Nebraska. Capital: an Nebraska ha s area of 76,777 square miles, and by the census of 1900 had a population of 1,066,300. The Territory of Nebraska was formed May 30, 1854, and at chat time contained 351,558 square miles, extending from 40 degrees north latitude to the Canada boundary, and from the Missouri River to the crest of the Rocky Mountains. On February 28, 1861, 16,035 square miles were set off to Colorado, and on March 2 of the same year 228,907 square miles were given for Dakota. At the latter date Nebraska received from Washington and Utah a tract of 15,375 square miles lying on the southwest slope of the Rockies, giving to the State its present boundaries. a In March, 1860, a plan of State government was submitted to the people, but was disapproved. On April 19, 1864, an enabling act was passed by Congress, providing for the admission of Nebraska to Statehood, but the action necessary for admission was not taken by the people at that time. In 1866 the Territorial Legislature formed Constitution which was ratified on June 21 of that year. The first Legislature under the new government convened July 4. On July 28 a bill for the admission of Nebraska as a State was passed by Congress, but did not receive the signature of the President. In January, 1867, another bill was passed and was vetoed by the President. The bill was passed over the veto, however. This act contained a provision that the new State should not deny the right of suffrage on account of race or color, except in the case of Indians not taxed. This was ratified by the Legislature at Omaha February 20, and the compliance with. the Congressional conditions proclaimed by the President. coln was chosen as the seat of government shortly after this. was Lin Legislature, and most for assess of taxing insurance companies and Municipal elections were beld throughout the State in April and May. In Omaha, where a strong effort was being made to elect an independent candidate for Mayor, nominated by the Omaha Business Men's Association. the Republican candidate was chosen by about 1,000 majority. The Democratic State Convention met at Columbus on August 25. A fusion ticket of Democrats and Populists was nominated, the offices to be filled being one Supreme Court judge and two regents of the university. Resolutions were passed reaffirming the Kansas City platform of the National party. On May 15 Governor Mickey aroused considerable comment by his statement that a number of attempts had been made to bribe bim. He refused to name any par ticular case, and it was said that the charge was made in order to rid himself of a number of undesirable office seekers who were willing to offer bribes. Slaughtering and meat packing are the principal industries of the State, and South Omaha is now Gov. John H. Mickey. considered one of the great cattle markets of the world. Factory manufacture of butter, cheese and condensed milk forms an attendant industry. The lack of cheap fuel has long hindered the State's development in manufacturing lines, though ease of transportation has been a stimulating factor. Omaha is the centre of the printing and puolishing trade of the Middle West. The crop acreages in Nebraska in 1902 were as follows: Corn, 7,817,962 acres, 252,520,173 bushels; Winter wheat, 1,895,362 acres, 43,972,398 bushels; Spring wheat, 629,788 acres, 874,053 bushels; oats, 1,795,422 acres, 62,121,601 bushels; rye, 160,139 acres, 3.250,822 bushels; hay, 556,398 acres, 968,133 tons. The year ending December 31, 1902, showed the largest stock market business in the history of the State. Receipts for sheep showed an increase of 430,000 over 1901, but the receipt of hogs was below the average. The Omaha Packing Company has recently added a $1,000,000 beef plant to its business. Events in 1903.-One hundred and seventy-four bills were passed at the last session of the Nebraska Ice gorges in the Platte River caused serious floods in central and southern Nebraska in March. A tornado that struck the towns of Norman and Pauline, on May 25, caused the deaths of several persous, and much damage to property. State and Federal aid was asked in September to provide means of stopping the ravages of the Missouri River, which was cutting into the farms along its banks. Within a year nearly $1,000,000 worth of fine land disappeared down the stream. The trouble is an old one of the Missouri River trying to return to its old channel, which it left in 1880, at which time the current changed several miles eastward, flowing close to the hills on the Iowa side. Several million dollars have been spent by the Missouri River Commission in building dikes in the vicinity of Omaha, in an effort to hold the river to its course. In 1896 a costly dike was built about a mile above the point where the river is now cutting in, but it held the stream only one year. to war with Great Britain, but peace was declared and a treaty signed December 2, 1815, since when the relations of the country with the British have been friendly. An English resident lives