Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1897-12-10
Military Force Is Necessary.


Yukon river country of the probable
shortage of food for the large number
of people who are wintering there with
out the means Of leaving the country are
confirmed in such measure as to justify
bringing the matter to the attention OF
congress. Access to that country in win
ter can be had only by the passes from
Dyea and vicinity, which is most diff
cult and perhaps an impossible task. How
ever, should these reports Of the suffer-
ing of our fellow citizens be further veri-
fled, every effort at any cost should be
made to carry them relief.
Yellow Fever . Menace.
The recent prevalence Of yellow fever
in a number of cities and towns through
out the South has resulted In much cIs-
turbance Of commerce and demonstrated
the necessity of such amendments to Our
quarantine laws as will make the regula-
lions of the nationa! quarantine authori-
ties paramount. The secretary Of the
treasury, in the portion Of his report re-
lating to the operation Of the marine hos
pital service, calls attention to the de-
fects of the present quarantine laws and
recommends amendments thereto which
will give the treasury department the
ion Of epidemic diseases from foreign
countries, and in times Of emergency like
that Of the past summer will add to the
efficiency of the sanitary measures for
the protection of the people and at the
same time prevent unnecessary restriction
Of commerce. I concur In his recommen-
dation. In further effort to prevent the
invasion Of the United States by yellow
fever the Importance Of the discovery of
the exact cause of the disease, which up
to the present time has been undeter-
mined, is obvious, and to this end sys-
tematic archaeological investigation
should be made. I therefore recommend
that congress authorize the appointment
of a commission by the president, to con-
sist of four expert psychologists. one to
be selected from the medical officers of
the marine hospital service. one to be APP
pointed from civil life. one to be detailed
fre,n~the medical officers of the army and
one from the medical officers of the navy.
Sale OF tho Union Pacific.
The Union Pacific railway main line
was sold under the decree Of the United
States court for the district OF Nebraska
on the LIST and I'd of November Of this
year. The amount due the government
consisted of the principal Of the subsidy
bonds, s27, 1885, 12, and the accrued interest
thereon. $31, 211 ,711.75 making the total
indebtedness SIS, 44S, 22375. The bid at the
sale covered the first mortgage lien and
the entire mortgage claim of the govern
ment, principal and interest. The sale OF
the subsidized portion OF the Kansas Pa
ciflc line, upon which the government
holds a second mortgage lien. has been
postponed at the instance Of the govern
ment to December 1G, 1897 The debt OF
1T !
TO the government on November l, 1887
was the principal of the subsidy bonds
Sc, 500, 600, and the unpaid and accrued in.
terest thereon, s., sc, Cox. SO, making a total
of ST., 1929, 500. 33.
The sale of this road was originally adj
vertised for November 4, but for the pur-
pose of securing the utmost public notice
OF tho event 1t was postponed until De-
cember 16, and a second advertisement OF
the sale was made. BY decree of the
court the upset price OH the sale of the
Kansas Pacific will yield to the govern
ment the sum of s2,5O0,OO0 over all prior
liens, costs and charges. If no other or
better bid is made this sum is all that
the government will receive on it's claim
of nearly sl3,0o0,0oO The government has
no information as to whether there will
be other bidders or better bid than the
minimum amount herein stated. The
question presented therefore is whether
the government shall, under the author
ity given it by the act Of March 3, 1857.
purchase or redeem the road in the event
that a bid Is not made by private parties
covering the entire government claim.
How It Must Qualify.
To qualify the government to bid at the
sale will require deposit of 100000. as
follows: In the government cause $780,.
600 and in each of the first mortgage
causes 100000, and in the latter the de.
post must be in cash. Payment at the
sale is as follows: Upon the acceptance
of the bid, a sum which the amount al
ready deposited shall equal Is per cent OF
the bid; the balance in installments thir-
ty, forty and fifty days after the con-
firmation Of the SALE The lien on the
Kansas Pacific prior to that Of the gov.
eminent on July 80, 1897, principal and
government, therefore, should 1t become
the highest bidder, will have to pay the
amount of the first mortgage lien.
I believe that under the act Of 1857 II
has the authority to do this, and in alb.
sence of any action by congress, shall
direct the secretary Of the treasury tc
make the necessary deposit as required
by the courts decree to qualify as bid
der and to bid at the sale sum which
will at least equal the principal Of the
debt due to the government: but sug-
gest, in order to remove all controversy
that an amendment of the law be i'm
mediately passed explicitly giving such
powers and appropriating in general
terms whatever sum is sufficient there
for.
IN ip,x, wi %r~ 49,
ment becoming the possible owner of rail.
road property. which 1t perforce must
conduct and operate, feel constrained tc
lay before congress these facts for its
consideration and action before the con.
summation Of the sale. It is clear to my
mind that the government should not
permit the property to be sold at price
which will yield less than one-half Of the
principal of It's debt and less than one
fifth OF its entire debt, principal and in.
terest. But whether the government
rather than accept less than It's claim
should become bidder and thereby tho
owner of the property. I submit to con
gress for action.
Views ON Civil Service.
The important branch of our govern
ment, known as the civil service, the
practical Improvement of which has long
been "a subject Of earnest discussion, has
nf late years received Increased legisla-
five and axorufive annrnya1 ntirlnp the