National Republican., 1873-03-11
rnE rRRsInENr,s SALARY.


Tcrs from this city that Congress at Its last
session made a double provision for the COM
pCnsntIon Of the President leaving II optional
with him TO accept the increased pay or to
take only the old salary Of twenty-five thou
sand dollars per annum. This Is IN error.
The act increasing tho Presidents salary Is
mandatory, and leaves him no option what
ever IN tho matter. II will bo remembered
that early In the session General Banks intro
duced bill providing for the Increase, which
was referred to the Judiciary Committee.
Subsequently, General Butler presented bill
from that committee, In which the salary Of
the President was fixed at Afty thousand dol
lars per nnnum. In the report which accom-
panied Il the committee said: Upon the for.
nation Of the Government the salary Of the
President was fixed at the sum Of s25,ooo in
gold. Since then the country has increased
tcnfold In population aud more than that
many times in wealth and revenue, tho cN-
rcnso ot living In almost, II not quite, the
same ratio. Notwithstanding, however, these
great and striking changes and the immense
progress Of the nation there has never been
any increase Of tho Presidents salary, II hav-
ing remained the same for over eighty
wears In the midst Of changes on all
other subjects. II will not be disputed that
100000 at this time In currency Is not equal
In value to S25, 900 eighty years ago In gold.
The former sum will not now purchase as
much Of anything In use as the latter sum
would three quarters Of century ago. II II
should be insistod that this disparity in the
compensation Of the Presidents of former
aud glss praaiNaRfa pf fhn YNnrtnA l.
removed by extra allowances made by mod
Crn legislation, your committee think that
such a view is not sustained by the history Of
the country. An examination Of that sub
ioct shows that the earlier Presidents were
literally provided by Congress with furni-
turc, servants, and even horses and carriages,
besides their salaries. 1t Is found that some
OF them used their own horses aud drew
cOmmutatlon therefor from the Government
Your committee arc therefore Of the opinion
that the present compensation attached to
the Presidential Office, in proportion to the
general values Of the country, Is hardly II any
more than one fourth what 1t was when the
office was created. There is another reason
in favor OF an increase Of compensation which
occurs with much force TO your committee.
W ullC tuCIc ID w law W pICNCut al tA-TTcel-
dent Of tho United States from engaging In
the business pursuits of life for the purpose
Of acquiring property, yet custom and public
sentiment have so strongly decided against
such course on the part Of one who has held
this high station that your committee think
he ought to have a sufficient provision while
In Office to enable him when hc leaves II TO
retire from all active, or at least from all
money.making pursuits. In view OF these
considerations, your committee can conceive
Uf no valid reason whatever for continuing
tho present salary, and have agreed to recon-
mend that 1t be Hxed at the sum Of $50 900
per annum as til" very lowest that should be
attached TO the Office Of the President"
These were a few Of the considerations that
induced Congress to raise the Presidents
salary from twenty-five to tfty thousand dol
lars, aud the salaries Of other high officers In
the same proportion. That they will be In
dorsed by the country as they were by Con-
gross there can be no doubt In the world.
The Idea Of Increasing the Presidents salary
Is not new one, 1t originated several years
before the late war, and was again and again
revived during the progress Of the struggle.
That II was not Increased then was purely
owing 10 the embarrassed condition OF the coun-
try and to the necessities of the war. The
arguments for an increase now aro infinitely
stronger than they were then. The expenses
incident to residence In Washington, and
especially official expenses, arc more than
treble what they were ten years ago. Al
the capital of tho country II has attracted
strangers from ali portions Of the world, 1t
10 all very well TO talk aud write about Re.
publican simplicity. Tho most rigid JefiGr-
soniau Democrat, when he accepts Official
position here, is compelled, or necessitate
rcrup,, 10 live IN a certain style whether ho
wishes TO do 10 or not. His constituents cx-
pect him to do II, and the people at large eI-
rect 1t. II Congress had made the salary OF
the President double what It Is now, or one
hundred thousand dollars, 1t would be no
more than what was fair and what the duty
and dignity of the station demand.