at the capital, but does not interfere with internal affairs. The religion is Hindoolsm of an early type. There is a standing irregular army of about 25,000 men, with a force of 17,000 regulars stationed at the capital. During the Indian mutiny a detachment of Gurkha troops was sent to assist in suppressing the rebellion in Oudh. The races of Nepal. besides the dominant Gurkhas, include earlier inhabitants of Tartar origin, such as Magars, Guarangs, Newars and Bhutias. The principal articles of export are cattle, hides and skins, opium and other gums, grain, spices. tobacco and timber. The chief imports are cattle. sheep and goats, spices, sugar, cotton, silk, cotton and woollen goods. The Indian rupee passes current throughout the country, though Nepal has a currency of its own in silver and copper. i Netherlands (The). Capitak THE HAGUE. The reigning family of the Netherlands is the House of Orange, which was established by Count Walram, a German, in the eleventh century. Through the marriage of Count Englebrecht with Jane of Polanen, in 1404, the Barony of Breda passed into the hands of the family, which at that time settled in the Netherlands. Other successful matrimonial alliances, including that of Willem III. of Orange with a daughter of King James II. of Great Britain, added to the wealth and strength of the family, and it held its position until 1795, when Willem V. was compelled to seek safety in England at the invasion of the French army. In 1813, however, the family returned, and after much diplomatic negotiation the Kingdom of the Netherlands was erected, with the son of the late Stadtholder as hereditary sovereign. As the result of this action Willem 1. assumed the throne on March 15, 1816. In 1840 he abdicated in favor of his son, who, after a reign of nine years, bequeathed the throne to his heir, wbe reigned as Willem III. for fortyche years, when he died (1890), and, in default of male heirs, was succreded by his daughter, Wilhelmina. Queen Wilhelmina was born August 31, 1880. Although she succreded to the throne at the time of her father's death, she was not inaugurated until September 6, 1898. On February 7, 1991, she was married to Prince Henry of Meckleuburg-Schwerin. No juries sit in the Netherlands, justice being administered in 106 cantonal courts, twenty-three district courts, five courts of appeals and one of cassation, the high court of the nation. The country is defended by an extremely small number of fortresses, but by piercing the dikes nearly all the approaching roads can be Queen of the Netherlands. The Heir Apparent.-The direct beir to the throne is the reigning and unmarried Grand Duke of SaxeWeimar, whose grandmother, the late Princess Sophia, was the sister of the late King Willem. As his acceptance of the dignity would require the surrender of the grand ducal throne which he now occupies, it is a question if he would consent to make the change, in which case the legal heir would be Frincess Marie of Reuss (born January 20, 1849), Dutch East Indies: Possessions. flooded, while those that are on high ground are well protected by the existing fortifications. Although the manufactures of the Netherlands are inconsequential, its agricultural interests are of great importance. These include, besides cereals and garden products, tobacco, madder, flax, bulbs, shrubs and trees. The tulip industry is world-famous. As the Netherlands is a freetrade country, few duties are levied, and these have a fiscal, not a protectionist character. No official return is kept of the value of the general trade, but the following are the best obtainable estimates of the commerce of the country for 1901: Imports, $818,800,000; exports, $697,200,000. The budget estimates for 1903 are as follows: Revenue, $63,201,700; expenditure, $65,829,650. The public debt in 1902 amounted to $456,156,180. The Colonies.-The colonial possessions of the Netherlands are entirely islands in various parts of the world. All of them are rich agriculturally, but while they derive a considerable revenue, it does not balance the expenditure on their account. All of them are governed liberally, they ressess full religious freedom and have good educaioral advantages. These possessions are as follows: THE DUTCH COLONIAL POSSESSIONS. Java, Madura and the outposts... Dutch West Indies: Dutch Guiana (Surinam). Totals.. 