The Advocate and news., 1898-12-07

the island Of Cuba and the acquisition
Of Porto Rico are no less important than
those relating to finance, commerce and
administration. II Is my earnest desire
that these problems may be considered
by. competent experts and that every
thing may be done which the most re-
cent advances In sanitary science can
offer for the protection Of the health OF
our soldiers who are exposed to the dan
gers Of infection from the importation OF
yellow fever. I therefore renew my rec
ommendation that the authority Of Con-
gress may be given and a suitable ap-
preparation made to provide for a COM
mission OF experts to be appointed for
the purpose indicated.
y -
The importance Of legislation for the
permanent increase Of the army is mani
fest and the recommendation Of the Sec
retary Of war for that purpose has my
unqualified approval. There can be no
question at this time, and probably for
some time Ia the future, that 100000 men
will be none too many to meet the neces-
stiles of the situation. At all events,
whether that number shall be required
permanently or not, the power should be
given to the President TO enlist that
force, II In his discretion 1t should be
necessary and the further discretion
should be given him to recruit within
the above limit from the inhabitants Of
the island with the government Of which
we are charged.
Il Is my purpose to muster out the en-
tire volunteer army as soon as the Con-
gress shall provide for the increase Of
the regular establishment. This will be
only an act of Justice and will be much
appreciated by the brave men who left
their homes and employments to help
the country in It's emergency.
= :. :.
In my last annual message stated:
1.-The Union Pacific railway. main line.
was sold under the decree Of the United
States court for the district Of Nebraska,
the 1st and End Of November this year.
1.-THE amount due the government con-
sisted of the principal of the subsidy
bonds, $27 236 512. and the accrued inter
est thereon. 1921 ,511.07. making the
total Indebtedness S59. .448 22375. The
bid at the sale covered the first mortgage
lien and the entire mortgage claim Of the
government, principal and interest" :"
This left the Kansas Pacific case un-
concluded. BY decree Of the court In.
that case; an upset price for the property
was fixed at a sum which would yield to
the government only S25OO,0OO upon its
lien. The sale at the instance Of the gov
ernmeUt was postponed first to December
IT, 1897. and later, upon the application
Of the United States, was postponed to
February 16, 1898.
Having satisfied myself that the inter-
ests Of the government required that an
effort should be made to obtain larger
sum, directed the Secretary Of the
Treasury, under the act passed March 3.
1887, to paw out Of the treasury to the
persons entitled to receive the same, the
amounts due Upon all prior mortgages
uDon the middle and eastern divisions
of said railroad, out Of any money in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Whereupon the Attorney General pre-
pared petition to be presented to the
court offering to redeem said prior liens,
in such manner as the court might d.
rect, and praying that thereupon the
United States might be held to be sub
rogated to all rights Of said prior lien
holders, and that receiver might be
appointed 10 take possession Of the mort
gagged premises and maintain and Oper-
ate the same until the court or Congress
otherwise directed.
ThereupOn the reorganization commit
tee agreed that If said petition was with
drawn and the sale allowed to proceed on
February 16, they would bid sum at
the sale which would realize to the gov
ernment the entire principal Of its debt,
B6, ,SOS, 900. Believing that NO better price
could be obtained and appreciatlng the
difficulties under which the government
would labor IL 1t should become the pur-