The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-12-08

\ or a better bid than the minimum
amount herein stated. The question
presented, therefore, Is: Whether the
government shall under the authority
givn 1t by tn act of March 3. 1887. pur-
| chase or redeem the road In the event
that a bid is not made by private par
ties covering the entire government to
claim. To qualify the government to
bid at the sales will require n deposit OF
100000, as follows: In the government
/ cause $5O0,000 and in each of the first
mortgage causes 100000. and In the lat
ter the deposit must be in cash. Pay
ments at the sale are as follows: Upon
the acceptance of the bid, sum which
with the amount already deposited,
shall equal 10 per cent. of the bid; the
balance In installments of 25 per cent,
thirty, forty and fifty days after the
confirmation of the sale. The lien on
the Kansas Pacific prior to that of the
government on the 30th of July. 1897,
principal and interest, amounted to ST.
! 291 ,04S11. The government. therefore,
| should IL become the highest bidder.
will have to pay the amount of the first
mortgage lien.
| believe that under the act of 1887 1t
| has the authority to do this, and in alb
sence of any action by Congress l shall
direct the Secretary of the Treasury to
make the necessary deposit as required
] AZ
| bidder and to bid at the sale of n sum
which viii at least equal the principal
of the debt due to the government; but
suggest in order to remove all contro-
versy that an amendment of the law
be Immediately passed explicitly giving
such powers and appropriatlng in gem
eral terms whatever sum Is sufficient
! therefor.
| In such an Important matter as the
D M hanAn,ino ha
cr of railroad property, which 1t must
| perforce conduct and operate. ] feel
constrained to lay before Congress these
facts for its consideration and action
B before the consummation of the sale.
I IL is clear to my mind that the govern
ment should not permit the prop srty to
/ be sold at price which will yield less
than the one-half of the principal of its
/ debt. and less than one-fifth of its en-
| tire debt, principal and interest But
/ whether the government. rather than
/ accept less than its claim, should be-
| come bidder and thereby the owner of
I the property, l sumbit to the Congress
I for action.
THE NATIONAL LIBRARY.
1 The library building provided for by
act Of Congress approver April IL. 1896.
has been completed and opened to the
| public. 1t should be a matter of con-
graduation that through the foresight
and muniflcence of Congress the nation
| possesses this noble treasure house of
knowledge. IL Is earnestly to be hoped
that having done so much towards the
cause of education, Congress will con-
tnue to develop the library in every
phase of research to the end that IL may
be not only one of the most magnificent
but among the richest and most useful
libraries in the world.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
The important branch of our govern
ment known as the civil service, the
practical improvement of which has
long been a subject of earnest discus
sion. has of late years received in
creased legislative and executive appro-
val. During the past few months the
service has been placed upon n still
firmer basis of business methods and
personal merit. While the right of our
veteran soldiers to reinstatement In de-
serving cases has been asserted, dis
missals for merely political reason have
been carefully guarded against, the en-
aminations for admittance to the SER
vice enlarged and at the same time
rendered less technical and more prac-
teal; and distinct advance has been
made by giving a hearing before dis
miss9l upon all cases where incompe-
tency Is charged or demand made for
the removal of officials In any of the
departments. This order has been
be heard. but without In anv ,vay i'm
pairing the mower of ramnya, whinh
should alwavs he exercised en- cases ~
inefilciency and incomnetapcv and
which Is one of the vital safeguards of
venting staynation ana doodn,an, "a
keeping every emn,oye Laeni,, oii,,a to
the fact thai the secyrit,, Of b,s ton,,ro o
dpends not on favor b1t On bis n,vr
tested and oarafuIlv watched racor5 ns
service u
Much of coursa s,i,, rer,.,,s 90 ho
oomnI,shaa hasore vi, ~, ie,ains .1s. W ue ac-
made reasonobIv narsoo, so. a,,,, ,a
There are nlaced now IN tha % 81. .ss,God