The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-05

! our soldiers in those islands and of our
/ citizens who are exposed to the dangers
/ of infection from the importation of yell
/ low fever I therefore renew my recon-
1 menda ton that the authority of congress
may be given and a suitable apprOpria ton
/ made to provide for commission of eN-
perts to be appointed for the purpose indi-
/ Under the act of congress approved
7 April 26, 1855, authorizing the president
eress tbat war exists. i Directed The in
crease of the regular army TO the maxi
mum OF $1,000, authorized in said act
se5 ne sF are nov no n the regui9r army o.
/ provided that at the end of any war in
which the United States may become in
&oI&eed The army shan he Tednce5 TO a
peace basis by the transfer in the same
arm of the service or absorption by pro-
motion, or honorable discharge, under
such regulations as the secretary Of war
may establish, Of supernumeraTy comis-
stoned officers and the honorable discharge
or transfer OF supernuInerary enlisted
shall be construed as authorizing the per-
manent increase Of the command or en-
that now PROVIDED by the law in force,
prior 10 the passage of this act. except as
in section 1 hereof"
The importance of legislation for the
permanent increase of the army is there
fore manifest and the recomme ndation Of
the secretary OF war for that purpose has
my unqualified approval There can pc
no question at this time, and proba bly, fer
some time in the future, that 10000 men
cessities of the situation. Al all events,
whether that numb shall De required
permanently or not. the power should be
given TO the president 10 enlist that force,
If in his discretion it should be necessary
and the further discretion should De given
him 10 recruit within the above limit from
the inhabitants OF the island with the gov
eminent OF which We are charged.
1t is my purpose TO muster out the en-
gresS snaIl pToEl0e Ior tilS increase OF l1s
regular establishment This will be only
ciated by the brave men who left their
homes and employments TO help the coun-
try in its emergency
In my last annual message stated:
The Union Pacific railway, main line,
the LIST and End of November. this year
sisted Of the pTincipal Of the subsidy
bonds, so -236.512, and the accrued interest
debtedness So. AS. 223-75- The bid at the
sale covered the first mortgage lien and
the entire mortgage claim OF the govern
ment. principal and interest.
This left the Kansas Pacific case IN
concluded. BY a decree OF the court in
that case, an upset price for the property
the so1ernment onIv 3 800 900 upon its lien
The sale at the instance of the govern
ment was postponed first to December Is.
1897. and later upon the application of the
United States was postponed TO February
Is, 1898
Having satisfied myself that the in
terests of the government required that
an effort should be made to obtain
larger sum, 1 directed the secretary OF
the treasury, under the act passed
March 8, 1887, to pay out of the treasury
to the persons entitled to receive the
same, the amounts due upon all prior
mortgages upon the middle and eastern
divisions of said railroad out or any
money in the treasury not otherwise ap-
prOpriated. WhereupOn the attorney
general prepared a petition to be pre-
scented to the court Offering to redeem
said prior liens, in such manner as the
court might direct, and praying tnat
thereupon the United States might be
held to be subrogated to all rights OF
Vii holders and that
ceiver might be appointed to take pos
session of the mortgaged premises ana
maintain and operate the same untI
the court or congress OtneFWlSe directed
Thereupon the reorganization commit
tee agreed that if said petition was
withdrawn and the sale allowed to pro-
coed on February Is, they would BID a
sum at the sale, which would realize 10
the government the entire principal OF
its debt. Sc, 303. 600 Believing that no
better price could be obtained and ap-
preciating the difficulties under which
the government would labor il it should
become the purchaser of the road at
sale in the absence of any authority
BY congress to take charge and operate
the road, directed that upon the guar
anty of a minimum bid, which should
give the government the principal of its
debt. the sale should proceed By this
transaction the government secured an
advance of 8, sos. 600 over and above
the sum which the court had fixed as
the upset price and which the reOrganlz-
alton committee ndQ uEGldAS4 Ne1S INT
maximum which they would pay for
the property
It is a gratifying fact that the result
of these proceedings against the Union
Pacific system and the Kansas Pacf-
fic line in that the government has re-
ceived on account of its subsidy claim.
the sum of 64,751, 22S.75. an increase OF
SIS, 997, IS over the sum which the
reorganization committee originally
agreed to bid for the joint property, the
government receiving its whole claim.
principal and interest. on the Union Pa
cific and the principal OF its debt on the
Kansas Pacific railway
Steps have been taken to foreclose the
governments lien upon the Central
Pacific railroad company but before &C
ton was commenced. congress passed
an act, approved July :, 1895 creating a
commission consisting of the secretary
OF the treasury, the attorney general
and the secretary Of the interior and
their successors in Office, with full pow
er to settle the Indebtedness to the gov
eminent growing out Of the issue OF
bonds. in aid of construction of the
Central Pacific and Western Pacific
ond-aided railroads, subject to the ap-
prevail of the president
No report has yet been made to me
by the commission thus created. What
ever action is had looking to settle
ment of the Indebtedness in accordance
with the act referred to viii be duly
submitted to congress
deem 1t my duty TO call to the atten-
ton Of congress, the condition OF the
present building occupied by the de-
partment of justice The business in
that department has increased greatly
since IT was esta blished in its present
quarters. The building now occupied
by il is neither large enough, nor Of
suita BILE. arrangement for the proper
accommodation of the business of the
department The supervising architect
has pronounced it unsafe and unsuited
for the use to which il is put. The at
torney general in his reports states
that the library OF the department is on
the fourth floor and that all the space
allotted to ii is so crowded with books