The daily gazette., 1875-06-23
WILMINGTON. DEL. JUNE.s. Iszl
Presidential SaI0TU.

the Philadelphia City Item, Republi-
can journal. for the purpose of making
u few remarks in reply to one or two
paragraphs:
PRESIDENTIAL SALARY.-One OF the
planks in the Ohio Democratic platform
reads: Fourth, The Presidents service
should be limited to one term at salary
Of $4,000 year"
AS to limiting the service of the Pres
ident, a great deal has been said on both
sides of the question. 1t was earnestly
discussed in the Constitutional Conven-
tion eighty-six years ago. A strong mi
nority advocated Il single term OF six
years; few were IN favor of one term
OF eight years; but majority finally
voted that the term should be four
years, and that the State Electors might
re-elect the President as often as they
pie Used.
Gen. Jackson advocated single term,
and urged upon Congress, in several OF
his annual messages, the submission of
an amendment to the Constitution linn
iting the time of Executive service to
single term. But he was unable to in
duce any of the Democratic Congresses,
to favor the proposition.
The single term idea has been discus
sed in and out of Congress ever since,
but the people have not evinced any
great desire for its adoption.
The resolution of the Ohio Convention
was not intended to promote the idea
the object was to get in a "slap" at the
present salary of the President
When Washington was President, Con-
gress fixed the salary of the Executive
office at $25, 900 per aunum.
A dollar in those days possessed more
fho don hia ha e
dollar nowadays; S50, 900 in appreciated
greenbacks at this time represents less
value than S25, ,000when the compensation
OF the President was fixed by Congress.
Atthat time the United States was poor
weak nation of 4000, ,000s of inhabitants,
and possessed less taxable property than
the State of Pennsylvania does az present
$4,000 now Is no more value than
$4,000 would have been when Washing
ton, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison were
holding the Presidenal Office.
Either they were paid twice too much,
or the sum proposed by the Ohio Demo
cratic convention is only half enough.
The United States contain ten times
the population, and twenty times the
wealth they did when Wash
lngton or Jefferson was President, and
the duties of the office have increased
tenfold since that period.
On the basis of population and wealth,
Official duties, and responsibilities Il
salary of $4,000 or $4,000 inWashington 5
andJ efferson's terms wouldibe relatively
as $4,000 in this time, and that, too,
without taking into account the greatly
decreased value of q dollar as compared
with what it was seventy or eighty years
ago.
The duties have increased; but yet
the President does less than any of the
old Democratic Presidents. Washing
ton, jefferson, and their successors down
to Lincoln, gave their time and great
abilities to the country, and did actual
service. But now the President spends
nearly all of his time smoking cigars, and
it is said much of it under the influence
of strong drink. His duties are done by
men under him that are paid by the
nation, notwithstanding the salary is
double that paid to the very able men
who preceded him. So that the duties
now are actually lighter than they were
under former Presidents. Besides, the
Government is more fixed in its ways and
there is less anxiety, because less de-
wolves on the President. To be Presi.
dent now is but small matter compar-
ed to what it was under Madison. Jack.
son or Polk.
We believe the people are in favor of
returning to small salaries and rigid
economy. They are generally honest
and desire to pay the national debt
large as it is. But this can only be done
by introducing Reform and the most
rigid economy. If another war were
inaugurated the national debt would
undoubtedly have to be repudiatcd in
the contracting of other debts. This
would prove disastrous The nation is
not likely to go to war now, nor 70,
twenty years to come, and by economy
we can pay the debt in that time if VIC
will only go to work with will TO do if
Labor Is healthful. 1t induces indus.
try, and industry begets economy and
Independence. The children Of the poo1
OF this generation who are taught from
necessity to labor and to save, are most
likely to form the bulk Of the wealthy
people III the next generation.
As to the Presidents salary, il NAV
be said to form but small item of his
compensation. General Grant wcuId
have been amply paid if he had cot but
IL fourth of his salary. The surround.
ings 'f the office are simply enormous
in point Of value. He has enriched til,
whole OF his relatives, to say nothing OF
the distinction the Office conferred upon
his own immediate family.
The Ohio Democracy we have no donbt
are very sincere with reference to the
salary, and we hope that the next Con.
gress will reduce it to $4,000.
AUenGing u SISTERS TYron0s