The total receipts into the state treasury during the year ending Nov.30, 1878, includ ing a balance of $133,271 from the previous year, were $1,610,909; the sum disbursed was $1,562,410. The bonded debt of the state in 1875 amounted to $480,000.
The foreign commerce of Minnesota is carried on through the two ports of St. Paul and Duluth, and by steamers to Manitoba on the Red river of the north. The number of arrivals under this head at St. Paul in 1874 was 23 steamboats and 6 barges, with an aggregate of 2,505 tons; imports valued at $15,340. At Duluth, upper end of hike Superior, during time, arrived 241 steamers and 47 sailing vessels, of an aggre gate tonnage of 168.241 tons, manned by 0.092 men; cleared, 244 steamers and 48 sailing vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 168,061 tons, and crews of 6,096 men. The foreign goods received were valued at $407,841, and the duties on them amounted to $183,118. The export to other states of lumber, wheat, flour. agricultural implements, etc., and the domestic importation of salt, coal, and merchandise keep the railroads busy.
There were in the state in 1874, 32 national banks, with a capital of $4,448,700, and a circulation of $445,000. There were at the same time 6 state banks, with resources amounting to $1,3S0,000. There were also seven savings banks, doing a prosperous business. The Farmers' mutual fire insurance association at Minneapolis, in 1874, had assets amounting to $158,302. The St. Paul fire and marine insurance company had a capital of $400,000; assets, $728,632. There were also 62 insurance companies doing busi ness in the state under charters derived from other states. One life insurance company, the Minnesota mutual, chartered by the state, and 32 others chartered elsewhere, were doing business in the state. The population of Minnesota in 1870 was 446,056; in 1875, 609, 777; in 1880, 780,806. The males in 1875 numbered 316,076; the females, 281.331; natives of this country, 379,078; foreigners, 217,429, of whom a large proportion were of Scandinavian origin. The first settlers of the state were chiefly from New England, and they went to the new state with a fixed determination to establish therein schools and colleges of a high order of excellence; accordingly much has been done to this end. In 1874 the children of school age (5 to 21 years) numbered 210,194, of whom 128,902 a larger proportion than in any other western state—were in school during some portion of the year. The number of school districts at that time was 3,260; number of school houses, 2,758; valued at $2,238,700; number of schools, 2,789, in which the average attendance was 99,842; number of teachers, 5,482, of whom 1834 were males and 3,648 were females; total amount of teachers' wages, $678,606; average monthly wages of male teachers, $41.57—of female teachers, $30.52. The average annual length of the schools was nearly 7 months, and the whole amount expended for their support in 1874 was $1,155,542. The number of graded schools was 151, and there were high schools in many of the cities and larger towns, in which pupils were fitted to enter the university. The school fund amounted to $3,030,127; and it is expected that by the sale of lands devoted to the purpose it will be eventually augmented to $10,000,000. The state has 3 normal schools, one each at Winona, Mankato, and St. Cloud. The number of pupils in these schools fitting themselves for teachers in 1874 was 905, of whom 548-126 males and 422 females—had been regular in their attendance. Women enjoy the right to
"vote at elections for school officers and in matters pertaining to the schools," and are "eligible to hold any office pertaining solely to their management." The university of Minnesota, organized at Minneapolis in.1867, embraces N'TC11 departments, viz.: collegi ate, scientific, literatiire, and file arts, agriculture and the Mechanic arts, medicine, rind law. In all these courses it is intended to be as thorough as any institution of the kind in the United States. It is endowed with both the university and agricultural college lands, which are expected ultimately to produce the sum of $1,000,000. There are in the state two other colleges, viz.: St. John's, near St. Joseph's, a Roman Catholic institution, and Carlton college (Congregational) at Northfield; also, many academies and seminaries, several of the latter especially for girls, and two or three business colleges. There are also three theological schools—the Augsburg evangelical seminary at Minneapolis, St. John's Roman Catholic seminary, and the Seabury divinity school (Episcopal) at Fari bault. The public institutions of the state are the reform school of St. Paul, the institu tion for the deaf, and dumb and the blind at Faribault, a soldiers' orphans' home at Winona. the hospital for the insane at St. Peter's, and the state prison at Stillwater. A second asylum for the insane will soon be completed. There is a private orphan asylum at St. Paul, and another at Shakopee. • In 1874 128 newspapers were published in the state, 15 of which were dailies. The number of libraries in the state in 1870 was 1412, containing 360,790 volumes. The whole number of church organizations in 1874 was 1247; church edifices, 880: church members, 113,705; ministers, 871. The principal denominations, in numerical order, were: Methodists. Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Congregationalists, German Methodists, Universalists, and Christians.
The governor and other state officers are chosen by a plurality vote for a term of two years. The governor receives an annual salary of $3,000. The legislature, composed of a senate and house of representatives, the number of whose members is fixed from time to time by law, meets annually, the sessions being limited to 60 days. St. Paul is the capital. The election takes place on the Tuesday succeeding the first Monday in Novem ber. The supreme court consists of a chief-justice and two associate justices, elected by the people for 7 years, and receiving a salary of $3,000. It has original jurisdiction in cases prescribed by law and appellate jurisdiction in matters of law and equity. In this court there are no jury trials. There are 11 judges of the district courts, each of whom is elected by the people of a district for a term of seven years. In Ramsey co., embracing the city of St. Paul, and Hennepin co., embracing the city of Minneapolis, there arc courts of common pleas, whose judges have the same tenure of office as those of the dis trict courts. Minnesota furnished to the army and navy during the war for the suppres sion of the rebellion more than 25,000 men. The electoral votes of the state for presi dent and vice-president of the United States have been cast as follows: 1860, 4 for Lin coln and Hamlin; 1864, 4 for Lincoln and Johnson; 1868, 4 for Grant and Colfax; 1872, 5 for Grant and Wilson; 1876; 5 for Hayes and Wheeler; 1880, 5 for Garfield and Arthur.