Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-09


Der 10th, and Il 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 81, 100000 over all prior liens,
costs and charges. II no other or better.
bid is made this sum is all that the govern
ment will receive on its claim of nearly
$13 .000,0 900. The government has no infor-
nation as to whether there will be other
bidders or better bid than the minimum |
amount herein stated The question pre-
scented therefore Is: Whether the govern |
ment shall, under the authority given 1t |
by the act of March 3, 1897 purchase or re- |
deem the road in the event that a bill is
not made by private parties covering the
entire government claim. To qualify the
government to bid at the sale will require
a deposit Of 100000 as follows:
In the government cause 100000 and
In each OF the first mortgage causes $780,
geo, and in the latter the deposit must be
in cash. Payments at the sale are as fol-
lows.
Upon the acceptance Of the bid a sum
which with the amount already deposited
shall equal Is per cent. OF the bid; the
balance in instruments Of % per cent,
thirty forty and fifty days after the con-
frnatlon of the sale. The lien on the
Kansas City prior to that of the govern
| ment on the Both Of July, 1897, amounted
TO S72Sl ,04S.1l The government, there
fore, should 1t become the highest bidder,
will 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 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 bidder,
and to bid at the sale sum which will
at least equal the principal OF the debt
due to the government; 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 such a matter as the government be-
coming the possible owner of railroad
property, which it ,perforce must conduct
and operate, ! feel constrained to lay be.
fore Congress these facts for its consid
Grafton and action before the consumna
tion of the sale. 1t Is clear 10 my mint
that the government should not permit
. the property to he sold at price whicl
will yield less than one-half of the prin
+ cipal of its debt and less than one-tiftl
of its entire debt, principal and interest
hut whether the government, rather thai
accept less than its claim, should become
, / bidder and thereby the owner of tn
property, | submit to the Congress TO
action.
: The Library building provided for b.
the act Of Congress approved on Apri
. 15 1856, has been completed and opene
to the public. It should be a matter q
congratuiation that through the foresigh
and muniiicence of Congress the natio
. possesses this noble treasure house c
knowledge 1t Is earnestly TO be hopet
!, that having done so much toward tn
: cause OF education, Congress will continu
to develop the Library in every phase {
: research, to the end that It may be ne
only one Of the most magnificent. BIT
among the richest and most useful librai
!, les in the world
. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
If The important branch Of our govern
d ment known as the Civil Service, ii
i practical improvement of which has Ion
It been subject of earnest discussion, ht
e of late years received increased legislatiN
T. and executive approval. During the pa
J. few months the service has been place
upon still flrmer basis of business metl
g. DDS and personal merit. While the rigl
4 OF our veteran soldiers to renstatemel
10 in deserving cases has been asserted, di
n. missals for merely political reasons ha'
a. been carefully guarded against, the e.
10 aminations for admittance to the servi
10 enlarged, and at the same time render'
re less technical and more practical; and
Of distinct advance has been made by giviI
hearing before dismissal upon all cas-
of where incompetency is charged or DENIAL
ry made for the removal of officials In al
l. OF tho departments. This order has BET
made to give to the accused his right
ne be heard. but without In any way impai
al ing the power of removal, which shou
Mt always be exercised in cases of inefiicien
of and incompetency. and which is one
IT, the vital safeguards Of the civil servi
mt reform system. preventing stagnatlon a.
he dead wood, and keeping every emplo
he keenly alive to the fact that the securl
he Of his tenure depends not on favor but
e. his own tested and carefully watch
record of service
r. Much Of course still remains to'be
lis complished before the system can be ma
mt reasonably perfect for our needs. The
by are places now in the classified servi
not classified may properly be Included
shall not hesitate to exempt cases which
'er think have been improperly included
nut the classified service. or include tho
zee which, in my judgment, will best prone
es- the public service. The system has
me approval of the people and it will be I
he endeavor TO uphold and extend it,
Mt am forced by the length of this me
Or sage to omit many important references
on affairs of government with which Congrt
an will have to deal at the present sessit
an session. They are fully discussed in
ent departmental reports. to all OF which
De- yite your earnest attention.
ent The estimates of the expenses of
or government by the several departmei
lcy will, am sure, have your careful SCI
to tiny While the Congress may not fl
for 1t an easy task to reduce the expenses
me the government, it should not encours
of their increase. These expenses will in
da- Judgment admit of decrease in ma
branches of the government without
ion Jury to the public service. 1t is co
the manding duty to keep the appropriate
act within the receipts Of the governments
'es- thus avoid deficit.
wi WILLIAM MKINLEY
eri- Executive Mansion, December 6, 1891
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lor- du Point Cas-. Jersey Plant.
by Penus Grove Record.
,ert The buildings of the du Pont Pow
the Co, ut Gibbstown, N. j., are being fo
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