Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-12-14

on the LIST and I'd of November of this
year. The amount due the government
consisted of the principal of the subsidy
| bonds. so ,236,5l2, and the accrued interest
thereon, 1921. 7l1.75, making the total
indebtedness $5s,44S. 223.75. 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
cific line. upon which the government
holds second mortgage lien. has been
postponed at the instance of the govern
ment to December 16, 1897 The debt Of
this division of the Union Pacific railway
to the government on November I, 1897,
was the principal of the subsidy bonds,
S6.3 900. and the unpaid and accrued in
terest thereon. Sc, GIG, 690. 80, making q total
of S12, 929, $50 49,
The sale of this road was originally adj
vertised for November T. but for the pur-
pose OF securing the utmost public notice
OF the event 1t was postponed until De-
cember 10, and second advertisement Of
the sale was made. BY decree Of the
court the upset price on the sale Of the
Kansas Pacific will yield to the govern
ment the sum of $780, 600 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 its claim
of nearly $4,000 900. The government has
no information as to whether there will
be other bidders or q 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, 1887.
purchase or redeem the road in the event
that a bid is not made by private parties
covering the entire government claim.
How 1t Must Qualify.
To qualify the government to bid at this
sale will require a deposit of $500 0O0 as
follows: In the government cause $780,
0O0 and in each of the first mortgage
causes 5000, 900. and In the latter the de-
posit must be in cash. Payment at the
sale is as follows: Upon the acceptance
of the bid, sum which the amount al.
ready deposited shall equal Is per cent OF
the bid; the balance in installments thir.
~. forty and fifty days after the con-
firmation of the sale The lien on the
Kansas Pacific prior to that of the gov.
ernment on July 80, 1897. principal and
interest, amounted to s7.2s1.oiS.11. The
government, therefore, should 1t become
the highest bidder, will have to pay the
amount of the first mortgage lien.
believe that under the act of 1887 II
has the authority to do this. and in alb
sence 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 bid.
der and to bid at the sale sum which
will at least equal the principal Of this
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 approprating in genera
terms whatever sum Is sufficient there
for.
In so important matter as the govern.
ment becoming the possible owner of rail
road property, which II perforce mus,
conduct and operate, / feel constrained t.
lay before congress these facts for II.
consideration and action before the con-
summation OF the sale. Ii is clear to my
mind that the government should moi
permit the property to be sold at pric,
which will yield less than one-half of the
principal of its 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 the
owner OF the property, l 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 subject of earnest discussion has
Of late years received increased legisla-
tive ana executive approval. During the
past few months the service has been
placed upon still frmer basis of business
methods and personal merit. While the
right OF our veteran soldiers to reinstate.
ment in deserving cases has been assert.
ed, dismissals for merely political reasons
nave been carefully guarded against, the
examinations for adnttance to the SER
vice enlarged and at the same time rem.
dered less technical and more practical
and distinct advance has been made by
giving a hearing before dismissal upon
all cases where incompetency is charged
or demand made for the removal Of Of.
ficials in any of the departments.
I am forced by the length of this mes
sage TO omit many important references
to affairs of the government with which
congress will have to deal at the present
session. They are fully discussed In the
reports. to all of which
invite your earnest attention. The esti-
mates of the expenses of the government
by the several departments will, am sure
have your careful scrutiny. While the
may not find II an easy task to
reduce the expenses of the government, II
should not encourage their increase
These expenses will, in my Judgment,
admit of a decrease in many branches OF
the government without injury to the
public service. 1t is a commanding duty
to keep the appropriations within the re-
ceipts of the government and thus avoid
a deficit.
WILLIAM MKINLEY.