homes to the industrious and worthy home seekers is often
frustrated. Though the speculator, who stands with extortionate purpose
between the land office and those who, with their families, are invited
by the Government to settle on the public lands, is a despicable
character who ought not to be tolerated, yet it is difficult to thwart
his schemes. The recent opening to settlement of the lands in the
Cherokee Outlet, embracing an area of 6,500,000 acres, notwithstanding
the utmost care in framing the regulations governing the selection of
locations and notwithstanding the presence of United States troops,
furnished an exhibition, though perhaps in a modified degree, of the
mad scramble, the violence, and the fraudulent occupation which have
accompanied previous openings of public land.

I concur with the Secretary in the belief that these outrageous
incidents can not be entirely prevented without a change in the laws on
the subject, and I hope his recommendations in that direction will be
favorably considered.

I especially commend to the attention of the Congress the statements
contained in the Secretary's report concerning forestry. The time has
come when efficient measures should be taken for the preservation of
our forests from indiscriminate and remediless destruction.

The report of the Secretary of Agriculture will be found exceedingly
interesting, especially to that large part of our citizens intimately
concerned in agricultural occupations.

On the 7th day of March, 1893, there were upon its pay rolls 2,430
employees. This number has been reduced to 1,850 persons. In view of a
depleted public Treasury and the imperative demand of the people for
economy in the administration of their Government, the Secretary has
entered upon the task of rationally reducing expenditures by the
elimination from the pay rolls of all persons not needed for an
efficient conduct of the affairs of the Department.

During the first quarter of the present year the expenses of the
Department aggregated $345,876.76, as against $402,012.42 for the
corresponding period of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893. The
Secretary makes apparent his intention to continue this rate of
reduction by submitting estimates for the next fiscal year less by
$994,280 than those for the present year.

Among the heads of divisions in this Department the changes have been
exceedingly few. Three vacancies occurring from death and resignations
have been f