The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-12-09

whereupon, the attorney general prepared n
petition to be presented to the court Offering
to redeem said prior liens in such manner as
the court might direct and praying that there
upon the United States might be held to b.
subrogated to all the rights OF said prior lien
holders and that a receiver might be appointed
to take possession OF the mortgaged premises
and maintain and operate the same
until the court or congress otherwise
directed. Thereupon the reorRanizo-
tiou committee agreed that II said
petition was withdrawn and the sale allowed
to proc led on February 10 they would bid
sum at the sale which would realizs to the gov
eminent the entire principal Of It's debt 49, 3J3,-
On Believing that no better price could be
obtained and approaching the difficulties I'M
der which the government would labor II II
should become the purchaser of the road
at the sale, in the absence OF any
authority by congress to take charge Of aud
opt rate the road, | directed that upon the
guaranty of u minimum Did which should give
the government the prin ,ipal of its debt, the
sale shou procsed by this transaction the
government secured an advance Of 1888 900
over and above the sum which the court mad
fixed II, the upset price and which the reor-
gdnz lton committee had declared was the
maximum which they would pay for the prop
erty.
1t is a gratifying fact tnat the result OF these
| proceedings against the Union Pacific system
ment has received account OF It's subsidy
claim the sum Of asa 223 Is an increase Of
iS.997 l63 10 over the sum which the reorgan-
| ization COMMITTEES originally agreed to old for
the joint property, the government receiving
| its whole claim. principal and interest 10
| Union Pacific and the principal Of its debt on
| the Kansas Pacific railroad.
Steps had been taken to foreclose the gov
crnments lien upon the Central Pacific Railroad
company, but before action was commenced
congress passed an act approved July 7, 1897,
creating commission consisting Of the secre-
tary OF the treasury, the attorney general and
the secretary OF the interior and their success
sors In office with full power TO settle the
| Indebtedness to the government growing out OF
| the issue OF bonds In aid OF construction OF the
| Central Pacific and Western Pacific railroads
subject TO the approval OF the president No
| report has yet been made to me by the COM
| mission thus created Whatever action is held
| looking to n settlement Of the Indebtedness in
| accordance with the act referred to will be duly
submitted to congress
| Department OF Justice Building.
deem 1t my duty to call to the attention Of
congress the condition of the present building
occupied by the department OF justice. The
business OF that department has Increased
greatly since 1t was established in its present
quarters The building now occupi ID by II Is
neither large enough nor OF suitable arrange
| ment for the proper accommodation OF the
I
| pervisng architect has pronounced II
unsafe and unsuited for the use
| to which IL Is put The attorney
general In his report states that the library OF
the department Is on the fourth floor and that
oil the space allotted to it is so crowded with
books as to dangerously overload the structure
The first floor is occupied by the court OF
claims. The building is OF an old and delapi-
dated appearance unsuited to the dignity which
should attach to this important department A
proper regard for the safety, comfort and con
venience Of the officers and employees would
justify the expenditure Of a liberal sum OF money
in the erection OF new building of commodiouS
proportions and handsome appearance upon
the very advantageous sites already secured
- .!:.-s purpose, IucIuuIng tue ground occu-
pied by the present structure and adjoining
vacant to that comprising in all frontage OF
POI feet on Pennsylvania avenue and depth OF
1870 feet In this connection | may likewise
refer to the inadequate accommodations pro-
vided for the supreme court In the capitol anc
suggest the wisdom OF MAKING provision for tn,
erection of u separate building for the cour
and its officers and library upon availabl,
ground near the capitol
The Po,taI Service.
The postal service Of the country advances
with extraordinary growth Within 20 year,
both the revenues and the expenditures OF tn,
post once department have multiplied three
fold. In the last ten years they have nearly
rapidly than our population. II now involves al
expenditure OF 400, 900 q year. numbers
1900 post Offices and enrolls 2On,00i employees
This remarkable extension OF a service which
il an accurate index OF the public condition
presents gratifying evidence OF the advance
ment of education OF the increase OF commu
nlcAtion and business activity and OF the i'm
provement OF mail facilities leading to thei
constantly use.
The war with Spain laid new and exceptions
lnbors in the post office department The mus
tering OF the military and naval forces OF tn
United States required special mail arrange
ments for every camp and every campaign
The communication between home and cam
was naturally eager and expectant In some o
the larger places OF rendezvous man
as 5000 letters a day required handling
This necessity was met by the promp
detail OF experienced men from the es
tablished force and by directing all tn
instrume ntalities OF the railway mail and pos
office service so far necessary to this ne,
need. Congress passed an act empowering tn
postmaster general to establish ofices o
branches at every military camp or station
, and under this authority th1 postal machiner
was speedily put into effective operation
Under the same authority when our force
moved upon Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines they were attended and followed by tn
postal service. Though the act OF congress
authorized the appointment OF postmaster
the public interests would be best subserved nc
by new designations but by the detail of expe
rienced men familiar with every branch OF tn
! service and this policy was stendily followed
When the territory which was the theater q
conflict came into our possession It becam
necessary to re-estabish mail facilities for tn
resident population as well to pro
vide them for our forces OF occupatio
and the former requirement was me
through the extension and appicatio
OF the latter obligation. | gave the requisit
authority and the same general principles wa
applied to this Us to other branches OF civil ad
: ministraton under military occupation Tn
details are more particularly given In the re
port OF the postmaster general
1t is pleasing to be able to say that the serv
ice In the territory which has come under on
control is already materially improved
a Venezuela Dispute with Great Britain.
! The arbitral tribunal appointed under tn
treaty OF February, 1897, batween Great Brit
ain and Venezuela to determine the bound ar
line between the latter and the colony OF Brit
ish Guiana Is to convene at Paris dui
Il ing the present month 1t Is II sourC
a OF much qualification to this governmeu
p to see the friendly resort OF arbitratio
npnliad IN ha gattIamant nj this controvara,