.

Mineral Products.

Bituminous coal, the leading mineral product of Illinois, in which the state ranks third in the Union, showed an increased production in 1937 of 51,240,000 tons, compared with 50,926,599 tons in 1936 with a value of $81,444,000. Petroleum made an astonishing rise of 66 per cent in 1937 through the discovery of important new fields, chiefly the Clay City and Noble pools. The total for the year was 7,499,000 bbl. as against 4,475,000 bbl. in 1936. The estimate for 1938 is 23,929,000 bbl. At the end of the year there were 2,208 active producing wells, and Illinois had risen from 13th place in oil production to 7th. Shipments of cement in 1937 were slightly below those for 1936, with a total of 4,713,734 bbl. Production of fluorspar, in which Illinois ranks second among the states, was 78,664 tons (value, $1,730,585). The manufacture of pig iron amounted to 3,357,959 tons; open hearth and Bessemer steel, in the production of which Illinois ranks fourth, totaled 4,785,095 tons; and beehive coke 2,599,048 tons.

Industry.

As a manufacturing state Illinois is a leader because of abundant raw materials, cheap coal, and fine transportation facilities. Chicago is the world's center for the wholesale slaughtering and packing of meats. The manufacturing of steel and iron products is the industry of second importance in the state. Others ranking high are printing and publishing, the manufacturing of electrical supplies, machinery, men's clothing, furniture, watches, etc. Products of Illinois industry are valued at approximately $5,000,000,000 dollars annually.

Education.

The 1936-37 statistics of the Department of Public Instruction, the latest available, give Illinois 11,980 public school districts and 980 high schools, with a total of 1,302,662 students and 47,819 teachers.

The state maintains five normal schools and a university. The University of Illinois at Urbana, ranking among the largest educational institutions in the country, celebrated its 70th birthday in 1938. During the year the Legislature appropriated money for a new building at the University and $1,000,000 for certain needy high schools in the state.

Legislative Matters.

The General Assembly, or legislative body, consisting of a House and Senate, meets biennially in the odd years. In 1938 there were two special sessions. In addition to appropriations for education already mentioned, important legislation passed included the Drivers' License Bill and the appropriation of $3,000,000 to the Welfare Department for new buildings.

During the year the organization of the Illinois Legislative Council, introduced as a bill three years before, was completed. It is composed of ten members from each House and a research staff, with Dr. C. M. Kneier, formerly of the University of Illinois, as director. Its purpose is to be a permanent fact-finding agency, with the findings available both to legislators and the public.

Finances.

For three years Illinois has been conducting its government on a 'pay as you go' basis. The revenue for the year ending June 30, 1938, came from the following sources: retailers' occupancy tax, 36¾ per cent; motor fuel tax, 17¾ per cent; motor vehicle license tax, 9¾ per cent; Federal aid for highways, 5½ per cent; Federal aid for old age assistance, 6½ per cent; utility tax, 4¾ per cent; liquor tax, 5 per cent; corporation and insurance tax, 5½ per cent; inheritance tax, 3¾ per cent; and all other revenues, 5 per cent.

This revenue was spent as follows: for relief, 17¾ per cent; motor fuel distribution to counties and cities, 8 per cent; state highways, 18¼ per cent; education, 13 per cent; interest and retirement of state debt, 9¼ per cent; old age assistance, 12¾ per cent; charitable and penal, 11¼ per cent, and all other purposes 9¾ per cent.

Of General Interest.

A flood in February, and two destructive tornadoes, one on March 15 at Belleville, and one on March 30 at Pekin, caused great damage to crops and buildings, with the loss of 22 lives at Belleville and 10 in or near Pekin.

The Division of Architecture and Engineering reported 37 major building projects during 1938, at a cost of $6,558,000. The Federal Government paid 45 per cent of this sum. Additional accommodations were built at state hospitals, penal institutions and normal schools. Final details were added to the Armory office-building, and to the Archives Building (housing that Division of the State Library) and these were occupied.

Contracts for road-building totaling $19,518,770.34, including both state and Federal funds, were awarded by the Division of Highways.

The year brought to a successful end the eight-year struggle to retain in Illinois the Air Corps Technical School of the U. S. Army, at Rantoul. The Federal Government has allocated $5,500,000 for its rebuilding.

State Officers.

During 1938 the chief officers were as follows: Governor, Henry Horner; Lieutenant-Governor, John Stelle; Secretary of State, Edward J. Hughes; Auditor, Edward J. Barrett; Treasurer, Louie E. Lewis; Attorney General, John E. Cassidy; Superintendent of Public Instruction, John A. Wieland.

Supreme Court Justices.

Paul Farthing, Norman L. Jones, Warren H. Orr, Clyde E. Stone, Elwyn R. Shaw, Francis S. Wilson and Walter T. Gunn.

United States Senators.

Scott W. Lucas (elected in November) and James M. Slattery (appointed April 1939 to fill the unexpired term of James Hamilton Lewis).