The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-10
DOES POLITICS PAY?
WALTER WELLMAN ASKS AND AN
SWERS THIS QUESTION.
Kits Fun IL You Like tiff You Are Lucky
You May Make NIoncy-Some Politi-
cinns Who Have Been Especially For
tunatc.
Especial Correspondence

pay! This is u question often asked.
The answer is contradictory. 1t does
and it does not. 1t all depends OH your
idea of profit. 1t is like fshing-its fun
IT You like it, whether you have good
luck or not, but it's more fun if you
catch fat string.
AS means of getting along i'll the
world, acquiring fortune, laying up
reserve for the family after ones death.
or providing for the wet days which
may come while one yet lives, it is as a
rule n deluson and snare. There are
exceptions to all rules, and here and
there is man who makes politics paw
from financial point, of view. Once in
awhile you will hear of q man who
draws the capital prize in a lottery or
gets rich playing games of chance or
following the races, but he is only one
out of ten thousand. So it is in politics.
Let me tell you of a few of the lucky
ones know of-just enough exceptions
to prove the rule: Mr.. Cleveland is now
rich man. His fortune I have heard
estimated at 100000. Nearly all of
this he has made in politics. Ten or
twelve years ago his fortune didn't
amount to more than $4,000. AS a
lawyer in Buffalo he was earning prob
ably $4,000 n year and spending the
biggest part of it.
AS soon as he entered politics his
financial condition began to improve.
He saved little out of his salary as
governor of New York. He saved more
out of his salary as president. His real
estate investment in Washington repre-
scented small fortune in itself. In the
practice of law during the last four
years his annual income has been about
$50, 900, the prestige of his name hav-
ing brought many large fees to his firm.
President Harrison, too, has made
money out of politics. He has saved
1926, 900 out of his salary in four years.
and this is five times as much rs he was
worth when he was elected to the chief
magistracy. There is no reason why he
shouldn't add rapidly to his present for
tune after leaving the White House
lie will, after rest of few months re-
sumo the practice of law ut indianapolis.
His speciality in the future, as in the
past, will be railroad cases. His prestige
will now be SO great as to enable him to
serve only as advisory counsel and fo:
none but handsome fees l shall he
much surprised if General Harrison's in
come during the next five years falls be-
low the salary which he has enjoyed ms
president. There are few better lawyers
In this country than President Harrison.
MIR. Blaine has made money out Of
politics too. When he came to congress
thirty years ago he had to borrow money
to travel with. For some time lie con
tinued poor, but with his rare quality of
attracting friendships it was not long
before he found opportunities of making
money by fortunate investments of his
savings. One Colorado mine into which
Mr. Blaine was induced by Steve Elkins
to put 5000 has returned him fifty
times that sum in dividends. His book
paid him enormously. too, and though
this was literature, and not politics, it
was his fame as public man which
made his book profitable.
Senator Sherman has made a fortune
out of politics. Always careful mai
i'll money matters, good financier,
economical and careful in his invest
ments, it was savings out of his salary
as a member of congress third of
century ago that proved the foundation
of his wealth He invested his money
i'll real estate, which rose rapidly in
value and made him rich Now he is
building one of the finest houses in
Washington, and when he dies his es-
tate will be found valued at upward of
million dollars.
Besides these men, think one could
count on the fingers of his two hands
all the living Americans who have made
money i'll any considerable sums ont of
politics of Il national character. These
are the men who have capital prizes in
the lottery of politics. For every prize
10000 other men have drawn blanks.
Nearly all the men who make politics
or public service Il profession remain
poor as long as they live. 1t is true that
the presidency is the only Office in our
government that has attached to it an
adequate salary. The day is coming. in
my Judgment, when the American peo-
pie will demand reform in this respect
1t is IL shame that as rich n country as
this should pay its public servants such
meager salaries that poor men cannot
afford to take high official positions.
This is particularly true of Offices which
require Of the incumbent residence i'm
Washington, and year after year, as the
Capital City grows larger and more pre-
tentious, this difficulty increases The
cost of living i'll style beftting high Of
fetal position increases all the time in
this city.
How can poor man with a family on
his hands--and most poor men have
noticed do have families-afford to come
to Washington as senator, representa-
tive, cabinet officer or justice on the
supreme bench! He simply can't, unless
he be willing to sacrifice financial pros
perity for fame. The salary of IL gu