The finances of the State for the biennial period ending 30 June 1916, show: Balance 1 July 1914, $737,860.82; revenue to 30 June 1916, $15,252,530.36; total, $15,99Q 391.18. Disbursements, 1 July 1914 to 30 June 1916, $15,172,565.93; balance, 30 June 1916, $717,825.26. All property in Iowa. assessed at actual value, was placed at $2,490,954,700 in 1905; in 1906 it rose to $4,055,607,770. Local taxation is limited to 1 per cent of valuation for current expenses, but this may be exceeded for waterworks, sewers, schools, etc. The State cannot incur a debt of more than $250000 ex cept for war purposes. Counties and towns cannot incur a debt of over 5 per cent of their actual valuation.
Population and Iowa in 1910 ranked 10th among the States in population. The population was 43,112 in 1840; in 1850, 192, 214; in 1860, 674,913; in 1870, 1,194,020; in 1880, 1,624,615; in 1890, 1,911,896: in 1900, 2,231,853; in 1910, 2,224,711; in 1915, 2,358,066. The original population was part of the Free State movement which peopled the Central States. Of the entire population (1915), 264, 169 were foreign-born. Of these 88,450 were from Germany; 64,812 from Scandinavia, or nearly three-fifths from the Teutonic nations; besides several thousands from German Aus tria and Switzerland. From England 15,681, Canada, 10,980; Ireland, 14,299; Holland, 12, 638; Greece, 4,678; Italy, 6,261; Russia, 9,896; China and Japan only 133. Total white popu lation 2,341,322; colored 16,744. In 1915 the census showed an increase in population of 133,289 in five years and 148,010 in 10 years. The capital, Des Moines, on the river of the same name,, is the largest, with 105,652 in 1915, a gain of 30,026 in 10 years. On the same river to the north is Fort Dodge, an old frontier fort and settlement (19,372), and below it Ottumwa (22,437) and Keolcuk (15,239). The Mississippi River business is chiefly represented, from north to south, by Dubuque (41,795) the first settled in the State, Clinton (26,091), Davenport (48,483), Muscatine (15,785), Burlington (24, 261), Fort Madison (9,507) and Keokuk (15, 239), the *Gate City,* at the mouth of the Des Moines, Sioux City (61,774), in the extreme west, near the mouth of the Big Sioux and Council Bluffs (31,354), opposite Omaha, the old terminus of the Union Pacific, represent the Missouri River; Cedar Rapids (40,667) and Waterloo (33,097), the valley of the Cedar River; and Marshalltown (16,065), the valley of the Iowa River.* Defense.—The State militia, or National Guard, was organized under a strict military code of the State and in harmony with the United States Army regulations. The gover nor is commander-in-chief, and directs the guard through the adjutant-general and staff. On 1 Jan. 1916 the guard consisted of staff de partments, 6; commander first brigade and staff, 6; medical department, 176; engineer company, 72; first squadron cavalry, 299; first battalion field artillery, 415; first, second and third infantry, 2,465; first separate company, 64. Total, 3,503. In the summer of 1916 the main body of Iowa's National Guard responded to the call of the government for troops on the Mexican border, taking the national oath. In the winter of 1916-17, the Iowa troops re turned to their homes but were not mustered out. On 1 March 1917 the First Iowa regiment was called to service in anticipation of the President's declaration of war with the Ger man Empire. On 1) July following, the entire National Guard of the State was called out and sworn into Federal service, under the Na tional Defense Act of that date. These troops
rendered valiant service with the American Expeditionary Force in France, and were among the first that turned back the German advance on Paris, and their loss in killed and casualties was extensive. While every able bodied man between 18 and 45 is subject to call as a member of the State militia, the beginning of the year 1919 found but one regiment of the Iowa National Guard, the Fourth Iowa Infan try, in existence in the State. The troops in actual service on their return were mustered out and restored to their civil status.
History.— The territory now included in Iowa was originally inhabited by the Ioway and Illinois tribes of Indians, which were driven out by the Sacs and Foxes. In 1761 the or Iowa tribes were on the east side of the Missouri River and near the headwaters of the Des Moines; but in 1805 they were oc cupying land on the south side of the Des Moines River. In 1846 they left the vicinity of the Des Moines, some going to the reserva tion of the Sacs and Foxes beyond the Mis souri. The missionary, Father Marquette, and Joliet, the fur-trader, were the first white men known to have touched foot upon Iowa soil. In 1673 they landed near the mouth of the river now known as the Des Moines. In 1788 a 10 white men under Julien Dubuque fished the first white settlement on the site of the present city of Dubuque. They were attracted by the lead deposits in the vicinity. They opened and in a small way operated mines, but after the death of Dubuque, in 1810, his associates were compelled by the Indians to abandon the settlement. All that portion of country drained by the Mississippi was claimed by Francese of the explorations made by Marquette some of his companions, and because of settlements made by other French men. France's claim to this territory was ceded by treaty to Spain in 1763, but the country was returned to France in 1800-01. In 1803 all the territory now known as the Louisiana Purchase (q.v.) was bought of France by the United States government. The territory now the State of Iowa was part of the Territory of Louisiana in 1805; of Missouri in 1812; of Michigan in 1834; of Wisconsin in 1836. Iowa became an independent territory in 1838, and was admitted as a State in 1846. The Indian claims to lands within the boundaries of the State were purchased by the United States gov ernment before its admission as a State. The last purchase was made in 1843. Remnants of the Sacs and Foxes occupy a reservation, 419 acres, in Tama County, and still receive annui ties from the government. In 1832 a settlement was made at Fort Madison, an abandoned gov ernment post, and soon after Burlington was founded, and in 1830 a settlement was again made at Dubuque. In 1857 the Indians attacked the settlers living near the Okoboji lakes and Spirit Lake, in Dickinson County, and about 30 whites were killed and nearly all the houses burned. This action on the part of the Indians retarded for some years the growth of that section of the State. Burlington was first selected for the Territorial capital. Iowa City became the State capital in 1846. In 1857 the capital was removed to Des Moines. Iowa had in the Federal army during the Civil War 75,839 men, which was about one-tenth of her population. Some of this number were in regi ments belonging to other States.