The evening times., 1897-12-06

ilw beinlmcdlateIy ypasse'iexplicitly pa giving
such powers and apDrOpriating in Sciler;.i
terms whatever sum is sufficient therefor.
In so iinpoftant "a matter as the G'iT-
eminent becoming ,he possible jwnc- of
railroad property which it perfCrce nnist
cund..,t ard operate, | feel nstrained u
lay before Congress these facts for its
consideration and acti,n before the con
summation of the sale. II is clear - rny
mind that the Government should not per
nit the property To be sGld ut a price
which VII yield less than une-half of the
principal Of its debt and less than one
fifth of its entire debt, principal lnI in
terest. But whether the Government,
rather than accept less than its cl;:Ln.
should becrIlc a bidder aud thereby the
owner Of the property. subIGis 10 the
Congress for action.
TIE Library building provides! for Ly the
act or Congress approve April =. 1eS'.
mas been completed and opened to :hs pub
lie. 1t should be IL matter of ooncrat lIa-
ton that through the foresight and mn
nifcen"e OF Congress the nation possesses
tnis noble treasure-house of kno V ledge.
Il is earnestly to I've hoped that havini, Gone
50 much towards the cause of education,
Congress Will continue to deveLp :he Ii
brary in every phase of research 10 the
end that it may be not only one of tie most
magnificent bus among the richest aul most
useful libraries in the world.
THE CIVIL. SERVICE.
The Important branS! of our Gore.niI.slt
Known as the Civil Service, the practical
Improvement or which has long been 4
Subject of earnest discussion, has of late
years received Increased legislative i.nd
Executive approval. During the pls. few
months the service has been placed upon
still Iirm-r iasis o. business met!"is
and pers,II;,I merit. While the righ. ..r
Our veteran soldiers To reinstatement in
deserving cases has been asserted, dis
missa's for merely political rea SONS have
been carefully guarded against, the ex-
aminations for ddmittance to the service
enlarged and at the same time rendered
less technical and mole practical; AMI a
distinct advance has been made by giving
hearing before dismissal upon all casts
where inconIcteicy is charged OF dcnn :id
made for the removal OF officials in any
of the Departments. This order has been
made to give to the accused his right 10
Dus NHUOll IN dUy WIZ
pairing the power of removal, which shoulI
always be exercised i'll cases OF inafii-
cheney and incompetency, >and which IS
cne o. the vital safeguards of the civil
service reform system, preventing staera
tion and deadwood and keeping ever
employe keenly alive to the fact that .he
security of his tenure depends not on :avnr
tut on his Cwn tested aud ca rerully watcnell
record of service.
Much of course Il Ill remains to be accom-
plishe,i he:or. the system can lie mad.
reasUnab:y perfect fer our necIs. T:iele
are PAGES new in the classified service
which ought to he exempted aud others rat
classified may properly he inclu,leii
shall not hesitate to exempt cases which
think have been improperly inciu,,ct. il
the Classified service or include those W which
in my judgment will best promote the
public service. The system has the ap-
prova; of the people and it will be my en-
deavor to upheld and extend it.
l am forced Ly the length Of this Message
TO omit many important references to af-
fairs of the Government with which Con.
cress w,,l have to deal at the present y.s-
sion. Ttey are fully discussed in the .ir-
partiu"n:ai reports, to all OF which | III
lite your earnest attention.
The estimates OF the expenses of the
Government by the several Departments
will, am sure, have your careful scru,,liy
While the Congress may hot find it an easy
task to reduce the expenses or the Gov
eminent, it should not encourage their in
"rease. Thcse expenses %iii in my iuig-
inent admit of decrease in mlnv
branches OF the Government without in
Jury 20 the public service. IL Is n cpln-
inanding duty to keep the appropriations
within the receipts of the Government.
and thus avoid Il deficit.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY
Executive Mansion, necember d. 1897