Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-24
0fficeholding Like the Famed
Apples Of Sodom.
Walter Wellman Shows How ItBrings
Great Loss Of Money
And Place As the Dry Rot which Forbids Re
enperation.

hcial life IN this city feel it nv duty I,
warn my friends who may read this let
ter against making the mistake of thei
lives. 1t is a mistake TO seek office i,
Washington. greater mistake to sue
ceed and to come here to hold Office
Since came TO this city have seen tw,
changes OF administration, each chang,
throwing ont Of public position a larg,
number Of men. Many of these hav,
been personally known to NE, and al
most without exception they have said
with every evidence of candor. thai
their coming here was a blunder which
they would not repeat should another
opportunity present itself Their yer
dict is that the four Years spent III Wash
ington have virtually been four year.
wasted, except that they have gained
experience as to what to avoid III tn,
future.
Considered purely from the fnancja
standpoint or that of progress in one:
profession or business, officeholding. par
ticularly officeholding that takes one
away from home, is misfortune. The
salaries paid government officials here
look large and inviting on paper At q
distance they are quite enchanting lean
see how one living in country town
might envy the man who comes to Wash.
ington to take government post at a
salary of $1,000, 81 900 or $500 year.
There are very few places here which pay
more than this. Members of congress GET
only 5000 a year and are able to spend
one-half their time at home attending tc
| private business. They do not find il
absolutely necessary to transfer THEN
| domestic establishments to this city. But
even members of congress generally find
oilceholding apoor investment. Not one
in dozen of them saves money. and the
majority spend more than they earn.
Much less favorable is the position OF
the man who takes an executive position
at some such salary as that which | have
spoken of. What seemed so large to him
back in the states dwindles into mere
pittance when he comes here to earn, tc
draw and to spend it. Take as a con-
venient example the case of a man who
is lucky enough, as he thinks, to get 2
$1,000 place. He is indeed lucky to get
so good place. if place he must take
for these are the prizes Of officeholdng
and those who start ont for them gener.
ally accept s. 900, So 800 or 81, ,000 posts
in the end. Accustomed to the cheaper
living expenses which are sufficient at
his home, the new official imagines he
must and may easily live in good style al
Washington. He has come down here
to be part Of the great government
He has been honored by the appoint.
mcnt, and having become man of i'm
portance he wants to live in style befit-
ting his station. This is a laudable am.
hition and an entirely natural one under
the circumstances.
Accordingly the new official and his
wife start house hunting. They have
their snug little home in the country
and do not care to furnish up another
abode. So they conclude they will rent
IA furnished house. The first one they
enter suits them exactly. 1t is elegant,
roomy, prettily situated. comfortable.
They practically decide to take it, but
the price takes their breath away when
they hear it-$250 month. I'VE don't
want TO buy your house. only to rent it,"
exclaims the official to the agent. Then
they look at some more modest houses.
The prices range from $500 month
down to $3.50. Those which rent at the
latter price are not very desirable. But
even one of these takes for rent alone
more than one-third of the salary.
The wife hein" of practical turn of
mind concludes that furnished houses
are not economical; that too much is be-
ing paid for furniture. and that it would
he better to rent house and furnish it
themselves. One is finally found at
rental of $50 month. and this is far
from the elegant and fashionable strrc-
ture they had desired. The wife had
planned to do a good deal of entertaining
for the glitter OF Washington society
had caught her imagination-an there
fore house with spacious parlors was
on her programme. The $50 house is only
tolerable, but they take it as matter of
necessity. though with great reluctance.
Now it must be furnished. Here again
their exalted ideas have to he modified
1t chances they have had an opportunity
to set foot within some Of the fine houses
Of the city. and as they are to be in soci-
ETY. they naturally desire to live amid
elegant and creditablc surroundings.
Eefore signing the lease for the hous,
they 90 to the. furniture store and get an
estimate on the furnishings. After hay
ing eliminated Turkish rugs, expensive
hanglngs and all that sort of thing. they
tind that 81 800 is the best they can do.
and many article:-the wife alone per-
reives how many-are still lacking. With
this condition before them-this condi-
tion instead of the theory on which they
had started out-they find there is hut
,ne thing to do. and this is to abandon
The house idea altogether and board. II
will never do. they conclude. to give up
for rent and furniture alone all their sal
airy for year, for they know too well
that when through with the furniture
they can never sell it for more than a
third of its cost.
Now they go to look for place to
board. They have children. and of course
the children are to come on. The eldest
laughter is to have a glimpse of Wash
Ington society. The mother is intensely
ambitious for her. A pretty sum has
been spent on her education. musical
and otherwise, and there are such great
possibilities in Washington society for
pretty and accomplished girl that she
simply must have chance Therefore
it is decided the family must board at
fashionable place. On inquiry they de-
eide that the Argo or some such hotel is
the place. Yes. the landlord can take
elegant care Of them. He has Just the
suite they want. Plenty of room, good
light. elegantly furnished, bath of course
and all the comforts. The price? Let
ME see. Three admits, two large chill
dren, one child. maid You want a
suite Of four rooms, with board. Six
hundred dollars month" That seems
very reasonable" says the new official.
land we'll think about it. We want to
look little further" As parting shot
the landlord offers to come down to $50,
but this doesn't tempt into an irnmedi-
ate acceptance. When he gets outside
the official heaves sigh and says TO his
wife; Does he take me for millionaire:
Our salary is only s:s33 80 month. They
might leave Us dollar or two for car
fare"
Less pretentious and cheaper places
are sought. Prices range from $50 a
month down to 500. Even this viii not
do for obvious reasons, and finally tho
new official and his wife take rooms in
what is known as common boarding
house-a good and comfortable enough
place. but not stylish or fashionable at
all and almost deathblow to the social