The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-09-08
CABINET SALARIES.
Private Finances of the Holders of Port
folies i'm America and England.

Private Finances of the Holders of Port
fOlies i'm America and England.
The cabinet officers and other high
officials of the new administration are
beginning to already discover that the
oft-repeated statements that cabinet
officers cannot, or at least do not find
their positions profitable in financial
way are accurate.
The salary of cabinet officer, as
everybody knows, is $4,000 a year.
| The new cabinet officials have begun
their Washington experience by house
hunting, and when they find owners of
eligible property asking $4,000 to 1000
per annum for all sorts of residences in
which cabinet officers feel that they
ought to live, they begin to realize that
office-holding is no ''snap" so far as the
matter of profit goes. When they come
to the matter of entertaining and the
absolutely necessary social duties this
fact will make itself even more appa-
rent
The contrast between the salaries re-
ccived by our cabinet officials and those
of Great Britain is quite strongly
marked and "A matter of interest Just
now, when new cabinet officers are
struggling with the question of how to
make an eight thousand dollars salary
meet twelve thousand dollars expense
account. Out of his salary of eight
thousand dollars per year the sec
rotary of the treasury has an
Office carriage and two horses.
There is. of course, an allowance
for stationery, which is not supposed
to be used for any but office purposes,
though the cabinet women are privi-
legged to purchase stationery at whole
sale rates at the senate store They
also secure many favors from the gov
ernment gardens, but that is the sum
of their perquisites. There is also an
allowance for a private secretary. ANY
cabinet minister will tell you ten thou
sand dollars per year is the lowest fig
ure on which his position can be main |
tanned, and most men spend double |
that.
When the facts are contrasted with
the inducements Great Britain holds |
to cabinet possibilities, it is not hard
to see why Englishmen are so willing
to accept cabinet honors even tempo
rarily. In England the prime minister
has pretty figure of salary, three
times what a ca binet officer here gets,
and residence in Downing street be-
sides. He has two private secretaries
who draw $1,000 and 81, $50 respectively.
AS principal secretary of state for for
eign affairs Lord Salisbury drew s2O,-
600 and was supplied with a private
secretary at S. OOO The first lord of
the treasury draws out of it $500 to
pay his own salary and $1,000 for his
private secretary, while the chancellor
of the exchequer gathers 5000 for
himself.
The lord chancellor is rewarded with
100000 The Encouragement in En-
gland is not a member of the cabinet.
but his salary probably more than COM |
pensates for the absence of the dignity. !
His annual pay is $4,000 and fees,
which in one year amount to over $50, 900. :
The lord president of the council has
title, yet he only draws
1000, and the president of the board
If trade and the president of the board :
If agriculture have similar amounts to
heir credit each year. In addition the
'rime minister, the foreign affairs min S
ster and the lords of the admiralty get
esidences in Downing street. '
The minister of foreign affairs is sup
'osed to give three receptions "a year,
nut when he is poor man he is eager c
o seize any excuse for evading them
nd depends solely on the great dinner
nd ball he is compelled to give on the !,
ueen's birthday. These are superb ii
fairs, often costing five thousand dol 2,
ars, and it often happens that the min O
ster is made an allowance that covers
he expenditure, while the queen her. o
elf graciously supplies the flowers for el
he decorations from the royal con- b
ervatories. No other entertaining is a
emanded from the cabinet officers. q
hen when a minister's term expires "
here is ten thousand-dollar annuity q
rating for him if he makes affidavit :!
hat he actually is in need of the m
mount.-Troy Times. 81