Due to increased expenses and less revenue during the Great Depression, some authorities were suggesting how the 114 counties in Missouri could reduced to 40 counties.

City governments were devised a century earlier, long before the highways or the motor vehicles existed. By the consolidating the smaller counties, a great expense could be eliminated at a time when revenue was at a critical shortage.

By doing so, there wouldn’t be as many political offices to pass around, but at the same time, there would be only one-fourth of the salaries and overhead to pay. The larger counties would remain unchanged. If consolidation were to be pursued, all acknowledged how it would be several years before the downsizing could take place.

Gallatin Democrat 1/26/32 “May Make State Into 40 Counties”
— researched by Wilbur Bush, Gallatin, MO