tion in behalf of education.

The regulation of interstate commerce has already been the subject of
your deliberations. One of the incidents of the marvelous extension of
the railway system of the country has been the adoption of such measures
by the corporations which own or control the roads as have tended to
impair the advantages of healthful competition and to make hurtful
discriminations in the adjustment of freightage.

These inequalities have been corrected in several of the States by
appropriate legislation, the effect of which is necessarily restricted
to the limits of their own territory.

So far as such mischiefs affect commerce between the States or between
any one of the States and a foreign country, they are subjects of
national concern, and Congress alone can afford relief.

The results which have thus far attended the enforcement of the recent
statute for the suppression of polygamy in the Territories are reported
by the Secretary of the Interior. It is not probable that any additional
legislation in this regard will be deemed desirable until the effect of
existing laws shall be more closely observed and studied.

I congratulate you that the commissioners under whose supervision those
laws have been put in operation are encouraged to believe that the evil
at which they are aimed may be suppressed without resort to such radical
measures as in some quarters have been thought indispensable for
success.

The close relation of the General Government to the Territories
preparing to be great States may well engage your special attention.
It is there that the Indian disturbances mainly occur and that polygamy
has found room for its growth. I can not doubt that a careful survey
of Territorial legislation would be of the highest utility. Life and
property would become more secure. The liability of outbreaks between
Indians and whites would be lessened. The public domain would be more
securely guarded and better progress be made in the instruction of the
young.

Alaska is still without any form of civil government. If means were
provided for the education of its people and for the protection of their
lives and property, the immense resources of the region would invite
permanent settlements and open new fields for industry and enterprise.

The report of the Commissioner of Agriculture presents an account of the
labors of that Department during the past year and includes information
of much interest to the g