The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-10-28
CAREERS IN rwo COUNTRIES.
Opportunities aud Obstacles In Public Life
Here aud In England.

Within the last twenty-one years ibroo
American presidents have attracted English
attention to such degree that their histo.
ries, their characters aud their faces have
been as familiar in this country rs any cabi-
net minister's. Englishmen know Mr.
Lincoln Zen. Grant and Gen. Garfield as
they know sir Robert Peel, Lord Clyde, or
Mr.. Forster. Not one Of the three has been
n man Of fortune, or has, indeed. nos.
sessed anything like a CONNIE.
tence,. while two have died poor men.
Mr.. Lincoln, untilbis election, lived upon
his earnings as lawyer; and when he died,
after sixyears Of the presidency, he left his
widow so little that q subscription was r,is-
ed for her by his friends, and an applica-
tion was made TO congress for a nension.
General Grant, when he was called 10 ac-
tive service, was far from prospenus-had
indeed, scarcely anything but his income
rom small business and though he
joyed the highest salary given give il, in tbe %
Union for eight years. he has still TO sur.
plement his pension by work as chairman
Of corporations. General Garfield, when he
dicdi was found to be possessed of f5,OO0.
consisting chiefly OF a farm, probably over,
valued, OF 40 acres, which he cultivated
himself out of his salary as president he
had effected an insurance of f5,O0O more
but, even with that addition the whole
property left behind him was only 10000.
The iacIs. are interesting for two reasons.
they show that the pursuit of
politics IN America, even when
,he politician is successful, is not for an
honest man paying profession and that
careers are really open IN the United states
not only to the lowly born, but to the poor
a very large section of American politi-
clans live on their salaries. There is no
more pressure on them in Washington to
i've expensiyely than there Is on Irish
members in London; their salaries
are not liberal, mileage being taken
into account, In that country of mag
nificent distances and they have, we pre-
sumo, that fearlessness Of the pecuniary fu-
ture which, more than any other pecuiari-
W diiierentiates Americans from Europe
ans. Society such rs they wish do not care
about their means, and does not consider
that poor man Is more likely to be bribed
thana rich one. II trusts Garfield indeed.
before Gould. In England the
member can not live without
money OF his own NJ Mi No
there Is no salary for him 10 receive. and
practically, If u very POOR man and mar,
RED, finds the position nearly intolcrablc.
More or less IN spite Of character and abil-
ity, and even success, II he lsas not ti,9O a
year rom some source or otter, the rich
Nistrust him and the poor ac4
spisc him, and he is halnpera at
every turn. His want of means X not
thrown In his teeth, as want of birth is,hut
II is quietly reckoned against him, like qn
unsafe seat or an old political escapadc. "
would in practice be impossible for man
in General Garfeld's pecuniary position,
with wife and two sons, unless he were an
Irish member, TO retain his seat In Parlia.
mcnt without office for any length of time.
With only t250 a year and house 10 keen
up his nerve would break down under the
cab difficulty and the worry OF Knowing
that dissolution, which even wcll-to-do
members feel kecnly, might bc fatal TO him.
Il -ILondon Spectator.