US Presidency
1896

It is impossible in this communication to do more than briefly refer to a few of the subjects concerning which the Secretary gives full and instructive information. The money appropriated on account of this Department and for its disbursement for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1896, amounted to more than $ 157,000,000, or a greater sum than was appropriated for the entire maintenance of the Government for the two fiscal years ended June 30, 1861. Our public lands, originally amounting to 1,840,000,000 acres, have been so reduced that only about 600,000,000 acres still remain in Government control, excluding Alaska. The balance, being by far the most valuable portion, has been given away to settlers, to new States, and to railroads or sold at a comparatively nominal sum. The patenting of land in execution of railroad grants has progressed rapidly during the year, and since the 4th day of March, 1893, about 25,000,000 acres have thus been conveyed to these corporations.