Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-04-06
Presidential PerQuis;teS.

Presidential Perquisites.
The sui Joined is Cut from the "Boston Pos"
and should be widely circulated, as it shows
the necessity Of heavy taxation to supply the
Chief Magistrate with SO large sun as one
| hundred and tweDty four thousand one hun,
dred and 6fty-four dollars a year. Many a
| laboripg mao, when he wipes the sweat FROM
his brow and sits down to his frugal mcal, has
little idea that he contributes TO this SUN, by
paying bis share Of tax'S. Let him seriously
consider this, and vote for men who will dis
couo,epauce such expenditures and reduce
these wasteful pe,quisites What contrast to
bis predecessors X. b. 5.
1.-The stanliug scandal of the pruhigate ap-
preparations for the Executive Mansion being
part oil the one which has cost his party its ex-
istence, it is proper that it be spread before
the tax paying public III its details. Despite the
doubling of his salary by Congress at his own
instance and urging, the pcrquisites allowed
the President huve been continually Increasing,
until like his salary, they have fully doubled
those of any former President An exposition
OF the matter by the New York SUI represents
that President Lincoln laid up from his salary
of $25, 100 the sum of $50 900, while he enter
tanned freely and that President johnson,
who was yet more generous 10 cotertainmrnt
saved about the same SUN. Yet Lincoln was
President through the whole term OF the re-
bellion. when gold went up to premium ap
preaching 300. 10 the appropriations made
at the last session of Congress for the Exrcu-
tive occurs such items as the following For
compensation of the President, $50, 900; pri-
vate secretary, $3.50; assistant secretary,
$500; one Executive clerk, $4,000; Que Ex
ecutive clerk, $1,000; steward, $4,000; Mes
seHger, $1,000; furnace keeper 1864 last
year, 1920; one policeman, 1920; one police
man, $3.50; oOe night WaIchman, 5000; one
night usher, $1,000; one doorkeeper, $1,000 !;
one doorkeeper, $500; contingent expenses,
$6O00 postage stamps, 5000; repairs to Ex-
ecutive Mansion, $1,000 rcfurnishing tx
eculive Mansion, $4,000; fuel for same au i
greenhouses, S500O care aud repair Of green
houses, $4,000; filing ground south oil Execu-
tive Mansion, $40 600; taking up and relayng
curb of Executive Mansion, $500; cutting
down embark ent 10 nursery, $3.50; repair
ing fountain south OF Executive Mansion,
$4,000 Total, sI24,l5 This for single
year. 1t is $74, l54 With the doubled salary
| left out.
How do the people who from one end of
the country to the other, have for year aud
more been piDchiDg to make both ends meet
like to contemplate a lavish prvtuson like this,
that has never had its parallel in our National
existence? No suggestion UT suspicion of
economy about this The bigger the salary the
larger the perquisites. In laying thirty five
millions more OF taxes on the backs OF the peo-
pile, nothing was attempted by Congress 10 the
way OF cutting down expenditures, aud Last of
all 10 reducing these wastelu! pclquisitcS of the
President. Laboring men, whom heavy taxes
and deprecated currency keep in state of
vassalage to poverty, may reflect upon the
prnccly luxury in which Republican Prcsi
deut is maintained, and upon the Increase Of
his fortune annually from money absolule y
given him by partisan Congress- and contrast
the spirit of such life with that which
governs their own. If plutocracy succeed, 10
getting the supremacy in this country, lis
reign will have to be dated with the Admins
tratioo of President Grant. There would be
no apology for this extravaganza Oh the part Of
the Executive, even if it showed in the public
entertaining that at least grati6es q popular
complacency, but the nigRardIy spirit of Presi-
dent Graot offers surprising contrast to the
grand total of his requisites. Ten thousand
dollars every year for furnishing" the White
House Ten Thousand dollars more every
year for REPAIRS And still another ten
thousand dollars for filling grouud'' south of
that expensive edi6cc Congress Itself knows
too we'll that 20 such use is ever made Of this
sum OF $4,000; DOR is much more than
mesgre part of the total amount devoted to
the support of the President or the repairs on
the White House and grounds. So that be-
sides the $50. 900 annual salary an equal sum
is capable Of being choused out Of these prodi.
gal perquisites, misnamed appropriations, and
riches are poured iuto the lap Of the Individual
who lives ia the thought that his country can
never do too much for him. 1t is patriotsm.in
the form Of perquisites"
From Cario In the frat cataract Erypt is