1938: Nebraska

Area and Population.

The 'Antelope' or 'Cornhusker State,' admitted to statehood March 1, 1867, Nebraska is one of the great central block of level agricultural states. The soil is so fertile as to produce excellent field and row crops with a minimum of moisture; 36 per cent of the state is under cultivation, 54 per cent is in ranges and pasture.

Nebraska ranks 15th in size among the states, with an area of 77,520 sq. mi. In population it ranks 32nd, numbering 1,377,963 according to the Census of 1930; 1,364,000 on July 1, 1937, according to a Federal estimate. The largest cities are Omaha, 214,006; Lincoln, the capital, 75,933; Grand Island, 18,041; Hastings, 15,490.

The population, as in Iowa and Kansas, is most dense in the east. About 11 per cent, or 150,000 are foreign-born, including Germans, Swedes, Czechoslovakians, and Irish. There are also 14,000 Negroes, and 3,000 Indians. The urban population comprises 35.3 per cent of the total.

Agriculture.

Irrigation and dry-farming are extensively developed in the west. The chief products are maize, wheat, oats, and wild hay. Second in importance are livestock and dairy products. Farming is highly mechanized, with robot tractors that run 24 hours, and other modern machinery to correspond. Other leading industries are slaughtering and meat-packing, food processing and milling.

Education.

Nebraska has five state-supported institutions of higher learning, with the University of Nebraska at the head (established 1871). Dr. C. S. Boucher, formerly Dean of the College of Arts, Literature, and Science of the University of Chicago, recently became Chancellor of the University, succeeding Dr. E. A. Burnett. Chancellor Boucher has just been instrumental in having the State Planning Board begin a long-range survey of the educational needs of the state. The other four state-supported institutions are teachers' colleges.

During the school year ending June 30, 1938, of the 382,601 inhabitants of school age (5 to 21), there were 289,916 pupils enrolled in public schools and 25,125 in private and parochial schools. There were 7,317 taking vocational courses. Teachers included 1,966 men and 11,899 women. The average salary was $812 for men and $730 for women. The state expenditure on education totalled $20,067,257.

Matters of Interest.

Nebraska is noted for the strikingly handsome State Capitol in Lincoln designed by Bertram Goodhue; and further distinguished by its famous legislative set-up of a single chamber of 43 members. The industrial interests of Nebraska are vigorously advertising the state as 'the white spot of the nation,' the only state without a bonded debt (since 1900), and on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Three counties in the extreme southeast are now sharing in the extraordinary activity that has recently brought into that region scores of oil operators. They have leased a million acres in Nebraska and the three adjoining states for gas and oil development (See MISSOURI).

General conditions throughout the state, however, generally were poorer during 1938 than in 1937. Manufacturing payrolls showed some increase, but manufacturing as a whole fell off. Agricultural conditions were worse than in 1937, since the improved crops brought poorer prices. Banking and finance were also in poorer shape. Relief needs were greater; and unemployment increased.

The unicameral legislature was not in session during 1938. In the recent election ex-Governor Charles W. Bryan, running on an independent platform for homestead tax exemption and old-age pensions, was a poor third to Roy L. Cochran, Democrat, the first Nebraska governor to be re-elected for a third consecutive term. Otherwise, the Republicans elected all their candidates for state offices but one, the Democratic Secretary of State, who was also re-elected. The five United States Congressmen had been 4 to 1 Democratic, but became 3 to 2 Republican.

Finance.

The state treasury reported June 30, 1938, total receipts in state funds of $23,574,425, total disbursements of $24,096,742, with an accumulated balance of $4,282,251. The chief item involved, gasoline tax collections for the highway fund, amounted to $11,050,036 (disbursements, $10,477,637).

Federal funds received during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1938, totaled $8,252,134; current trust funds, $1,144,161; unemployment trust funds, $3,681,988 (deposited with U.S. Treasury, $3,475,300); permanent trust funds, $1,806,508; trust funds invested in bonds, $1,571,564.

The summary shows total receipts from all sources, $40,030,783; disbursements, $40,301,090; balance, $20,359,916 (accumulated).

Banking.

The 293 state banks, with total capital of $7,818,300, and total surplus of $2,389,300, had on Sept. 28, 1938, deposits of $65,047,912.

State Officers.

As the result of the 1938 election, the chief officers are as follows: Governor, Roy L. Cochran; Lieutenant Governor, Wm. E. Johnson; Secretary of State, Harry R. Swanson; Auditor of Public Accounts, Ray C. Johnson; Treasurer, T. W. Bass; Attorney General, Walter R. Johnson; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Charles W. Taylor.

Judiciary.

The state judiciary is headed by Chief Justice Charles A. Goss. The six Associate Justices are Wm. B. Rose, Edward E. Good, George A. Eberly, E. B. Day, Bayard H. Paine, and Edward F. Carter.

United States Senators.

George W. Norris, Edward R. Burke.