The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1897-12-14


then 1t will be necessity taat some legls-
lation shall be had by congress, which,
while just and honorable to the Indians.
shall be equitable TO the white people who
have settled upon these lands by invitation
of the tribal nations
l coheur with the secretary of the inte-
rior that there can be no cure for the evils
engender9d by the perversion of these great
trusts excepting by their resumption by
the government which created them.
Yellow Fever scourge.
The recent prevalence OF yellow fever
In number Of cities and towns through
out the south has resulted in much dis.
turbance OF commerce and demonstrated
the necessity of such amendment to our
quarantine laws as will make the regula-
lions of the national quarantine authori-
ties paramount.
The secretary of the treasury In the por-
tion Of his report relating to the operation
OF the marine hospital service calls atten-
tion to the defects In the present quaran-
tine laws and recommends amendments
thereto which will give the treasury de-
partment the requisite authority to pre-
vent the invasion of epidemic diseases
from foreign countries and in times Of
emergency like that OF the past summer
will add to the efficiency Of the sanitary
and at the same time prevent unnecessary
| restriction of commerce. / concur in his
recommendation.
In further effort to prevent the invasion
of the United States by yellow fever the
| Importance of the discovery of the exact
| cause of the disease, which up to the pres
| emit time his been undetermined, Is obvi-
\ Gus, and to this end, systematic bacter-
| biological investigation should be made. l
| therefore recommend that congress author
| lie the appointment of n commission by the
| president, to consist OF four expert bacter-
| iologists, one to be selected from the med
ical officers OF the marine hospital service,
| ono TO be appointed from civil life, one to
be detailed from the medical officers of the
army and one from the medical officers Of
| the navy.
Sale of Union Pacific.
| The Union Pacific railway, main line, was
| sold under the decree Of the United States
/ court for the district Of Nebraska on the
| LIST and I'd of November Of this year.
The amount due the government consist
ed Of the principal of the subsidy bonds,
$27, 236, 512, and the accrued Interest there
on, S31, 211 ,71175, making the total indebt-
edness S5S,44S, 223.75 The bid at the sale
covered the first mortgage lien and the en-
tire mortgage claim Of the government,
principal and interest.
The sale Of the subsidized portion of the
Kansas Pacific line. upon which the gov
ernment holds a second mortgage lien, has
been postponed at the instance Of the gov
! eminent to Dec. 10, 1897.
The debt Of this division OF the Union Pa
cihc railway to the government on Nov. /,
1897 was the principal Of the subsidy
| bonds, So 800, 900 and the unpaid and &C
crued interest thereon, $685. 690.33, making
| a total Of $12, 92a69033.
The sale of this road was originally ad-
vertised for Nov. 4, but for the purpose Of
securing the utmost public notice of the
event it was postponed until Dec. 10, and
second advertisement OF the sale was
| made.
BY the decree Of the court the upset price
on the sale OF the Kansas Pacific Will yield
to the government the sum OF $500, 900
over all prior liens. costs and charges.
II no other or better bid is smade this
sum is all that the government will receive
on It's claim Of nearly $13,G0e000.
The government has no Information as TO
whether there Will be other bidders or a
better bid than the minimum amount here.
In stated.
The question prcFented therefore Is
whether the government shall, under the au-
thority given 1t by the act Of March g. 1897,
| purchase or redeem the road In the event
that bid is not made by private parties
covering the entire government claim.
| To qualify the government TO bid at the
sales will require deposit Of 100000.
! believe that under the act of 1887 1t
has the authority to do this and in absence
OF any action by congress | shall direct the
secretary Of the treasury to make the nee
essary deposit required by the courts
decree to qualify as a bidder and to bid at
the sale a sum which will at least equal the
principal of the debt due 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 apprOpriating in general terms
whatever sum Is sufficient therefor
Possible Ownership.
In so important a matter asNthe govern
ment becoming the possible owner Of rail-
road property which it perfOrce must con-
Duct and operate, feel constrained to lay
before congress these facts for It's consid-
Grafton and action before the consumation
of the sale.
1t is clear to my mind that the govern
ment should not permit the property to
be sold at price which will yield less than
One-half Of the principal Of its debt and less
than one-hfth OF Its entire debt, principal
and Interest.
But whether the government, rather than
accept less than its claim, should become a
bidder and thereby the owner OF the proper
ty, submit to the congress for action.
The important branch OF our government
known as the civil service, the practical
Improvement Of which has long been q sub
ject of earnest discussion, has of late years
received increased legislative and executive
approval. During the past few months the
| service has been placed upon q still flrmer
| basis Of business methods and personal
merit
Reinstatement of Soldiers.
While the right Of veteran soldiers
| TO reinstatement In deserving cases has |
| been asserted, dismissals for merely polit. |
| ical reasons have been carefully guarded |
| against the examinations for admittance |
| to the service enlarged and at the same |
| time rendered less technical and more prac. |
| teal; and a distinct advance has been made |
by giving hearing before dismissal upon all |
cases where lncompetency is charged or de- |