Mississippi

Climate.—The southern latitude, the low elevation and the proximity to the Gulf of Mexico produce in southern Mississippi a rather mild and equable climate, but to the northward the extremes increase. The normal mean annual temperature for the State is 64°, on the coast it is 67°, and on the northern border 61°. Annual precipitation for the State is about 51 in. (southern half, 54 in.; northern half, 49 in.). Nearly one-third of the rain falls in Jan., Feb. and March; July, also, is one of the wet months. The driest season is in Sept. and October. The prevailing winds are from the S.E.; but the rain-bearing winds chiefly from the S.W., and the high winds from the west and north-west.

The most fertile soil is the alluvium of the delta, deposited during the overflows of the Mississippi. Others that are exceed ingly productive are the black calcareous loam of the prairies, the calcareous silt of the bluff belt along the eastern border of the delta, and the brown loam of the table-land in the central part of the State.

Government.

The chief special object of the present Con stitution, adopted Nov. 1, 1890, was to preserve in a legal manner the supremacy of the whites over the ignorant negro majority. In addition to the ordinary suffrage qualifications of age and resi dence, the voter must have paid all taxes due from him for the two years preceding the election, and he must be able to read any section of the Constitution or "be able to understand the same when read to him, or give a reasonable interpretation thereof." In 1916 the initiative and referendum were adopted by an amendment to the Constitution, thereby placing the Government more within the direct control of the people. Under its provisions, an initiative petition must be supported by 7,500 qualified electors, and a referendum petition by 6,000.

The chief executive constitutional officials are the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of State, treasurer, auditor, attorney general and superintendent of education. All are chosen for terms of four years, and the governor, treasurer and auditor are ineligible for immediate re-election. The method of election is based in part upon the national presidential model. The governor is empowered to call extraordinary sessions of the legislature, to grant pardons and reprieves, and to exercise a power of veto which extends to items in appropriation bills. A two-thirds majority of the legislature is necessary to pass a bill over his veto.

The legislature consists of a senate and a house of representa tives, chosen every four years. Since 1912, it has met in regular session biennially, and in extraordinary session whenever the gov ernor has seen fit to call it. Revenue measures may originate in either house, but a three-fifths vote in each is necessary to their enactment.

The judiciary consists of a supreme court of six judges, 17 circuit courts, ten chancery courts, county.courts and magistrate courts. The supreme court judges are elected for a term of eight years, and the circuit and chancery judges for four years. A majority of nine jurors may return a verdict in all civil cases in the circuit and chancery courts.

Population.

The population at selected census periods was: 8,85o in 1800, 40,352 in 1810; 606,526 in 1850; in 188o; 1,551,270 in 1900, 1,797,114 in 1910; 1,790,618 in 1920; 2,009,821 in 1930. The census of 1930 showed an increase of 219,203, nearly 12.2% from the figures for 1920. The negro population was 1,009,718, or 50.2%, compared with 935,184, or 52.2% of the total in 1920. Foreign-born whites in 1930 numbered 7,049. The density was 43.4 per sq. mile. The seven cities having a popu lation of more than 14,000 in 1930 were Jackson (48,282), Merid ian (31,954), Vicksburg Hattiesburg (18,601), Laurel (18,017), Biloxi (14,850) and Greenville Finance.—The total receipts and disbursements for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 1935 were and $24,567,515 re spectively. The State indebtedness Oct. f, 1936, consisted of 170,000 in outstanding State bonds.

Deposits in State banks are protected by a State guaranty fund. On June 30, 1935, there were 25 national banks and 184 State banks, with total resources and liabilities of $167,000,000. Deposits were $140,900,000.

Education.

Educational interests were almost entirely neg lected during the colonial and Territorial periods. The first school established in the State was Jefferson college, now Jefferson Mili tary college, near Natchez, Adams county, incorporated in 1802. Charters were granted to schools in Claiborne, Wilkinson and Amite counties in 1809-15, and to Port Gibson academy and Mississippi college, at Clinton, in 1826. The State established in 1819 the first educational institution which granted diplomas to women. The public school system was established in 1846.