The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-14
HONESTY n THE WHITE n0UsH.

HONESTY IN THE WHITE HOUSE
when Mr.. CIeveiard gces eat 81 once
next March II Is generally underwood
tAas his circumstances YIN b such -
TO relieve Elm Of any anxiety a. 20 the
futare. He made scsDe very i1cky invest
nenss In real estate in H. ueighbofhoo1
Of washington City ana no doubt prof.
lied by the ADVICE Of friends Ike Whitney
VITO saw opportunities for making moaey.
There Is TO intimasfon In an the debates
favorinS an Investigation OF the bend
Issues OF any corrupt Transaction TO which
either the president or any member Of
his cabinet Vas pasty. conssdering the
opportunity. and possibly the temptations.
II 10 even surprising that men placed In s1eA
positions should throughout al our his-
tory have been 20 free from any suspicion
Ct bsrontng rich cerruptly. Among The
many thousands Of nsen holding high pub
lie ONCE In the Federal government. and
even less exalted omcss but Of . nduciaxy
character. the proportion Of those found
rscrsans 10 rsnarkaAay small
OF ths prssidsats Of recent years. clsvs-
hand has been the most fortunate. and
those Of the latter part Of our independ-
ent existence have been better on than
those Of the earlier part Ex-Prexident
Harrison il comfortably situated. but he
possesses no more than many thousands
OF professional men OF less ability and far
less opportunity. and he il not nearly -
well on a. most lawyers of his standing
who have devoted themselves entirely to
their profession. Grant had In the course
Of many years. during which he received
. fairly large salary. accumulated sum-
eient for his old age II he had not been
drawn into unfortunate speculation. but
Lincoln. Hayes. Garfield and ArthG pos
sessed only q very modest fortune.
OF the earlier presidents. most died in
straitened circumstances. and SO far from
making money through the opportunities
OF public life. seemed to have impaired
even such means a. they originally pos
sessed. Gen. Harrison. one of the most
beloved Of presidents, died absolutely
ating one years salary for the relief Of
his widow. This case formed the prece-
dent which has since been followed sew
srai times with honor to the country.
The nation might well have shown an
equally generous spirit In dealing with some
of those who ended valuable public life in
poverty. The appropriation for President
Harrisou's widow was opposed BY the DEM
ocrats. and while they have sometimes
bean justified In resisting occasional abuse
Of the principle. grateful republic should
rather encourage honesty In its statesmen
BY judteisus provision for retiring presi-
dents than permit them to experience the
bitterness Of being left to die Of neglect
In their old age. knowing that by means
which the world would scarcely question.
II successful. they could have been placed
in afxlusnce.
Thomas Jefferson. to whom this coun-
try owes 30 much. had his estate and even
his furniture sola to satisfy his creditors.
The patriotic Monroe. Of whom it was
said that his blood was spilled In the war
Of independence and his life was worn out
In the public service. had all his property
sold for debt and his family scattered
from their home Even Madison. who
had fairly good business habits, found the
drain upon his income 20 great that at
the close OF eight years service a. presi-
dent. he was compelled to raise GOO on
the very modest property he had inner
ited. Gen. jackson. not wishing to leave
Washington City In debt. drew upon the
consignee OF his cotton crop in New Or
leans In order TO enable him to depart from
the seat OF government without leaving
creditors behind him.
The public money would be much better
spent IL. instead OF permitting every mem
Der OF the United States senate an allow
ance OF nearly $500 a year as perquisites
for members OF his family. or to enable
him TO carry on campaign. an appropri-
alton OF $500 were made as a pension for
an ex-president who should make applica-
ton 10 congress therefor. We have seldom
had more than two ex-prcsidents alive at
one time. and saving of $4,000 could cas-
lily be effected out Of the SO. 90 absorbed
by the senate for services In addition to
their own salaries.