The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-08
PACIFIC RAILROADS.

| the obligations of the Pacific railroads to
| the government. I deem IL to be an i'm
| portant duty to especially present this sub
| Ject TO the consideration of the congress.
On Jan. !, 1897, with the amount already
! matured more than SlS,0000 900 of the prin-
| cipal of the subsidy bonds issued by the
| United States in aid of the construction
| OF the Cnion Pacific railway, including its
| kansas line and more than $G,O00,O00 of
| like bonds issued In aid of the Central Pa
| cific railroad, including those issued to the
| Western Pacific railroad, have fallen due
and been paid or must on that day be
| paid, by the government. Without any
| reference to the application of the sinking
| FUND now in the treasury, this will create
| such a default on the part of these COM
| panies to the government as will give 1t
| the right to at once institute proceedings
| TO foreclose its mortgage lien. 1t addition
| to this indebtedness, which will be due
Jan. l. 1897, there will mature between that
| date and Jan. /, 1899, the remaining prin-
| cipal of such subsidy bonds, which must
| also be met by the government. These
| amount to more than $20000,000 on account
of the Union Pacific lines and exceed ST.
| 100000 on account of the Central Pacific
lines. The situation of these roads and
the condition of their Indebtedness to the
| government have been fully set forth in
| the reports of various committees to the
| present and prior congresses; and as early
| as 1887 they were thoroughly examined by
| a special commission appointed pursuant
to an act of congress- The conditions re-
quiring an adjustment of the governments
| relations to the companies have been
| clearly presented and the conclusion
reached with practical uniformity, that If
| these relations are not terminated they
| should be revised upon a basis securing
their safe continuance Under section
| of the act of congress, passed Mach 8, 1887,
/ lie r. a wi . II n
| the event that any mortgage or other in
| cumbrance paramount to the interest of
the United States in the property of the
| Pacific railroads shall exist and be law
| fully liable to be enforced, to direct the
action of the departments of the treasury
and of justice in the protection of the in
terest of the United States by redemption
or through judicial proceedings including
| foreclosures of the government liens.
In view of the fact that the congress
has for number of years almost con-
stantly had under consideration various
plans for dealing with the. conditions ex-
| listing between these roads and the govern
ment, 1 have thus far felt justified in with
holding action under the statute above
| mentioned.
In the case of the Union Pacific Com
pany, however, the situation has become
especially and Immediately urgent. Pro-
ceedinss have been instituted to foreclose
a AlSt OLlSdSe upOu lilOS6 dluSu PdIlS
of the main lines upon which the govern
ment holds a second and subordinate mort
gage lien. In consequence of those pro-
ceedings and increasing complications, ad-
ded to the default occurring on the LIST
day of January 1897 a condition will be
presented at that date, so far as this COM
pany is concerned, that must emphasize
the mandate of the act of 1887 and give
to executive duty under its provisions a
more imperative aspect. Therefore, I'M
less congress shall otherwise declare or
shall have previously determined upon a
different solution of the problem, there
Will hardly appear to exist any reason for
delaying beyond the date of the default
above mentioned such executive action as
will promise to subserve the public inter-
eSts and save the government from the
loss threatened by further inaction
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The department of agriculture is so in
timately related to the welfare of our
people and the prosperity of our nation,
that 1t should constantly receive the care
and encouragement of the government
From small beginnings it has grown ia
be the center of agricultural intelligence
and the source of aid and announcement
to agricultural efforts Large sums of
money are annually appropriated for the
maintenance of this department. and II
must be confessed that the legislation
relating to it has not always been directly
in the interest of practical affirming of
properly guarded against waste and ex-
travagance. So far however, as
public money has been appropriated
fairly and sensibly to help
those who actually till the soil. no ex-
penditure has been more profitably made
and more generally approved by the peo-
pie. Under the present management of
the department its usefulness has been
enhanced in every direction and at the
|
forced to the utmost extent permitted by
congressional action. From the report of
the secretary it appears that through
careful and prudent financial management
he has annually saved a large sum from
his appropriations, aggregating during his
incumbency and up to the close of the
present fiscal year, nearly one-ffth of the
entire amount appropriated. These re-
suits have been accomplished by a con-
scientious study of the real needs of the
farmer and such regard for economy as
the genuine farmer ought to appreciate,
, supplemented by a rigid adherence to
civil service methods in a department
which should be conducted in the interest
of agriculture instead of partisan politics.
The secretary reports that the value of
our exports of farm products during the
last fiscal year amounted to $50 100000 an
increase of 600 over those of the
year Immediately preceding This state
ment is not the less welcome because of
the fact that, Notwithstanding such in
crease the proportion of exported agri-
cultural products to our total exports of
all descriptions, fell off during the year.
The benefits of an increase in agricultural
exports being assured the decrease in its
proportion to our total exports is the
more gratifying when we consider that it
is owing to the fact that such total ex-
ports for the year increased more than
SIS, 100000. The large and increasing ex-
portation of our agricultural products
suggests the great usefulness of the or
ganization lately established in the de-
partment for the purpose of giving to
those engaged in farming pursuits relia-
BILE Information concerning the needs and
advantages of different foreign markets.
Inasmuch as the success of the farmer de-
ponds upon the advantageous sale of his
products. and inasmuch as foreign mar
Sets must largely be the destination Of
such products. 1t is quite apparent that
a knowledge Of the conditions and wants
that affect those markets, ought to result
in sowing more intellgently and reaplng
with a better promise OF profit. Such in
1lofuTq fIa wa a