The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-10-02

ords do not show that he neglected any
of the perquisites of his office, such as
mileage, stationery, etc. 1t must be re
membered that mileage always exceeds
the actual cost of travelling at the highest
prevailing rate and that most Of the
members of Congress travel to Washing
ton on passes. Stationery money is
1925 a year given TO the member gratui-
tously. His official stationery is all fur
nished by the Government. AS to the
postage on his official letters which is
supposed to be included in this $l25, he
saves all of that nowadays under the act
permitting members TO frank official
mail.
But out of the $1,000 which is paid 10
him, Notwithstanding the perqustes, the
member of Congress cannot pay his de-
cent expenses and save anything. There
have been instances where men saved
money. one Southern member, many
years ago. lived his mileage and sta
tionery money. He lived in a very cheap
boarding house far from the Capitol and
he walked to the Capitol every day of
the session and walked back.
WANTS WE'RE FEW AND SMALL.
He never spent cent on amusements
and his wants were few and small"
His luncheon he took to the Capitol
back to his people, he had enough money
to buy very fine plantation which was
being offered at sacrifice for cash, and
there he lives today happy and prosper
Gus. He is one Of the richest men in the
district
This man was the exception. The av
erage Congressman finds his expenses in
Washington eat up about all of the 5000
the Government pays him. The Presi-
dent is more fortunate. The Govern
ment pays him $4,000, and then appro-
PIRATES so much money for the expenses
of his establishments so that he would
be a very extravagant man if he could
spend the whole of his salary. So, for
the last % years--ever since Congress
increased the salary of the President
from $4,000 to $50, O00-each of the Presi-
dents has saved something from his Off
ciaI pay. Usually the President saves
one-half of his salary, and if he remains
in Office four years he takes 100000 of
the public money away with him from
the White House. Mr.. Cleveland did
this in his first term.
President Cleveland is a rich man.
There has been a good deal of talk about
his wealth, because it has been charged
that he made much of it in Wall street.
But without this Wall street wealth
if ne has any-he would he well-to-do.
He saved money in Buffalo and at Al
bany and men who knew him when he
was elected President said he was worth
500 600 when he came to Washington.
SAVED MONEY BEFORE He MAR
RIED.
In his first term, in the year before
his marriage, he spent very little. He
did some official entertaining, but alto
yether he did not spend more than $4,000,
and probably not more than $1,000 of his
$4,000 salary. The fact is, he could not.
The Government pays so many Of the
living expenses of President that he
would have a hard time spending $4,000
a year if he did not have some official
dinner-giving to do. Even the cost OF
the little reception of the Earl Ii Hung
Chang was paid 10y the Government.
Congress supplies TO the President all
the office force he needs This force OF
clerks transacs not only the official, bur
the personal business of both the Presi-
dent and his wife One of the White
House clerks acts as Mrs. Cleveland s
private secretary. The steward of tie
WHITE House IS under Official salary. He
has charge of the property Of the Govern
r1ent II, the Executive Mansion and gives
a bond for its safety. The ushers are
Government officials, and so are the
laborers about the grounds. The Frasl-
dents .'vaIet''-for the President, Ike the
Hon. Henry Clay Miner, has a valet
is paid by the Government. IN fact, OF
the working force in the White House
only few OF the maids and the Presi-
dents chef help to consume the Presi-
dents salary. The President pays for
the food and wine put on his table,
whether for personal or official use.