sumed. During the Civil War a considerable
debt was incurred for defense, bounties, etc., but
it has been paid off, and the debt now consists
almost entirely of bonds sold to defray the cost
of new public buildings.
The debt in September, 1902, amounted to
$6,909,326, of which $4,112,057 was secured by
interest-paying bonds and cash with sinking fund,
leaving a net debt of $2,797,267. The receipts
for the year 1901-02 were $3,631,259 (including
a loan of $400,000), mainly from licenses, taxes,
and taxes on corporations. The disbursements
were $3,416,376, of which 25 per cent. was for
school purposes.
Population. The population of the State
increased from 319,728 in 1790 to 583,034 in 1850;
from 780,804 in 1870 to 1,042,390 in 1890; and
to 1,188,044 in 1900. The rank of the State has
decreased during every census period, being in
1700, 15 in 1850, and 26 in 1900. The foreign
born population in 1900 was only 93,934, nearly
half of whom were Germans. The negro population
for the same year was 235,064. The increase
in the white population during the decade ending
in 1900 was 15.2 per cent., as against an increase
of 9 per cent. for the negro population. The
density per square mile in 1900, 120.5, was
greater than for any other State not included in
the North Atlantic division of States. In 1900
there were five places having a population
exceeding 8000, aggregating 46.9 per cent. of the
total population. These cities were Baltimore,
508,957; Cumberland, 17,128; Hagerstown,
13,591; Frederick, 9296; and Annapolis, 8525. The
State has six representatives in the Lower House
of the National Congress.
Religion. The Roman Catholic and the Methodist
churches far surpass all others in number
of Church communicants. Of the other
denominations the strongest are the Protestant Episcopal,
Lutheran, Baptist, and Presbyterian.
Education. The per cent. of illiteracy for
the native whites (4.1) is the lowest, and for the
negroes (35.1) next to the lowest of any State
which has a large negro population. The
Governor, the principal of the State Normal School,
the State Superintendent (an office established
in 1900), and four persons appointed by the
Governor constitute the State Board of Education.
The Governor and Senate appoint a board
of school commissioners in each county, who
serve six years. These commissioners appoint
for each district a board of school trustees of
three persons. In 1899-1900 the average length
of the school year for the State was 188 days,
which was exceeded in only two other States. The
State law requires that the term continue ten
months when possible. In 1900 the number of
children between five and eighteen years of age
was 345,350, of whom 229,332 were enrolled in
the public schools, and 132,685 were in average
attendance. The total number of colored pupils
