The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-04
A "PRINCELYo PREsIDENT.
How the stDignity of His OfIlce' is
Maintained at the Expense Of the
PeOple.


: ! "No occupant of the White Houi
= ever entertained so brilliantly, nor wit
n such a princely liberality, as PresideI
: Arthur" remarked an old resident
Washington to the World c0rrespondeI
= this morning. "He is certainly mode
! President in that respect, and though
> differ with him politically, admire hin
!. for that. The number of White Hous
officials and attendants is greater tina
+ that ever employed by any of his prt
decess0rs, and he entertains the distiI
!, guished guests of his own and othe
countries with generosity that is sim
j. ply princely in its character. Itell yoT
: sir, he maintains the dignity of hi
), high Office in a most agreeable and be
: coming manner, and his receptions an
: dinners are models of taste and ele
! gance. He's big-hearted man, is Ches
ter A. Arthur" remarked the gentle
man, in conclusion, "and he not onl,
. possesses the courtly grace of Chester
field, but is as lavish in his expendi
lures as was Sam Ward in his halcyoI
days when, as king of the lobby, he enter
tanned and made merry with his friend
J in Congress and out of it. The Presi
dental establishment, for the first tim,
in my knowledge, has the proper ap
pointments. And all this, mind you, i
at Mr.. Arthur's personal expense. Tht
+ money that goes to pay the small army
, which comprises his retinue comes oui
of his own pocket. Grant, with all his
wealth, wouldn't do it, neither would
Garfield, and as for Hayes-well, nobody
expected it from him and they were not
disappointed"
! With all due respect to this enthusi-
astic admirer of President Arthur's ac-
complishments, who really believed he
was speaking the truth, President Ar
thur does nothing of the kind. The
money that goes to keep up this princely
establishment comes from the pockets
of the people. The flowers that adorn
the tables glittering with silver and cut
glass on the breakfast and dining-rooms
of the White House are cultivated and
culled at the Government expense; the
supplies that are consumed at the table
by the guests are drawn by President
Arthur from the United States army
commissary, and even the drugs and
medicines used for the members of his
family are obtained on acquisitions from
the army dispensary. At his brilliant
entertainments Mr.. Arthur EMPLOYS
colored clerks, messengers and Iaborers,
who are on the pay roll in the various
departments, as walters, without extra
pay.
IS $4,000 A YEAR ENOUGH?
To the minds of most people it would
appear that a salary of $4,000 year
ought to enable a man to pay at least
for his domestic servants, as the Gov.
ernment makes provision for everything
else, and the fact that Congress failed
to make provision for Presidential cooks
and lackeys indicates pretty clearly that
the representatives of the people pro-
posed that the incumbent of the White
House should defray the cost of such
attendants, regulating their number and
cost to suit his pleasure and his purse.
But it remains for Mr.. Arthur to ven |
ture on strictly new departure in this |
connection, and while receiving high |
credit for his royal generosity to saddle |
the whole cost of it upon the people who |
never authorized it.
Congress provides that the rent of the |
Presidential mansion shall be free to |
the occupant during his incumbancy of |
the office of President; it also provides |
fuel, gas and table supplies, but it does
not, as already stated, make provision
for domestic attendance. Mr.. Arthur,
however, manages to saddle this cost |
also on the government, and the means |
he employs to accomplish it are such |
that their legality might be a question |
worthy of consideration at the hands of |
Mr.. Springer's investigating committee, |
which will find itself materially aided |
by the light which the World now sheds
on the matter.
PRIVATE SERVANTS ON PUBLIC PAY.
An examination of the official Regis
ter of the Employees of the Govern
ment for 1884 will corroborate the state
ment that many of the White House
attendants-which should look to Mr..
Arthur solely for their pay-are on the
regular pay-rolls of the Government
and are specially assigned" for duty at
the Presidential mansion. Let us look
at the list:
Howard Williams fills the role of
and receives the handsome sal
ary of 81, 800 year. For twelve years
Senator Conkling.
Alexander Powell, a mulatto, is des
ignated as "usher." For this he receives
81 400. Powell renders no service to
the Government, unless the carrying of
verbal messages to Mr.. Arthur's lady
admirers and looking after his magnif-
cent wardrobe constitutes Government
service. He is also known as "the
Presidents private messenger"
In the Blue Book, under the title
"Ofice of the President, U. S. A - the
names of Williams and Powell will be
found.
Under the title Engineer at Large in
charge of Public Buildings and Grounds
in Washington and the District of Co.
lumbia," Colonel Rockwell in charge,
on page $40 Blue Book, the inquirer
will find: Miss Bridget Smith, house
keeper, salary $50 a month. Bridget
renders no service whatever to the Gov
ernmeht. She was chambermaid and
waitress In his house on Lexington ay-
enue, New York, and now acts as cham
bermaid at the White House Let us
follow the list:
"Miss Henrietta Gimpert, laborer"(9 p,
receives $25 a month. She was the
French maid to Mr.. Arthur's daughter
Nellie in New York, and fills similar
place at the White House. Although
she renders no service to the Govern
ment she receives her pay from the deo-
pie all the same.
'tAiss Kate Tully, laborer =, pay $50
q month. She is Mr.. Arthur's cook,
brought from his New York home. and
is now employed at the White House.
but renders no service to the Govern
ment.
"Miss Mary White, laundress," paw
$50 month. She puts the exquisite
gloss on the Presidential linen, but rem
ders no public service.
Miss Ella White, laundress." assists
her namesake in this delightful oecupa-
ton, and also receives $25 month from
the public treasury.
Isaiah Lancaster, laborer," pay $50 /
a month. Isaiah is dining-room ser
want at the Executive Mansion and rem
ders no Government service.
sIerry Smith, laborer." paw $50 a
month. Jerry is also dining room SER
want in the White House.
Beverly Amos, laborer,'' pay $50
month. de Is employed In the dual
role Of dining-room servant at the Ex-
ecutivs Mansion and footman on Ar.
thurs carriage, his livery even being
paid for at Government expense.
Anderson, laboreF, " pay $50 a month. /
He is in charge of the White House gas
and fires, but does no duty for the Gov
eminent
Daniel Spriggs, laborer,n pay $50 a /
month. Daniel fill the responsible post
OF valet to Chester a. Arthur, II, the /
Presidents hopeful SON. He requires
assistance, however, in this Eaborious
occupation, and is provided in the per-
son Of Edwin Thomas, laborer, whose
second title Is assistant valet to Young /
Chester. For this work Edwin receives
S37 so & month.
Alex. Fortin, French cook ar the /