And State Papers 685 



Attention is invited to the widespread illiteracy due 

 to lack of public schools in the Indian Territory. 

 Prompt heed should be paid to the need of educa- 

 tion for the children in this Territory. 



In my last annual Message the attention of the 

 Congress was called to the necessity of enlarging the 

 safety-appliance law, and it is gratifying to note that 

 this law was amended in important respects. With 

 the increasing railway mileage of the country, the 

 greater number of men employed, and the use of 

 larger and heavier equipment, the urgency for re- 

 newed effort to prevent the loss of life and limb 

 upon the railroads of the country, particularly to 

 employees, is apparent. For the inspection of water 

 craft and the Life-Saving Service upon the water the 

 Congress has built up an elaborate body of protec- 

 tive legislation and a thorough method of inspection 

 and is annually spending large sums of money. It is 

 encouraging to observe that the Congress is alive to 

 the interests of those who are employed upon our 

 wonderful arteries of commerce the railroads 

 who so safely transport millions of passengers and 

 billions of tons of freight. The Federal inspection 

 of safety appliances, for which the Congress is now 

 making appropriations, is a service analogous to 

 that which the Government has upheld for genera- 

 tions in regard to vessels, and it is believed will prove 

 of great practical benefit, both to railroad employees 

 and the traveling public. As the greater part of 

 commerce is interstate and exclusively under the 