1900 estimate. †1902. the wife of Prince Henry VII. of Reuss, and daughter of the late Duke of Saxe-Weimar. They have four children-Prince Henry XXXII., born March 4, 1878; Prince Henry XXXIII., born July 26, 1879; Princess Sophie, born June 27, 1884, and Prince Renry XXXV., born August 1, 1887. The Ministry. -The Ministerial Council of the Netherlands is constituted as follows: Minister of the Interior and President of the Council. D. A. Kuijper: Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dr. R. Melvil Baron van Lijnden: Minister of Finance, Dr. J. J. T. Harte van Tecklenburg: Minister of Justice, Dr. J. A. Loeff: Minister of Colonies, A. F. W. Idenburg; Minister of Marine. G. Kruijs: Minister of War, J. W. Bergansius; Minister of Public Works and Commerce, Dr. J. C. de Marez Oijens. The Nation. The Netherlands is a constitutional bereditary monarchy in which the executive power Tests solely in the sovereign and the legislative Jewer jointly in the sovereign and the States-General, the Parliament, which consists of two cham, Bills became law, the strike collapsed without the bers the First and the Second. Members of the First Chamber, fifty in number, are elected by the Provincial States for a term of nine years, while the one hundred members of the Second Chamber are elected by the people for four years. Only the Government and the Second Chamber have the power to introduce bills. Events in 1903.-As a result of a railway strike, occurring early in the year, the Dutch Government introduced three bills in the Parliament on February 25 as a means of preventing further labor troubles. One of the bills provided for a modification of the peral code, making strikes of State employes illegal and punishable when they interfere with public service. Naturally these bills aroused considerable opposition on the part of laboring men, and popular opinlon was vigorously opposed to the criminal clauses. The Government promised to modify them in such a way as to give it more control over the railways, as well as the employes, and to arrange for arbitration. The law was signed by the Queen on April 12. In the meantime, in retaliation, a general strike was crdered on all the State railways early in April. Disorders resulted and there was rioting of such a nature as to warrant a call for troops. The strike included the employes of all State public service departments. On April 12, the day the anti-strike end sought-the death of the bills-being effected. The special levy of militia called out to prevent disorder was disbanded the latter part of April. On April 25 Andrew Carnegie announced a gift of $1,500,000 for a Temple of Peace to be erected at The Hague. The gift was made with the understanding that the Government of Holland be re sponsible for its administration. The Government accepted the responsibility, with thanks to the donor, The war which the Dutch Government has been carrying on against the Acheenese, in Sumatra, for the past thirty years, came practically to a close in August by the submission of the rebel leaders. The war began in 1873 by the refusal of the Sultan of the Acheenese to recognize Dutch suzerainty, over which long negotiations took place. Many expedi Nevada. Capital: CARSON CITY. Hay and wheat are the only crops of any importance in Nevada. Agriculture is carried on in the valleys, which can be easily irrigated, and where the soil is sufficiently fertile to make farming worth while. In 1902 the wheat crop amounted to 537,637 bushels, grown on 19,839 acres. while the acreage of bay was 132,712 acres, amounting to 386,192 tons. January 1, 1903, there were in the State 76,011 horses, 16,010 cows, 364,165 other cattle, 2,991,166 Nevada has an area of 109,901 square miles, and by the census of 1900 had a population of 42,833. Nevada formed a part of the Mexican concession of 1848, and was created a separate Territory by an act of Congress, March 2, 1861, from part of Utah. It then embraced the region bounded on the north by the present boundary, east by the 116th meridian, south by the 37th parallel of latitude and west by Califor nia. Part of California was included by the act which made Nevada a Territory, but the former State would not agree to the transfer. July 14, 1862, a further portion of Utah was added, extending the eastern boundary to the 115th meridian. By an act of March 21, 1864, the inhabitants were empow. ered to form a State government, and, a constitution having been ratified by the people, Nevada was declared a State by proclamation of the President on October 31, 1864. A third portion of Utah was added May 5, 1866, extending the boundary to the 114th meridian, and the portion of the State south of the 37th parallel was added from Arizona. The first settlement within the present boundary of the State was made by the Mormons at Carson, Eagle and Washoe valleys, near Genoa and Carson City, in 1848, and the two or three years following. Gold was discovered in 1849 near the present site of Dayton, and a few miners were attracted. Not until the discovery of silver, in 1859, however, did the population begin to grow. Within two years mines were in full operation and the population had increased from 1,000 to 16,000. On sheep and 14,158 swine, valued in the aggregate at $14,582,491. Events in 1903.