The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-09
HOW HAYES LIVES.
A Decidedly Economical state or Affairs
at the White H0usr-The Late Re
ceptIGn 10 the Diplomatic COrps

| ceptI0n 10 the Diplomatic Germs
Especial Correspondence PHILADELPHIA Times.
WASHINGTON, March 1.
The Presidents treatment of the Wash
ington journalists on the occasion 0
his recent reception has been the sub
ject of more comment here during tn,
week than any other topic, however impor
tant. The case may be briefly stated here al
the risk of repetition. The President decided
to give large party for the entertainment o.
the several members Of the diplomatic corps
In place OF the usual round Of diplomatic din
ners which has been the fashion In the Whit
House since the government began. His
reasons for adopting this course were nc
doubt suggested by economy and the fact
that it was less trouble Several hundred In.
Wit ttiuns were issued, the intention being
originally to contine them within official cir.
Giles, but this was subsequently abandoned
The strange part of the case is that not a
single journalist was invited Word was
sent to several of the correspondents that
they could come to the vestibule and tickets
to that exclusive portion of the household
were actually issued and signed by Col
Casey. If the Presidents course means any
thing. 1t means that the White House people
wanted the party to have good show in
the newspapers, but that the correspondents
were not fit to go beyond the vestibule where
were the footmen and body servants of the
foreign ministers. Think Of Charles Nord-
hof, Gen. Boynton, Benjamin Perley Poore,
and half dozen others | might name-think
Of these gentlemen going to the White House.
and II h4,ts L..
vestibue where the servants stay. 1t was
the Presidents privilege to invite whom he
pl ased, no doubt, and the journalists would
not have objected to being excluded as class
but the President had no right to insult them
by Issuing to them tickets for the vestibule.
now THE PRESIDENT LIVES.
The course Of the President, has Of course,
set people talking about his manner of living,
and the comments are not very cOmpli-
mentary. Indeed, the President Is accused of
being unbee0mingly ccOnOmical-not to put
too fine point on H. The President receives
an annual salary Of $4,000 good, round in
Of finding out an Of his piekings / allow
anGes, but some of them | am able to men
ton. In the first place he gets his house rent
and furniture free. Not curtain or chair or
blanket or napkin or towel does he have to
buy. ALI his fuel Is furnished by the govern
ment aud nota cent does he have TO pay for
gas. His vegetables are raised in the public
gardens by a gardener paid by the govern
ment. His steward IS paid by the govern
ment and SO are his cook and his coachman
How many other servants our good govern
ment pays for do not know, but so far as
can see Mr.. Hayes only expenses in the
White House are for meats and groceries
Even his doctor and medicine are paid for by
the government. Even his beef comes from
the government butcher, and he pays only
the cost price which the government paid on
the hoof. In other words the government
buys an OK alive for beef. paving, saw
four cents per pound. The President
gets the beef at the same rate but his
steward is not fool enough to take the legs,
The neck, the head or the rump, and so the
White House table is supplied with sirloin
steak, tenderloin steak, porter house steak
and rib rOasts for four cents per pound while
the department clerk, on $1,000 a year pays
rom fifteen to twenty cents per pound for his
beef. The commissary of subsistence has to
kill beef for rations for the soldiers, and it has
long been the practice to give the President. |
the army officers and the high civil officers
)eef and groceries at prime cost. The reader |
has now pretty fa'r idea Of what the Presi- |
wines or liquors how economical temper |
lnce is Wines have always been big item |
n the White House, for 1t was never con
iucted on temperance principles before. |
Wines being out of the question and all the |
counted, will any head of house |
ell me that it costs Mr.. Hayes |
more than $4,000 a year to live2 If
he family is charitable / have not |
leard Of it. True, bouquet Of flowers is
sent TO a fair or a hospital, but.
less you, the flowers were raised in gov
rnment conservatory cared for by a govern
nent florist. Even liz the summer time the
PRESIDENT pays no house rent, but lives in
louse belonging to the old soldiers of the
ountry and supported by contributions from
he soldiers in the regular army. When the |
question is solved as to whether the Presi-
lent IS not living on $4,000 year, will some
ody please tell me for what purpose $4,000 a
ear is given to the President? Is it not to
nahle him to live In manner becoming a
hief magistrate? | have talked with many
experienced gentlemen, and it Is the common
pinion here that Mr.. Hayes is saving from
is salary about $4,000 year True, it will
9 o good thing for young Mr.. Webb Hayes
nd the two other sons, and this, no doubt, is
sufficient reason for Mr.. Hayes course.
You'd it not be in keeping II he would, just
efore retiring from Office, recommend the
9duction of the presidential salary on the
round that the services are not equal to the