Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-01-12
The EDreo90enisU 0010ry-WOW
Cheap Living 1" Obaain. :

+ wAsmxeros, Jan. 6.--The question 10
often asked, whether = man can maintain
himself on the salary he gets as president
Of the United States, $4,000; whether 10
can keen up the "style'' iiiseparable from
such position, and necessary to the proper
conduct Of affairs at Che White House, on
that sum. Some people think the presi-
dency lucrative Office, and others firmly
believe that . man can't save . dollar q
what he receives during his term Of Office
lin the executive mansion. Those Of the
latter way Of thinking arc mistaken. Il ID
very true that il costs great deal Of money
q nay servants and to keep the White
House furnished and repaired; but no. .
dollar Of al this comes out Of the presidents
pocket. The Incidental expenses Of the
presidential domicilc, snch as for servants,
fuel, light, stabling, gardening, furniture,
&C., are all paid out Of the public treasury
direct. Even the vegetables consumed 1t
the White House are paid for in this way,
being raised in tho White House garden,
which is cultivated at the expense Of the
general public. Mr. Lincoln's expenses are
simply what it costs for his beef and tea
ard sugar, added to his tailor's bill, and the
millinery and dressmaker's account Of Mrs.
Abe which latter is said to be large, though
don't see tina. it's anybody's particular
business whether it be large or small.
Father Abraham is too vrtuous to indulge
in congressional dinner parties. He knows
very well that, should he invite the mem.
bers Of the present congress to party Ut
his house, he would have to see half Of
them safely home next morning, and he
wisely abstains from throwing any tempta.
ton in their way. Mrs. Lincoln has given
one party since she became prcsiaentcss,
bat her hospitality was ll-used, and she
won't give any more. The only cntertain-
| rncnts in which the public are permitted to
indulge at the White House now are Of the
character that took place On New Years
day--.hc only refrcshrr cnts provided being
shake Of the presidential hand and o smile
from Mrs. Abe.
am told by those who ought to know,
that every president we have had for the
last twenty years has retired from office
with large proportion Of his salary saved,
and Mr. Lincoln has certainly been as eco.
nomcal as any of them.
now CHEAP LIVING IS OBTAINED
Many military officers. resident in WASH
inglon, have way Of living at cost much
below the ordinary price OF hotels or boarv'-
ing-houses, though ! may be pardoned for
doubling whether all things considered, it
is as honorable rs it might be. 1t is Gone
| in this way: A colonel, or a major, or
captain is entitled to buy from the commits
sary department, at first cost, or about half
| the retail market price, what is need ID for
his subsis cncc. have heard lately Of one
or two Of these gentlemen going to live in
boarding house, and keeping it supplied
with beef, pork, -four, coffee and sugar, at
commissary prices, by pretending to have
mess Of thirty or forty and making requisi-
tons accordingly. This is getting to be a
common practice here, and think it ought
to be exposed and stopped. Officers who
engage in this petty business do so, Of
course, upon consideration that for the ser.
vice they render they shall be paid in free
board 1t is simply converting the COM
missary department into a retail gro cry es-
tablishmcnt-a practice that ought not to
be tolerated. II officers cannot live in an
honorable way in Washington. upon the
salaries they get, let them go to the front
where they can. don't know a military
man here, from major general down to Sec
ond lieutenant who renders anything like
an equivalent for the sum he draws month
~ out of the public treasury.
HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN
Siv years ago, one of the leading men in
the United States senate, WIS James Green,
of Missouri. Every observer of passing
events in the political history Of the coun-
try will remember his signal triumph in a
bad cause, during the debate on the Lc-
compton question. He was the only man
who, by common consent, got the upper
hand Of Douglas in that memorable discus
sion, and but for him the southerncrs would
have made poor showing just then. There
seemed to be a bright future opening for
him, but like too mary others, similarly
situated. he thought no man could rise in
the world Of politics, without passing a
good deal Of time in the bar rooms Of Wash
ington. To-Day, as | was walking down
Pennsylvania avenue, passed a wretchcd.
looking man, stupidity drunk, his face hor-
ribly disfgured, as if he had just emerged
from street fight, both his eyes bIackened
and swollen, his clothing covered with mud
and dirt-the cynosurc Q: all eyes, and the
laughingstock Of shoe blacks. asked who
it was, and l was tod it was Jim Green
of Missouri" Alas, how the mighty hav,
fallen
| A ~.