Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-01-29
THE PRESIDENTS EXPENSES.

|
and how much ofhis salary he ought to save
during his term" said weli-informed gen.
tleman to reporter the other day. "The
President receives good salary, know"
he continued, "but bis private expenses are
| heavier than one would imagine and ven
ture to say that glance ut his cneck book
at the end OF the year would show the
greater part of his $4,000 expended, and
mostly i'm maintaining his private house
| hold. 10 be sure the President has great
deal done for him at public expense, and it
j. well that such is the case or y President
would have to be very rich man necessa-
rily. Everything pertaining 10 the official
! branch of the White House is paid for by
the government; but TO meet the private ex-
penses the President has to 80 pretty deep
| into his pocket The service Of the White
House costs him but comparatively little.
| The steward, who il a prominent figure
there, is government officer. Although he
| is the Presidents caterer, and is appointed
| bv him, he is under = 500, 900 bond. and is
| RESPONSIBLE for every thing that is brought
into the White House. Tia new carpet or
some furniture is bought for one Of the par
lors the bill is not paid by the commission
er of public buildings and grounds until the
steward has approved it by certifying That
| the goods have been received as described.
"Tbe French cook, who is considered d
master Of his art is paid out Of the Presi-
| dents pocket a. a salary OF Sl,SOO. Ihe
| table servants arep paid from the same source,
| think, although l am not sure on that
point. Until recently the Presidents prl-
yate servant was paid BY him SlOO per
| month think he is now on the rolls OF
the White House, having been given u
vacancy which occurred some time ago.
His coachman, Albert Hawkins, receives
| $50 per month, and the French maid for
Nellie Arthur is of course paid by the Pres
| ident. so YOU can scarcely say that the
private salary list is I. very big one, but
| there are great many other expenses. IL
| costs quite sum 10 keep Allan Arthur at
college and provide for him as IL Presidents
| son SHOULD ne provided for. There are Il
dozen horses in the stable belonging 10 the
Presidents family and kept by him. That
| alone is an annual expense ofat least 81 2Oo.
The expenses that have enumerated are
comparatively insignificant. III i5 the White
| House table that makes the heavy drain
| upon his pocket-book. guess there Is no
| doubt that we never have had President
who dispensed the hospitalities Of the table
| with such q lavish hand as the present oc-
/
| State dinners last year far surpassed any
thing of the kind ever given before, each
one costing him at least $500. His fire.
ouent private dinners almost equal them.
The President is very fond OF the de
lights OF the table. He always has the
very best the market affords, and al
most always has company at his table. A
higher compliment cannot be paid man
than to ask him to dinner. 1t is not gen
orally known, but it is none the less tact
that President Arthur is continually paying
this compliment to his friends. He does
not always coniine bis invitations to his own
political party, but many prominent
democrat has been invited informally to
dine at the White House. The Presi,
dent rarely sits down to dinner without
from two to eight guests. His dinners in
variably consist of half Il dozen courses, ac.
companied by as many different kinds OF
wine. Everything is of the very best quail
t. obtanable, and l suppose the average
White House dinners cost five dollars
plate.
IA twenty. five dollar dinner kept up all
the year round will make pretty big hole
in $4,000. Besides the President is every
now aud then giving what are called little
lunches, but they are in reality quite OK
other evening to the diplomatic corps, for
instance, the receiving party were invited
to a handsome little supper. The steward
is given almost carte blanche in supplying
the White House table, and SO long as every
thing is first-class the President never grum-
bles at the expense. A great many of the
purchases are made here, but the steward
has no hesitatancv in sending to New York
or elsewhere, for some delicacy of the sea.
SON. The wines are all Of the finest brands,
and the cigars, which are purchased in large
quantities, are all imported. The Presl-
dent cannot be called great smoker. lie
doesn't smoke now as much as he did earlier
in his administration. In fact, I think he
confines his smoking TO evening. he is
not an early riser, but aecomplishes great
deal after most people have sought their
beds at night. am not sure, but | think
} he follows the French plan OF partaking oi
cup Of coffee Immediately after rising,and
then goes to work. About noon his break
fast is brought to him in his private Office.
It is yery simple meal and is brought on
salyer and the President partakes OF it
from a little table or stand, which IS IN his
private Office. His dinner, which occupies
good portion of the evening, is the meal
OF the day. AS I said, if there were any
means of getting the figures the Presidents
table expenses would be found much heav'
ier than people imagine. The fact is the
President of the United States ought not te
{ be bothered with such expenses. think il
would be good plan to make liberal es
innate of the expenses of the White House
both official and domestic, excepting, o
, course, all personal expenses, and appropri
ate q certain amount annually for defray
ing them. I don't mean that the Presiden
isn't allowed large enough salary to NEE
them, but there ought to be some system
and regularity about such matters. II neet
be, the Presidents salary could be reduced
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