The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-07

ana interest,"
KANSAS PACIFIC RAILROAD.
The sale of the subsidized portion OF
Emo Kansas Pacific line, upon which tine
roycrnment holds a second mortgage
,lo, has been postponed at the instance
ottbe government to December l6, 1897,
Tb, debt OF this division OF the Union
pacific railway to the government on
Noyember !, 1897, was the principal OF
tho subsidy bonds, 81, 3a3. e88, and the
,npald and accrued interest thereon.
ss5!6 $40 50. making total Of Sl2029,-
go 3S,
The sale OF this road was originally
advertised for November 4, but for the
.rprpose of securing the utmost public
nnt.c, OF the event IL was postponed un-
m december 10 and second advertiser
mont Of the sale was made. BY the de-
area NJ the court the upset price on the
ssls Of the Kansas Pacific win yield To
HE government the sum of 50 500 900
aver all prior Hens, costs and charges.
II no other or better bid Is made this
sum Is all that the government win re-
rclye On It's claim OF nearly $4,000 900,
The government has M information as
IA whether there viii be other bidders
or better bid than the minimum
amount herein stated, The question pre-
Sented therefore Isl Whether the gov
eminent shall under the authority glv-
on It by the act of March ., 1887, pur-
chase or redeem the road In the event
that a bid is not made by private par
lies covering the entire government
claim. To qualify the government to
hid at the sales will require a deposit
OF 100000, as follows: In the govern
ment cause 100000 ana In each Of the
first mortgage causes $2OO,OOO, and in
The latter the deposit must be made in
cash. Payments at the sale are as fol-
lows, Upon the acceptance OF the bid
sum which the amount already depos-
tied shall equal 10 per cent OF the bid:
the balance IN inStallmcu;s OF 20 per
cent, thirty, forty and ifty days after
The confirmation Of the sale. The lien
on The Kansas Pacific prior 10 that of
tho government an the Both OF July,
1897, principal and interest, amounted
10 s. ,29l 0IS II. The government there
fore, should 1t become the highest bid
der viii 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 abb
scnce 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 10 bid at the sale sum
which will Mt least equal the principal of
the debt due to the government but
suggest, in order TO remove all contro-
Vcrsy. that an amendment of the law
be Immediately passed explicitly giving
such powers and appropriating in gem
cral terms whatever sum is sufficient
therefor
In such an important matter as the
government becoming the possible own
or Of railroad property. which 1t must
perforcc conduct and operate feel
constrained to lay before Congress these
facts for its consideration and action
before the contamination oc tho sale.
It IL clear to my mind that the govern
mcnt should not permit the property to
be sold at price which win Yield less
than one-half Of the principal OF its
debt and less than one-hfth OF It's en-
tire debt. principal and Interest But
whether the government rather than
accept less than It's claim should be-
come a bidder and thereby the owner
of the property, ! submit to the Con-
gross for action.
The library building provided for by
the act of Congress approved April Is.
1856. has been completed and opened to
the public. II should be a matter of
GENERALIZATION that through the fore
sight and munlfccncc of Congress the
nation possesses this noble treasure
house Of knowledge. II Is earnestly to
be hoped that having done so much
towards the cause of education, Con-
gfcss will continue to develop tho H.
brary In every phase of research to the
end that 1t may not be only one Of the
most magnificent, but among the rich
est and most useful libraries in the
world.
THE 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 discus
sion, has of late years received increased
legislative and executive approval,
During the past few months the service
has been placed upon a sim frmcr ba-
els Of business methods and personal
merit. While the right Of our veteran
soldiers to reinstatement in deserving
cases has been asserted. dismissals 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 dis
tnct advance has been made by Civ
Ing hearing before dismissal upon all
cases where incompctency is charged
or demand made for the removal of OIL
Gals in any OF the departments. This
order has been made 10 give 10 the ac-
cused his right TO be heard but with
out In any way lmpairIng the power
OF removal, which should always be cX-
erc!scd In cases Of inciIiciency and in
competency. and which is one Of the vi
tal safeguards Of the civil service re-
form system. preventing stagnation and
dead wood, and Keeping every employee
Kecnly alive to the fact that the Sc
CURLY OF his tenure depends not on ia
ror but on his own tested and care
iully watched record of service.
Mitch, OF course, stitf remains to be
accomplished before the system can be
made reasonably perfect for our needs.
There arc places now In tho classified
service which ought 10 be exempted, and
others not classified may properly be
included shall not hesitate to exempt
cases which think have been improp-
cry included in the classified service.
or include those which IN my Judgment
WiIl best promote tho public service.
the system has the approval Of the pco-
Ic' and II VIII be my endcavor to up
hold and extend H.
am forced by the length Of this mes
@gc to omit many important refer
'nCcs to affairs Of the government with
winch Congress will have TO deal at the
present session ThOy arc fulIv 1ta-