The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-05-26

dent of the Mercantile Trust Company,
receives $50, 900; John A. Stewart,
president of the United States Trust
Company, t0ddles along with $50, 600.
and Col. w. L. Trenholm, president of
the American Surety Company, re-
ceives 500, 600. President Williams, of
the Chemical Bank. and President
Perkins, of the Importers and Traders,
each receives 500, 600, and the average
salary of other bank presidents in
New York is from so, 900 to $15, 900.
There is a long string of such salaries,
and the opinion is that the men earn
their money.
The interests of these vast companies
are all under the minute observation
of the commanding officer. These in
terests extend over all the g'Obe, and
require the greatest judgment and the
most skillfuI knowledge of affairs.
Many of these officers, by their keen
knowledge of affairs of state and ma
ton, save their companies annually
ten times the salary they receive.
They are provided against almost every
system of blackmail by reason of their
vast experience III the conduct of their
companies, and earn their salaries
many times over.
Up in the dry goods district, the big
men of the Clafin Company, Tefft,
Weller & Co., and other firms of that
caliber, receive on an average s., 900 to
so, 900 a year. There are several ex-
ceptions where buyers and others run
their incomes up from $40, 600 to
$50, 900 a year. This is in the dry
goods jobbing branch, because in the
dry goods commission branch the
average salary of an employee is from
50, 500 to s., 900 a year. There are eX-
ceptional people who receive 81, 500 a
year. All of these people earn their
money, too. The vast experience neces-
sary to buy goods successfully, and to
keep in touch with the vast cOmpe-
tition of the present day is certainly
worth a liberal income. Then the
selling of goods requires an extended
acquaintance, much personal outlay,
and the temperament of diplomat.
Looking over these few facts and
figures the salary of the President of
the United States comes in for con-
~sideratiOn. The President receives
$50 600 a year. and from the day he
enters the White House until the hour
he leaves it very few men can tell
how hard he earns his money. There
canbe no adequate rule fcompensation
applied to his case. The vast army of
Office-holders AMI office-seekers who
besiege him ought to make the place
worth $500, 600 a year at the least.
But possibly the compensation for the
place is eked out by it's great honor
and the hurrahs and cheers which
greet the President, no matter how
unpopular he may be, wherever he
goes. The salute Of the great cruisers,
the. bands playing Hail to the Chief"
the great personal honors shown the
holder of the Office, no doubt, are
intended to make up the compensa-
ton, which cannot be represented by
his salary of $50, 600 a year.
The Cabinet officers receive IS 5000 a
year, Senators and Congressman re-
ceive each $1,000 a year, Gov. Hill
receives $40, 600 a year, and the
tors assemblymen receive 81, 500 a
year.
One has only to look at the differ
ence in the figures received by men in
public life and those paid to men who
reach the pinnacle in business life in
Yew York to observe the great differ
ence and to wonder at it. The wonder
is that men of the personal abilities at
the head of the national and State
governments should consent to accept
the salaries paid to them. But then
comes the universal statement that the
hOnOrs Of the places held by them, in
a measure, must make up for this vast
difference in the pecuniary compen-
SatiOn.
SOCIOLOGICAL.