Evening journal., 1892-08-25
HOW THEY GO BROKE
SOME INTERESTING STORIES or M
PEcUNlOUs STATESMEN.
It Is Not Unusual for Congressmen to Mort
gage Their Salaries n Year in Advance.
Presidents who Have Been Hard Up.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-It was amem-
Der Of congress. n man of national repu-
tation, who said TO me yesterday: 81 am
broke and can't get home. That is the
reason | ann staying in Washington
through the hot season" "But why
don't you discount yonr salary few
months in advance" / asked "Have
already done that, " was the reply; "have
drawn my account up TO Nov /, and
then will have to draw it till the end of
my term in order TO raise enough money
to pay my campaign expenses.
$50 you see / am practically mort
gagged till the ith Of next March. To
maintain myself and family in Wash
ington in the style which my position
demands and my wife insists upon
have been compelled TO spend not only
my salary as "A representative, but my
income as q member of q law firm in
my town and considerable money be-
sides. ] wish had never been elected
to congress. but being in can't afford
TO let 20 without one or two more terms
Here ] am broke, busted fiat, unable TO
90 TO seashore or mountains and afraid
to go home, because the very moment /
arrive there the campaign striker will
be after me with both hands,"
The statesman who is broke we know
very well in Washington. 1t is no dis
grace 10 be without a bank account,
though decidedly inconvenient. Cen
eral Garfield, during his long term in
congress. was nearly always out Of
money. He had an unfortunate habit
of borrowing from his friends. He
never failed to pay back, but was always
in a state of perturbation lest he might
fail to meet some obligation Of this sort.
It is not generally known that while
he was in the presidential chair General
Arthur was nearly always hard mp for
cash. His expenses were very heavy.
and ran right up with his salary. 1t
often happened that tradesmen had to
wait for their pay. They were willing
to do this, for the president was a good
customer and his obligations We're as
good as gold.
General Grant was often "brol1e" be-
fore the war. and he saw some pretty
hard times after he left the presidential
/
well what it was not to have a cent in
the world. There were days in the life
Of Grover Cleveland, not so very many
years ago. when he found il necessary
70 let his board bill run a week or two
Tor lack Of ready cash, and when the
proprietor Of the BnffalO restaurant in
which the future governor and president
played his favorite game Of penuchle
used TO be asked to put it on the slate
for Grover"
Mention of Mr.. Cleveland recalls a
good story of one of his most famous
friends, ex-Mayor w. r.. Grace, of New
York. Grace is now q very rich man
how rich nobody knows. There are foul
brothers Grace in the firm of W. l.
Grace & Co.. and their house is worth
rom $4,000, 900 to $50. 100000. One OF
he brothers is in Australia where he j.
power in political as well as in com
mercial circles. Another brother is in
south America, where he is a power be-
lind governments and a marplot IN
.evoluiions A third Grace is in Lon
lon, where he is very influential
merchant and member of parliament
The fourth and chief Of this remarkable
uartet Of brothers is the ex-mayor
who is an extraordinary genius in poll
les and commerce.
With all his genius, Grace was once
broke" Some years ago he arrived il
st. Louis without a dollar. Casting
about for some means of raising tn,
wind he remembered that a man
named Ryan lived in that town. HI
did not know Ryan, but Ryan had mar
ried woman named Mary Moore, whC
had been a friend of Grace's in n New
Orleans boarding house. The futur,
mayor and millionaire merchant though
If he could lind Ryan and Mary he couli
borrow enough money to get out Of town
with. He didn't know Ryan's first name
and there were about hundred Ryan
IN the city directory.
But one Of these Ryans kept a salool
on the levee. and Grace OWNED tina
,his was his man because he had kept
similar place in New Orleans. Entering
The levee saloon Grace found tougi
ioint-sawdust on the floor, greasy Ia
bles, plug ugly behind the rude bar
"Are you Mr. Ryan," inquired Grace
with his sweetest smile. "Naw; GU;
What yer WANT" Il want to see Mr.
Ryan" EFF amt good enough fer We
it down over thar an watt "Whel
| do you expect Mr.. Ryan in9' "Mebb
ive minutes; mebbe not for a week.
This WAS not encouraging, but Grac
was desperate, AMI so he sat down. Il
an hour, as luck would have it, Nj
Ryan came in. There's a bloke a
wants to see yer" said the barkeeper a
the proprietor entered. Ryan was
pretty tough looking customer himself
out his heart was IN the right place, 70
as soon as Grace mentioned his forme
acquaintance with the girl who had be
come the divekeeper's wife Ryan too
his hand and said;
"Anny man that was a friend c
Mary's kin have all the money he want
from me. See"
And he was as good as his word. TIL
hundred dollar loan which he made {
Grace may have been the foundatio
of the fortune Of w. R. Grace & Co.
: Senator Cullom is often ''dead broke
| | l,...o l-,,o,,-,, him, 70 bn,roxxy 1r1poloo