-Among the important laws passed at the last session of the Nevada Legislature were these: An act providing for the reclamation of the arid lands: authorizing and directing all county and State officials to cooperate with the Secretary of the Interior: providing for office of State Engineer; providing for the compiling of all matters relating to water rights, etc. A new taxation law, which provides that city and county tax rates shall be reduced 10 cents a year until a rate of 50 cents each is reached, and said to cents shall thereafter be the maximum city or county rate. An eight-hour law, applying to all mines, smelters and places for the reduction of ores; also work on State, county or municipal buildings, roads, etc. Fish and game wardens were appointed for each county. Bookmaking or poolselling on prize fights or races which take place out of the State were prohib ited. Forbidding sheep to be grazed or herded within one mile of any house occupied as a residence, or within three miles of a post office. A resolution was passed asking that the question of electing United States Senators by direct vote be referred to a constitutional convention. Gov. John Sparks. The census reports show that manufacturing industries in this State declined steadily from 1870 to 1890, but gained somewhat during the last decade. The decrease in gold and silver mining accounts readily for the decrease in manufacturing. Car construction and repair shop work were the new Hampshire. New Hampshire has tion of independence, an area of 9,377 square and men from this miles, and by the cen- State took part in sus of 1900 had a pop- every battle of the ulation of 411.566. Revolution, from BunNew Hampshire was ker Hill to the surfirst visited by Euro- render of Cornwallis peans in 1614, and the at Yorktown. The Fedfirst settlements were eral Constitution was made in 1623. at Dover ratified June 21, 1788. and Portsmouth. In In 1781 a State Consti1641 the district was tution was formed. annexed to Massachu- much like опе presetts, but in 1679 was viously adopted by made a royal province, Massachusetts, and on with a separate gov- June 2, 1784, it went ernment. Ten years into force. In 1807 later, in 1689, it again became part of Massachusetts, the seat of government was permanently established and in 1741 was once more a separate province. at Concord. During the Civil War New Hamp During its early history there was much trouble with shire furnished 34,605 men to the Union army and the Indians, which culminated in a massacre at navy. Dover in 1789, when the town was burned and nearly all of the inhabitants killed, Capital: Until 1764 it was supposed that the territory granted John Mason in 1629 included what is now the State of Vermont. The district was claimed by New York, and for years disturbances between the two provinces continued, and it was not until 1790 that a settlement was reached, In 1776 New Hampshire made a public declara The abundant water power of the State and the proximity of the southern portion to the markets of New England have been important factors in the growth of manufacturing. Boot and shoe making is of chief importance, and the manufacture of woollen goods ranks second. Manchester is the manufactur Ing centre of the State, and some of the finest woollen goods in the country come from that elty. Lumber and timber products, foundry and machine shop products, and hosiery and knit goods stand in the order named Events in 1903.-Among the important acts passed at the last session of the Legislature were bills providing for the improvement of sanitary conditions in the towns and villages; for the licensing by the Insurance Commissioner of all insurance companies organized within the State; that no bonds, coupons, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued by rallway companies payable more than twelve months after the date of issue shall be sold or disposed of by the company for a less sum than the face value; encouraging the use of wide tires on heavy vehicles by providing for the abatement of the tax assessed against the owners of vehicles upon which wide tires have been placed; requiring non-resident hunters to se cure licenses before hunting deer within the State: regulating the sale of liquors by the appointment of a License Commission, whose duty it shall be to grant licenses, under certain restrictions, for the sale of liquors. This last bill means the abolition of prohibition, which has been in force in the State for fifty-eight years. On May 12, under a provision of this bill, special elections were held in all the cities and towns and the question of license or no license for the individual communities was determined. Most of the cities favored New Jersey. Capital: license, while most of the towns voted for no license. On the 19th of May the commissioners had granted only nineteen licenses, and but two saloons had Gov. N. J. Bachelder. New Jersey has an area of 8.173 square miles, and by the census of 1900 had a population of 1,883,669. The first colony in New Jersey was probably planted at Bergen between 1617 and 1620 by the Dutch of New Amsterdam, who claimed the entire country. In 1623 Fort Nassau was built by the Dutch. In 1634 England obtained a grant of land along the Delaware, and later on a party of Swedes and Finns purchased land in the same region from the natives. The Dutch and Swedes united against the English, driving out that colony, and then the Swedes