The governor does not approve of the proposition to dispose of the public lands in such manner as to allow of the purchase of large areas for grazing purposes in consideration of the expenditure of the necessary sums for the development of water thereon. The absorption of large areas for stock ranges means the occupation of the country by dumb brutes to the exclusion of people. People are worth more to the State than steers, for they establish civilization and promote growth and development. He does not believe that the aridity of the western plains and mountains will forever preclude agricultural production thereon, and that, therefore, they must be permanently devoted to grazing purposes; and argues that these plains and mountains are not permanently arid. He gives an interesting account of the equalization of the volume of rainfall throughout the West, which has been brought about by its settlement and cultivation. He states that water is being abundantly developed in portions of the Territory heretofore considered arid, notably on the Jornada del Muerto, which has earned the title of the "Journey of Death" because of the fact that numbers of people and animals have perished from thirst in attempting to traverse it. He earnestly recommends the encouragement, by suitable legislation, of the creation of reservoirs in the mountain arroyos for the irrigation of the mesas spread out for many miles at their base. He sees no necessity for any modification of the land laws other than to adopt measures to secure good faith in the making of entries under the homestead laws, and earnestly recommends the abrogation of laws for the disposal of the public lands other than for bona fide homestead purposes.

In accordance with the Territorial laws, a session of the Territorial legislature is to begin on the 28th of December, 1886, and the governor asks that the usual appropriation therefor be made at the ap proaching session of Congress, as there is great necessity for legislative adjustment of many matters.

As the population has increased since 1880, it is recommended that Congress make provision for redistricting the Territory prior to the election of members to the next Territorial legislature. There are three judicial districts in the Territory, and the labor of these courts has become exceedingly onerous. Each of the judges now sits in court a large part of the year, and but little time is left them, even for the preparation of opinions on the many important cases coming before them. As there are but three judges, the presence of all is required to constitute the supreme court of the Territory, in order to provide a majority for promulgation of an opinion. Often the Judge who tries the ease is compelled to sit in review of his own decision made in the court below, a condition as embarrassing to the judges as it is naturally productive of suspicion in the minds of litigants. The governor therefore recommends the creation of a fourth judicial district for this Territory. No objection to the measure occurs to my mind.

Speaking of the Indian raids into this Territory, made principally by

the Apache Indians from the White Mountain or San Carlos Reservation in Arizona, he says that large numbers of the Territorial militia are acting in conjunction with the United States troops in the defense of the settlements. The Congressional enactment providing that the Territories be supplied with only abandoned arms is a very unjust measure, and has, in many instances, proven a source of embarrassment because of the impossibility of interchanging ammunition with the United States troops. The lawful forces of the Territory should not be restricted to inferior weapons, and Congressional action in reference to this matter is earnestly recommended.

TERRITORY OF UTAH.

The report of the governor of Utah discloses a condition of material advancement, notwithstanding the political and other troubles in that Territory. The cereal, fruit, and vegetable crops for the year have been most bountiful. The live-stock interests are steadily expanding. Manufactories are growing, and trade is fairly prosperous. The public school system is very generally established over the Territory; but many whose children do not attend them complain because they are taxed for the support of these schools. The Mormon children as a body attend them. The different religious denominations of the country are establishing independent schools which are attended by the children of the non-Mor

mons.

During the year 1884 it is estimated that there was produced silver to the value of $6,123,047.04 and gold to the value of $110,600, copper to the value of $6,337.20, refined lead to the value of $980,418.12. Seventy per cent. of the gold and silver produced during 1884 was produced in base bullion.

Seventeen thousand tons of salt were manufactured from the waters of the Great Salt Lake and shipped to the different mining districts in that region, for milling purposes in the reduction of ore. In addition to this quite an amount was manufactured for domestic purposes. The production and shipment for 1885 are substantially the same as for 1884. There has been a steady increase of actual settlement and occupation of the public lands in the Territory. Homestead entries and preëmption filings, desert and timber culture entries, the building of irrigating canals, and the consequent reclamation of the land, all denote a remarkable development in the elements of material prosperity and progress in this Territory.

The same complaint of fraudulent acquirement of public land which is made throughout all the Territories is set forth with great earnestness by Governor Murray in respect to the public domain in Utah. He says that four or five men engaged in stock-raising business can enter the same number of springs and streams, paying the Government for not more than a section or two of land, and virtually getting the use of thonsands of acres, that cannot be settled or entered under any of the

present land laws on account of the scarcity of water. He recommends the passage of laws to enforce the acquirement of title. Governor Murray gives an elaborate discussion to the Mormon question. I am unable by any statement of mine to strengthen the views presented by him, and as an attempt to restate them in brief here would lessen their force, I respectfully recommend the document to your special attention. He thinks that the penalty of the Edmunds law is shown to be inade quate, though the prosecutions under the law have served to lay bare the hideousness of polygamy and to demonstrate the power of the Government to accomplish its extirpation.

