Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-06

equal fifteen per cent of the bid; the bal
ance in installments of twenty-five pei
cent thirty. forty and fifty days after tho
confirmation of the sale. The lien on the
Kansas Pacific prior to that of the Gov
eminent on the 3nth July. 1891. principa
and interest amounted to s1,2sl .G4S.11. The
Government. therefore. should it become
the highest bidder. will have to pay the
amount of the first mortgage lien.
/ believe that under the act of 1887 it has
the authority to do this ard in absence OF
any action by Congress / shall direct the
Secretary of the Treasury to make the
necessary deposit as required by the Courts
decree TO qualify as a bidder and to bid
at the sale sum which will at least equal
the principal of the debt due to the Gov
eminent; but suggest in order to remove
all controversy that an amendment Of the
law be Immediately passed explicitly giving
such powers and appropriating IN general
terms whatever sum is sufficient therefor
In so important matter as the Govern
ment becoming the possible owner of rail-
road property which it perforce must con-
duct and operate, i feel constrained to lay
before Congress these facts for its consid-
Grafton and action before the consumma-
tion of the sale. 1t is clear to M ....,,;
that the GovernmeHt .houid not permit the
prdnrsrty to be sold at a price which will
yield less than one-half of the principal OF
its debt and less than one-fifth of its entire
debt, principal and interest. But whether
the Government. rather than accept less
than its claim should become bidder and
thereby the owner of the property, l sub
init to the Congress for action.
The Library building provided for by the
act of Congress approved April II, 1856.
has been completed and opened to the pub
lie. 1t should be matter of congratuia-
ton that through the foresight and munifi-
cence of Congress the nation possesses this
noble treasure-house of knowledge. 1t Is
earnestly 10 be hoped that having done so
much towards the cause of education. Con-
gress will continue to develop the Library
In every phase of research to the end that
il may be not only one of the most mag
nificent but among the richest and most
useful libraries in the world.
CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
The important branch of our Government
known as the Civil Service, the practical
improvement of which has long been a
subject of earnest discussion. has of late
years received increased legislative and
Executive approval. During the past few
months the service has been placed upon
a 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, dismis ais
for merely political reasons have been care
fully guarded against. the examinations for
admittance TO the service enlarged and at
the same time rendered less technical and
more practical; and a distinct advance has
been made by giving a hearing before dis
missel upon all cases where incompetency
is charged or demand made for the re-
moval OF officials in any of the Depart
ments- This order has been made to give
to the accused his right to be heard but
without in any way impairing the power
of removal, which should always be cxer-
cised in cases of inefficiency and incom-
potency. and which is one of the vital safe
guards of the civil service reform system,
preventing stagnation and deadwood and
keeping every employee keenly alive to the
fact that the security of his tenure de-
ponds not on favor but on his own tested
and carefully watched record of service.
Much of course still remains to be ac-
complished before the system can be made
reasonably perfect for our needs. There
are places now in the classified service
which ought to be exempted and others not
classified may properly he included 1 shall
not hesitate to exempt cases which 1 think
have been improperly included in the CLASH
fled service or include those which in my
Judgment will best promote the public serv-
ice. The system has the approval of the
people and it Will be my endeavor to up
hold and extend it.
/ am forced by the length of this Mes
sage to omit many important references TO
affairs of the Government with which Con-
gress will have to deal at the present ses-
sion. They are fully discussed in the de-
partmental reports, 10 all of which 1 in
wife your earnest attention.
The estimates of the expenses of the Gov
eminent by the several Departments will,
] am sure. have your careful scrutiny.
While the Congress may not find it an easy
task to reduce the expenses of the Govern
ment. II should not encourage their In
crease. These expenses will In my juds-
ment admit of a decrease in many branches
of the Government without injury to the
public service. 1t is commanding duty
to keep the appropriations within the re-
ceipts of the Government, and thus avoid
q deficit.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, December g. 1897.