The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-12-23

been done in the days of jefferson, when
Washing ton was Il village in the mud
and the country was poor. The same
salaries that We're paid in the times of
simplicity and %plainness are paid now.
So many rich men have of late entered
public life that the poor mel find it the
more difficult to get along.
l went along the other day with u
congressman who was looking for u
place to live during the winter. He has
little besides his salary to go on. His
family consists of his wife and himself.
Last winter they lived in one of the
humber hotels for $40 II month. Iiav-
ing been reelected, and his political
prospects HOW being very bright, his
wife insists that they live more III keep
ing with their position. In the first
hotel we called at two small but pretty
rooms were shown, with bath. give
hundred dollars II month"; said the
clerk. At the second hotel three rooms
and bath were shown at ''si0O Il month"
Sc it wcnt-some ii little cheaper,
others still more costly. My friend want.
ed to spend no more than 500 II month
and wanted three rooms. and in order to
get what he wanted at that price had to
go to "a hotel which is not considered
first class, though comfortable.
Ofcourse one may keep house in Wash
ington about as cheaply as in any large
city. But congressman who have their
own homes i'll the states, and who have
to be here only a part of the year, donot
care to fit up another domestic estab-
lishment. Nor is there any economy in
so doing. Even if one gives up the old
home and keeps house i'll Washington, a
congressman's salary is barely sufficient
to make both ends meet. From SO TO
500 a month must go for "A house, $40
for servants. and if one wants to live in
anything like comfort $50 for carriage.
A salary Of $ii1 II month disappears like
a snowdrift in April.
Every cabinet minister IN Washing
ton spends more money each year than
his salary brings him. Attorney Gen
eral Miller will leave Washington S2J.-
600 poorer than when he came, | hear.
Secretary Noble told me he has spen,
two dollars in Washington for every one
the government has paid him. This
hing Will have TO come TO an end some
time," he added. Il am often surprised
that our government is administered as
honestly as it is. considering the cost of
living in Washington and the small sal
aries paid by the government.
The truth of 1t is, official life in this
city is no place for Il poor man. Temp
tation is thrown in his way at every
turn. ami the wonder is that so few sue
Cumb to il. Unless we change our WAYS
and pay decent s%alaries tn" day will soon
come when we shall have either a cor
rupt government or II government to
which one but rich men will dare AS
pire to place in. Neither l. desirable"
1t is time already that IN forming a
new cabinet a president elect be confined
TO rich or well 10 do men. President
Cleveland. for instance, would like 10
have W. J.. Wilson, of West Virginia.
in his cabinet as secretary Of the treas
ury. Mr.. Wilson cannot afford to take
the place. Service as congressman keeps
him poor enough. and to be cabinet
minister would mean ruin. Mr.. Cleve-
land would like to have Don Dickinson
in his cabinet again. but Mr.. Dickinson
has had one taste of official life in this
city. and he says he is not rich enough
to afford the luxury ag2in.
There is no man in this country for
whom Mr.. Cleveland has greater adj
miration than General Patrick Collins.
of Boston. Mir. Collins Is too poor to
take Il place III the new presidents min
istry, and some years ago deliberately
retired from public life III order that he
might make some money for himself
and family. After Ie gets rich. "l,t he
is making rapid progress III ,haJ direc-
ton, he may conclude to r"-rnIrr poll
tics. The same thin" is tru" of cN- Gov
ernor Campbell. of Ohio. ! hear thar
Mr.. Cleveland would like 70 hnv" Mr.
Campbell in the new ministry, but the
governor has been III the slough Of de
spOnd financially. and now, having "a
chance 10 MAKE solnc money. proposes
to put ambition behind him and make il
These men are not hungry for money.
They are not eager 10 be rich. They do
not love wealth for wealth's sake. But
they know the value, the necessity, of
being independent financially. There
fore Mr.. Cleveland has to consider in Sc
Letting linen to help him manage the af-
fairs of the government during the next
four years not only their brains and
character. but their financial standing.
All l havet to say Is that III pursuing IA line
Of policy which gradually freezes poor
men out Of public life and turns the Of
ticial posts over 10 men who are rich
enough TO be able to take them This
government is making "A frightful mis-
take.
> What is true of seats III the cabinet
and III congress is more than true of
minor posts in the government employ
at Washington. There i, to be- a change
IF administration Sutn and many tIou-