themselves were driven out by the Dutch. In 1664 Charles II, disregarded the claims of the Dutch and granted to the Duke of York all the land lying between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers. New Amsterdam was captured, and shortly afterward Elizabeth, Newark, Middletown and Shrewsbury were founded. Philip Carteret was made Governor of the region now braced in New Jersey, but in 1670 the people revolted, drove out Philip and chose his brother, James Carteret, as Governor. been opened-one in Concord and one in Manchester. The commission appointed by the Governor was composed of Cyrus H. Little, of Manchester; Harry W. Keyes, of Haverhill, and John Kivel, of Dover. Other bills were passed to encourage the planting and preservation of forests, to improve highways and appoint a highway engineer, and to send indigent consumptives to sanitariums. On January 14 Jacob H. Gallinger was elected by acclamation to succeed himself as United States Senator. Foot and mouth disease broke out among the eattle near Bedford in March, and a rigid quarantine was at once instituted by the Department of Agriculture. It was not raised until late in the Summer, when the disease was eradicated. The cotton mills at Newmarket were closed March 30 on account of a disagreement with the weavers about overtime work. A settlement was reached in a short time. A fire at Laconia on May 26 destroyed property to the extent of $500,000. The drought of April and May caused a loss of about $1,000,000 to the farmers of the State. THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY equipped troops to the vides that automobiles may be driven at the rate of one mile in six minutes around curves and at important cross roads in the country, at one mile in seven minutes in cities and at one mile in three minutes in the open country. Licenses are required to drive a motor vehicle, and before such are granted it must be shown that the driver is competent to manage the machine. All automobiles are required to show a license number in conspicuous figures. Non-residents as well as residents are made amenable to the law, and no exception is made in the case of physicians. Three constitutional amendments passed to be presented to the people at the primaries in September were defeated when the popular vote was taken. In July, 1673. the Dutch recaptured New Amsterdam, then New York and the surrounding country, bat held it only one year, when it was reconveyed to Great Britain. From 1674 to 1681 Andros held the office of Governor of all the British colonies. In 1675 a Quaker settlement was formed at Salem, and the country below Little Egg Harbor was occupied by them. In 1682 The first election under the priWilliam Penn and eleven others mary law passed at the Winter parcbased this whole region. In session of the Legislature was 1702 the proprietors surrendered held September 8. Under the law the rights of the province to the ward conventions for the nominaCrown, and New Jersey became a tion of Aldermen and minor ofroyal province, governed at first ficials are abolished and candiwith New York, but in 1708 it was dates are nominated directly by given a separate administration. In 1776 a State the people. There were important contests in Jersey Constitution was formed. and the first Legislature City, Hoboken and Newark, and where heavy votes met at Princeton. were polled there was considerable delay in counting owing to the imperfect understanding of the law and the nature of the ballots. The General School law of the State, passed by the Legislature, which provides for a sort of State wide graded school system, was declared unconstitutional by the Court of Errors and Appeals in September. The law was brought to the attention of the Supreme Court in March, and was then declared constitutional, but errors were found in it, and the Appeal Court was applied to for a final decision. The question will go before the next session of the Legislature, and it is likely an entirely new law will be framed. The report on new corporations started in New Jersey showed a decrease in number and fees during the year. The charters of 927 companies were dissolved for non-payment of the annual tax. Action on the abandonment of the Morris Canal was deferred until the next session of the Legislature. On February 19 a trolley car loaded with school children was struck by an express train at a grade crossing in Newark and nine of the children were killed. Indictments were brought against the officials New Mexico. Capital: SANTA FE. New Mexico has an area of 122,687 square miles, and by the census of 1900 had a population of 195,310. New Mexico was among the first of the interior sections of the United States to be visited b. the Spaniards, nearly a century before the English landed on the Atlantic coast. Some time before 1537 Alvar Nunez visited the country, and in 1539 the expedition under Marco de Niza, and a year later anotuer, under Coronado, made some explorations. About 1581 Augustin Ruiz, a Franciscan missionary, entered