The San Francisco call., 1897-12-07

which will Yield less th'. ouc-half The prin-
cipal OF its debt and less than oue-fifth of its
de bt-principal and interest. The G vern-
meat, rather than accept ie;s tnan its claim,
should become a bidder and tberebv the
owner of the properly. and l submit this 10
Congress for action.
The library provision provided for by the
act of Congress approved Arril II, 1896, has
been completed ana open 10 the public. 1t
should be matter OF congratulation that
through the foresight and munificence of Con-
gress the nation possesses this noble treasure
house of knowledge 1t is earnestly TO be
hoped that having done 50 much toward the
cause OF education. Congress will continue to
develop the library in every phase OF research
TO the end that ii may not be only one of the
most magnificent but among the richest and
most beautiful Libraries in the world.
The important
Civil Service Reform branch OF our Gov
Growing Success. ernment known as
the Civil Service,
practical improvement of which has long been
a subject of earnest discussion, has o. late
years received increased legislative and execu-
tive fpproval. During the past few months
the service has been placed still frmer
basis OF business methods and personal merit
While the right OF our vete ran soldiers to re-
instatement in deserving cases has been as
serted, dismissa.s for merely political reasons
have bee IN carefully guarded against, the ex-
aminations for admittance TO the service en-
larged and at the same time rendered less
technical and more practical; and a distinct
advance has been made by giving hearing
before dismissal upon all cases where incom-
potency is charged or removal of officials
demanded, in any of the departments. This
order has been made TO give to the accused
his right TO be heard without in any way i'm
pairing the power of removal, which should
always be exercised in cases of ineffieiency
and Incompetence, and which is one of the
vital safeguards of the civil service reform
system, preventing stagnauon and dead wood
and keeping every employe keenly alive to
the fact that the security of his tenure depends
not on favor but on his own tested and care
FULLY watched record of service.
Much. OF course, still remains TO be &C COM
plished before the system can be made reason
ably perfect for our needs. There are places
now in the classified service which ought to
be exempted, and others uuclassiied msy be
properly included. l shall not hesitate to ex-
empt cases which think have been improp-
criy Included in the classified service, or in
clude those which in my judgment will BEST
promote the public service. The system has
the approval OF the people. and it Will be my
eudeAvOr to uphold and extend it
l am forced by the length of this message TO
omit many important referen ces 10 affairs OF
the Government with which Congress will
have TO deal at the present session. They are
fully discussed in the departmental reports,
to all OF which 1 invite your earnest attention.
The estimates of the expenses OF the Gov
ernmeut by the several departments will, /
am sure, have your careful scrutiny While
Congress may hnd it an easy task to reduce
the expenses of the Government, it should not
encourage their increase These expenses Will,
in my iudg me mt. admit of a decrease in many
branc hes of the Government without injury TO
the public service. 1t is a commanding duty
TO keep the appropriations within the receipts
of the Government and thus avoid a deficit.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, December q, 1897.