nt of the law be
immediately passed explicitly giving such powers and appropriating in
general terms whatever sum is sufficient therefor.

In so important a matter as the Government becoming the possible owner
of railroad property which it perforce must conduct and operate, I feel
constrained to lay before Congress these facts for its consideration and
action before the consummation of the sale. It is clear to my mind that
the Government should not permit the property to be sold at a price
which will yield less than one-half of the principal of its debt and
less than one-fifth of its entire debt, principal and interest. But
whether the Government, rather than accept less than its claim, should
become a bidder and thereby the owner of the property, I submit to the
Congress for action.

The Library building provided for by the act of Congress approved April
15, 1886, has been completed and opened to the public. It should be a
matter of congratulation that through the foresight and munificence of
Congress the nation possesses this noble treasure-house of knowledge. It
is earnestly to be hoped that having done so much toward the cause of
education, Congress will continue to develop the Library in every phase
of research to the end that it may be not only one of the most
magnificent but among the richest and most useful libraries in the
world.

The important branch of our Government known as the Civil Service,
the practical improvement of which has long been a subject of earnest
discussion, has of late years received increased legislative and
Executive approval. During the past few months the service has been
placed upon a still firmer basis of business methods and personal merit.
While the right of our veteran soldiers to reinstatement in deserving
cases has been asserted, dismissals for merely political reasons have
been carefully guarded against, the examinations for admittance to the
service enlarged and at the same time rendered less technical and more
practical; and a distinct advance has been made by giving a hearing
before dismissal upon all cases where incompetency is charged or demand
made for the removal of officials in any of the Departments. This order
has been made to give to the accused his right to be heard but without
in any way impairing the power of removal, which should always be
exercised in cases of inefficiency and incompetency, and which is one
of the vital safeguards of the civil service reform sy