the country, but was soon murdered by the Indians. Formal possession of the region was taken by Juan de Onate in either 1595 or 1599, and the missionaries who accompanied his expedition met with much success in Christianizing the Indians. Many of the Indian tribes, and especially the Pueblos, were found in an advanced state of civilization and were among the first to embrace the new religion offered by the Spanish priests. The oppressions of the newcomers aroused a feeling of resentment in the Indians, and they began to make resistance, and in 1680 succeeded in driving the Spaniards from the country. In 1698 Spain regained possession of the region and held it until 1846, when Santa Fe was taken by the United States troops under General Kearny, who soon after conquered the whole territory from Mexico. In 1848 it Was ceded to the United States by the treaty of Gaudalupe Hidalgo. A territorial government was 1875 New formed in 1850, and since the question of admitting Mexico to Statehood has and executive board of the North Jersey Street Railway Company, charging them with manslaughter. On August 31 the case was brought to trial, and was taken from the jury by the court and the defendants were acquitted. February 9 the Barnes Chemical Works, at Paterson, was destroyed by fire, with a loss of about $100,000. February 21 the dye works of Lamond & Robertson was burned, with a loss of $40, 000. July 22 Paterson was struck by a tornado, which rendered 65 families homeless. During the year the city was rapidly recovering from the effects of the disaster of the year before, and in celebration of its rejuvination the week of September 18 was set apart as Forget It" week, when the city was given over i to pleasure. Heavy rains caused another flood in Paterson and Passaic October 9, 10 and 11. Thou sands of persons were thrown out of work and hundreds rendered homeless in the former city, and $3,000,000 in property was lost. Events in 1903.-The Omnibus Statehood bill pending before the National Congress engrossed the attention of New Mexico during the year and was made the subject of a memorial presented by the Territorial Legislature. The bill provided for the admission of New Mexico, Arizona and Oklahoma into Statehood. New Mexico claimed the right to Statehood on the grounds that she had the requisite population and was fully entitled to independent government, and had Gov. Miguel A. Otero, furnished more soldiers for LOE Spanish and Civil wars in proportion to her population than any other State or Territory. Adjacent States were also memorialized, asking their aid in securing the muchdesired change of government. Among the many bills passed by the Territorial Legislature were the following: An act to permit charitable, benevolent and scientific institutions having no capital stock to consolidate upon censent of three-fourths of the board of directors of each: an act creating the office of game and fish warden of the Territory, to provide for the protection of game and fish, establishing game laws and providing penalties for their violation; an act regulating the admission of foreign corporations. compelling them to file with the Secretary of the Ter ritory a copy of their charters: an act changing the method by which the death penalty shall be inflicted. making executions private, to be witnessed by not more than twenty persons, including members of the medical profession, officers of the been before Congress. The aggregate value of law, clergymen and representatives of the press; an the manufactures in the Territory is small, mining and stock raising being the most important industries, and agriculture ranking next. New Mexico has a larger number of sheep New York. New York has an area of 53,719 square miles. and by the census of 1900 had a population of 7,268.894. Lake Champlain, in the upper part of New York State, was discovered in 1609. and the same year Henry Hudson discovered New York Bay and entered the river which bears his name. The land, under this discovery, was claimed by Holland. In 1614 privileges were granted to any company opening trade with the natives. Quick advantage was taken of this offer by several Dutch companies. The first settle ment was made on Manhattan Island. In 1621 the Capital: ALBANY. act authorizing the practice of osteopathy within the Territory; an act creating county boards of horticul tural commissions and to promote the horticultural interests of the Territory. STATE OF NEW YORK Dutch West India Company was incorporated, and in 1623 eighteen families settled at Fort Orange, now Albany. In 1626 Manhattan was purchased from the Indians. During 1638 Indian troubles began, which lasted until 1647, when Peter Stuyvesant became Governor of the colony and conciliated the natives. In 1664 a charter to all the land between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers was granted the Duke of York, and in August of that year New Amsterdam was captured and named New York. At this time the slave trade, begun by the Dutch in 1627, had |