ties were imposed by law and a few convictions thereunder
secured, I do not doubt that much waste of our forests would be
prevented.

BENJ. HARRISON.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 18, 1890_.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

In response to the resolution of the Senate of the 16th instant,
relating to the negotiations by the Cherokee Commission for the purchase
of certain lands in the Indian Territory, I respectfully state that on
the 20th day of May and the 12th day of June, respectively, agreements
were Signed by the Iowa and the Sac and Fox tribes ceding to the United
States certain of their lands. The contracts and accompanying papers
were received at the Interior Department on the 2d and 17th days of
June, respectively, and are now under examination by the proper officers
of that Department. When these examinations are concluded, the papers
will, if found to be complete and conformable to law, be submitted to
Congress.

BENJ. HARRISON.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _June 19, 1890_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives_:

I transmit herewith, for your information, a letter from the Secretary
of State, inclosing a report of the International American Conference,
which recommends that reciprocal commercial treaties be entered into
between the United States and the several other Republics of this
hemisphere.

It has been so often and so persistently stated that our tariff laws
offered an insurmountable barrier to a large exchange of products
with the Latin-American nations that I deem it proper to call especial
attention to the fact that more than 87 per cent of the products of
those nations sent to our ports are now admitted free. If sugar is
placed upon the free list, practically every important article exported
from those States will be given untaxed access to our markets, except
wool. The real difficulty in the way of negotiating profitable
reciprocity treaties is that we have given freely so much that would
have had value in the mutual concessions which such treaties imply.
I can not doubt, however, that the present advantages which the products
of these near and friendly States enjoy in our markets, though they are
not by law exclusive, will, with other considerations, favorably dispose
them to adopt such measures, by treaty or otherwise, as will tend to
equalize and greatly enlarge our mutual exchanges.

It will certainly be time enough for us to consider whether we must
cheapen the cost of