Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-31
OUR NEPOTIC PRESIDENT.

Attention has been attracted to Pres ident Iarrison's extraordinary gener- osity in making places at the public crib for members of his family and oth- CTS who are connected more or less di- rectly with him, d generosity not aps preached by the most brazen-faced of his predecessors, and the country is be- ginning to wonder where the thing is going to stop. An effort has been made on the part of some republican papers to make it appear that there have not been many of the Harrisons provided for, but the records of the departments prevent any great success in that direction And thanks to the press correspondents at Washington we are not left without am- pie information as to what is going on. According to one of the closest of these observers, the presidents principal family appointments up to date are: 1, a brother; ? a brother-in-law; 3, abrother of his son. in-law; f; a brothers daughters husband; ; D, brother-in-law's daughters husband: 6; sons father-in-law. It is understood that other relatives, whose names have not yet been made public, have been provided for. The aggregate salaries of the above mentioned relatives will be | about SEQ, 1000 year. This will make the l total emoluments of the presidential office S1O,OO0 year. From this amount should be deducted the expenses of Father-in-Law Scott as member of the family in the white house, which will doubtless be as much as $1 ,0O0 year, so that the grand totals so far known up to date cannot be put at more than S69 ,O0O. Mrs Harrisons brother, who has been made superintendent of public build ing ln Oregon at a salary of $S a day, seems to be a veritable poor relation. He was formerly married to an estimable lady who obtained a divorce from him for canonical reasons, and he is now liv- ing with another woman in Oregon. Mrs Scott, who is said to be very fine woman, is living in Washington, though, as might be expected, she is not very prominent at white house receptions. From the little insight that is thus given into the character of Mir John Scott it may not be unreasonable to suppose that the American people, if they had their way, would hardly care to provi idle a living for him.
 l It may be possible that for the offices which President Harrison has so care fully and numerously sorted out for his relatives the appointees are thoroughly equipped, but it goes without saying that if another republican were in the white house there would certainly be lASS of this particular crowd chosen. So that no matter how much one may wish to excuse the presidents singular liberal ity with the public goods, he is forced to confess that there is a disposition on his part to make the most of his opportu- nltles to make hay while the sun shines. This Is, of course, a very praiseworthy disposition, but it cannot be expected that the people, who ''pay the freight, ,'' will be very enthusiastic in showing it. Perhaps, if the republicans who shouted so vigorously for Harrison last fall could
 talk out in meetin," Mir Harrison would hear something that might set him thinking. Possibly, though, the talking will be done at the next national con. vention of the party. For the sake of American institutions let us sincerely and confidently hope so.