He favors the repeal of the organic law of the Territory so far as to substitute for the present system a legislative council to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

He recommends also that such action be taken as will make the military of the United States available for the execution of legal process, or for the preservation of life and property, when necessary on account of the inadequacy of the civil power.

I have no report from the governor of Washington nor from the gov ernor of Wyoming. Governor Squire telegraphs me that he has been interrupted in the preparation of his report by the Chinese troubles in Washington Territory.

EDUCATION.

The report of the Commissioner of Education is an instructive and interesting document. I have been unable, for want of time, to present even a brief of the views and recommendations therein set forth, the greater part of which meet my concurrence, especially his renewed invocation of Federal aid to insure adequate provision for the instruction of the freedmen of the South, and also his recommendation that some measure of Federal aid be extended to public primary education, based on the number of illiterates in the various States as shown by the Tenth Census. I regret that the more immediate and imperative demands of administration in this Department have prevented me from giving to the operations of this Bureau the attention which its importance merits. In the judgment of the Commissioner there is need in Alaska of more definite provision for the organization of schools. He thinks that this should be made at the earliest possible moment, and that the appropriation should be increased to $50,000. I do not approve of this increase at present. I concur in the opinion that the sum appropriated for the establishment and maintenance of common schools in that Territory is not nearly sufficient. But the efficiency of these schools has been considerably impaired, and the progress of education correspondingly retarded by an unfortunate quarrel between the general agent and a majority of the late officials of the civil government. Until these difficul ties are removed, and something like concert of action can be secured, I think any increase of the appropriation at this time ill-advised.

The Commissioner reports that the work of this Bureau has been greatly increased during the year, and speaks of the difficulty expe rienced from the lack of funds to carry on the work in a manner demanded by the general development of the country, and the growing importance of educational interests. And, indeed, it is unquestionably true that the amount appropriated is almost ludicrously small. The Commissioner is entitled to the highest commendation for the work which he has accomplished with such limited means and so small a force. If the Bureau is not to be anything else than a beginning and a nucleus, if it is to be confined within its present insignificant scope, and yet be regarded as a representative of the nation's thought and action on the general subject of education, I am of the opinion that it should never have been established and ought to be abolished.

Eighty years ago President Jefferson, then in the fullest tide of his authority as a party chief, told Congress that to complete the circle of democratic policy a national university was a necessity and should at once be created. In this he followed the recommendations of his predecessors, Washington and Adams, the former of whom ten years before declared that the desirableness of a national university had so constantly increased with every new view he had taken of the subject that he could not omit the opportunity of recalling the attention of Congress to its importance. Mr. Madison, in 1810, renewed the recommendation, with the declaration that such an institution would contrib ute not less to strengthen the foundations than to adorn the structure of our free and happy system of government, and that it would be universal in its beneficial effects.

This national institution which Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison thought so necessary has never been established; and in these latter years the idea of a national university constitutes no part of the plans of statesmen, and seems to have been lost sight of by the people.

In the meantime scientific bureaus have grown up one by one under the Government, with observatories, laboratories, museums and libraries, until the whole range of physical science is represented by national institutions established by the Government for the purpose of prosecuting researches embracing astronomy, meteorology, geography of land and sea, geology, chemistry, statistics, mechanical inventions, &c. If the various commissions, bureaus, and divisions of the Executive Departments at Washington which have for their object the prosecution of scientific research could be combined as integral parts of one scientific institution, such an institution would be of greater proportious and more comprehensive than any other in the world; and should a university be erected thereon with a superstructure commensurate with the foundation, it would be without a rival in any country. The common-school system, designed to furnish every citizen with an education which ought to be a strict necessity for his daily work of life, consti

tutes the foundation of our democracy. But this is not enough to satisfy its instincts. In the history of nations democracies have been the cradles of pure thought and art. The same cause which operated on them exists in American society, and, whether through a national university or in fragmentary institutions in the several States, sooner or later, a higher education, higher than the common school or the academy or the college can furnish, will alone realize and express the higher aspirations of American democracy.

The subjects considered have extended this report to an unusual length, but the numerous, extensive, and very dissimilar classes of the public business committed to the charge of this Department, if considered and presented to Congress with information proportionate to their importance, and adequate to form the basis of intelligent action, seem incapable of greater compression. Besides, my own experience in Congress has impressed upon me the great advantage that would arise from embracing in a single report matters requiring legislative action, which would otherwise have to be searched for in numerous and disconnected reports, not always easily accessible in the limited time allowed for legislation.

Very respectfully,

To the PRESIDENT.

L. Q. C. LAMAR,
Secretary.