Libraries.— Iowa had 131 free public li braries in 1916. Eighty-eight of these in AC many different cities and towns occupied build ings erected by Andrew Carnegie, and in 1916 eleven others were in process of erection There is only one endowed free public library in the State, the Kendall Young library in Webster City. The State has 31 college and academy libraries, also 14 is State institutions under the board of control, and eight in other State institutions; 50 association and subscrip tion libraries, and four miscellaneous, making They have an annual income, from ap propriations, State and Federal, and from interest, tuitions, fees, etc., amounting to over a total in the State of 239. The total number of volumes in the public libraries of theiState in 1916 was 1,126,073. In the association libraries, 59,508. In institutional libraries un der the board of control, 39,225. In other State institutions 437,647. In colleges and acadetn7 libraries, 300,103. Total of volumes in the 'li braries of the State are 1,962,556.
Churches and Church Membership. There were in 1915, 4,218 church organizations in Iowa, a gain of 397 in 10 years; member ship in 1915, 928,417, a gain of 346,577 in 10 years; value of church property in 1915, $47, 717,451, a gain of $22,894,852 in 10 years. The principal denominations show the following membership in 1915: Methodist, 325,959; Catho lic, 206,701; Lutherans, 107,523; Disciples of Christ (Christian) 60,720i Presbyterian, 47,059; Baptist, 39,321; Congregationalist, 35,538; United Brethren, 10,366; Latter Day Saints (mono gamous) 10,216; United Presbyterian, 9,049; German Evangelical Synod, 8,084; Christian Scientists (estimated) 7,500; Protestant Episco pal, 7,233; Friends, 6,629; Evangelical Associa tion, 5,236. Other denominations: Adventists, Dunkers, United Evangelical, Jews, Mennonite bodies, other Methodist bodies, Reformed bodies (Bohemian, etc), Salvation Army, Uni tarians, Universahsts, etc.
Charities and Penal Iowa has 17 institutions under a board of control, in which over 10,000 persons are cared for by the State; six for correction and reformation, viz: one penitentiary, two reformatories, two indus trial' schools, one custodial or convict farm; four hospitals for the insane; one for tubercu losis patients; one for epileptics; one for vic tims of drugs and intoxicants i one home for soldiers and sailors and their wives; one school for the deaf ; one home and school for orphans; one home for the mentally deficient. In 1916 the hospital for epileptics was nearing comple tion, the custodial farm was in partial use, and the reformatory for women was in process of equipment. The inmates of these 17 institu tions increased in number from 8,312 in 1906 to 9,309 in 1914. The cost of maintenance has increased from $1,893,590- or $179.48 per capita - in 1906 to $4,545,468- or $400.93 per capita - in 1914. The State has 10,397.05 acres
of land in use with these institutions, as against 4,189 acres in 1898 when the board of control assumed their management. The property was then appraised at$8,380,718; its appraised value in 1915 was $12,487,150.44.
State The constitution was adopted in 1857. By law, the electors must vote once in 10 years on calling a convention to revise the constitution, which convention the legislature must 'call if so voted. All amend ments must receive a majority vote of both houses in two successive legislatures, and then be passed by popular vote. The only amend ment to the constitution since 1857 was in 1868, when the word was eliminated. The proposed amendment extending the suffrage to women was voted down 5 June 1916 by a ma jority of 10,341. An amendment prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquor as a beverage was carried in 1882 by a majority of 29,759, but was declared invalid by the Supreme Court. An amendment to the same effect was sub mitted in 1915 and 1917. On 15 Jan. 1919, both houses of the General Assembly-by a vote of 42 to 7 in the Senate and 86 to 13 in the House - passed a joint resolution ratify ing the prohibitory amendment to the Constitu Lion of the United States, thus sunk natily dis posing of the question. The Senate has 50 four year members, the House 108 two-year members; 14slative sessions are held biennially in the odd-numbered years. Bills must have a major ity of all members elected to both houses-not merely present. A two-thirds vote overcomes the governor's veto. Executive officials are elected for two years-half in one year and half in the alternates, with the exception of the railway commissioners, who are elected for three; the railroad commission has power to regulate rates, etc. The judiciary consists of a Supreme Court, with a chief justice who is such by reason of priority of election, six as sociate judges, chosen every year; also 53 dis trict judges in 20 districts, each• serving four years. Women may vote only on school ques tions involving the expenditure of money, and on municipal questions involving the issuance of bonds. All incorporated towns of 2,000 people and over are ranked as cities; all platted but unincorporated towns are villages. The number of representatives in Congress is 11. In politics the State has been Republican since the organization of the party, except in the years 1890-94, when the advocacy of prohibi tion drove it into retirement. The prohibitory amendment, adopted in 1882 and pronounced unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the State, was succeeded by prohibitory laws which • after several years' trial were in turn succeeded by a local option law under which 54 of the 99 counties of the State were reported in 1903 as wholly free from saloons. In 1915 the local option law was repealed, leaving the entire State under a prohibitory law.