South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-04-16

ne StSnufng cCauOuf Oh the lsfohi-tte
appropriations for the Executive Man
sion being part of the one which has
cost his party its existence. it is proper
that It be spread before the tax-pay;ag
public in its details. Despite the doub-
ling Of his salary by Congress at his
own instance and urging. the perqui-
sites allowed the President have 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 San re-
presents that President Lincoln laid up
from his salary of $4,000 the sum of
$4,000, while he entertained freely and
that President Johnson. who was vet
more generous in entertainment, saved
about the same sum. Yet Lincoln was
President through the whole term of the
rebellion, when gold went up TO a pre-
MUM approaching 800. In the appro-
priations made at the last session of
Congress for the Executive occurs such
items as the following: For compensa-
ton of the President, $4,000; private
secretary, $500; assistant secretary,
$4,000; one executive clerk. $500:
steward. $4,000 messenger. 81. 200;
furnace keeper, SS64-last year, S720 !:
one policeman, Sl,320; one night watch
man, $500; one night usher, $1,000;
one door-keeper, $1,000; one executive
clerk, S23,000; contingent expenses.
$4,000: postage stamps, 5000; repairs
to Executive Mansion, $4,000: refur-
nishing Executive Mansion, $4,000;
fuel for same and greenhouses, So, 600
Of I.
filling ground south of Executive Man
sion, $4,000; taking up and relaying
curb ofExecutivc Mansion, $1,000; cut
ting down embanhment in nursery. ST.
250; repairing fountain south of Execu-
tive Mansion, $4,000. Total, Sl24,154.
This for single year. 1t is $74,154
with the doubled salary left out.
How do the people who. from one end
of the country to the other, have for a
year and more been pinching to make
both ends meet, like to contemplate a
lavish l,rofusion like this, that has new.
er had its parallel in our national exis-
tence? No suggestion or suspicion of
economy about this. The bigger the
salary the larger the perquisites. In
laying thirty-live millions more of taxes
on the backs of the people nothing more
was attempted by Congress in tho way
of cutting down expenditures. and least
OF all in reducing these wasteful perqui-
sites of the President. Laboring men,
whom heavy taxes and deprecated
currency keep in state OF vassalage to
poverty, may reflect upon the princely
luxury in which Republican President
is maintained. and upon the increase of
his fortune annually from money abso.
lutely given him by partisan Congress.
and contrast the spirit of such n life with
that which governs their own. If plu-
tocracy succeeds in getting the suprem-
acy in this country, its reign will have
to be dated with the Administration of
President Grant. There would be no
apology for this extravaganza on the
part of the Executive, even If il showed
in the public entertaining that ut least
gratifies popular complacency. but the
niggardly spirit of President Grant Of
fers surprising contrast to the grand
total Of his perquisites. 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 ground south of that expensive
ediflce Congress itself knows too well
that no such use is ever made of this
sum Of 100000; nor is much more than
Il meagre part of the total amount devo-
ted to the support Of the President or
the repairs on the White House and
grounds. SO that besides the $4,000
annual salary an equal sum is capable
Of being choused out Of these prodigal
perquisites, misnamed appropriations,
and riches are poured into the lap ofthe
individual who lives in the thought that
his country can never do too much for
him. 1t is patriotism in the form or
qerquisites .-Nc1o York Su