The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-19
GHOST WALKS FOR WILLIAM.
Procession When tho Kaiser's Salary
is Taken to Him.

Emperor William receives his salary
quarterly in advance. The money is
thrice counted by different functionaries
at the National Treasury, and is after
ward placed in a numb OF strong boxes
aud carried to the royal mail wagon,
waiting ut the door between troop OF
mounted gendarmes. After the load has
been placed in the vehicle the ministers
OF finance OF the empire and OF the King
dom place the seals of their respective
offices upon the door and accompany the
minister OF the royal household III his
carriage TO the palace, the mail wagon
with its escort OF gendarmes following
Immediately behind. Not until the
money is actually deposited in the vaults
of Emperor Williams Berlin palace does
the minister of the household sign the
receipts, which are made out in the name
OF 'Wilhelm Rex" and civilian lmper-
ator," respectively, one-half of the sum
being derived from the Treasury OF the
kingdom of Prussia and the other from
the treasury OF the German empire.
Two days afterward the coure function
sries receive their pay, but although the
Emperor receives his salary in advance,
not one of the employees Is similarly
favored, SO that the emperor is practically
always. three months behind in the pay
list of his household. The only excep-
tlOu WHICH tuO ~ tho
favor OF his consort, whose personal
allowance of $500 per aunum is paid
to her quarterly in advance.
At no great court in Europe are the
salaries 50 low as at that of berlin, the
so-called great dignitaries having to satis-
fy themselves with pitance OF 5000 a
year, while the minister himself receives
but $1,000. This is not surprising when the
enormous mum Der of persons who figure
on the payroll is taken into consideration.
For instance, there are no less than 900
housemaids and 1890 liveried footmen.
Eve-y servant, high or low, Is entitled to a
pension after working in the royal house
hold for 20 years.
Over and beyond the civil list received
by the emperor from the treasury of the
empire ana that of the kingdcm, he craws
from the war department full salary for
the different military commands he as
sumes. AS commander-in-chief OF the
army, no is continually appointing hin'
self colonel-in-chief of this or that regi'
meDt, which has thereupon the right to
style itself the "le.b" or body regiment
OF his Majesty. Whenever one reads in
the gazette that be mas thus honored q
regiment In the army, one may take II
for granted that 1t entails an addition &c
| his income IN the shape OF a colonel's
pay and allowances. Inasmuch as at the
present moment he holds the colonelcy oi
some 30 different regiments, 1t Will read
| lily be seen that this constitutes no in.
considerable addition TO his income. all
the more as the colonelcies carry with
them forage allowances for about 20t
horses.
Out OF this civil list the emperor is ex-
pected to pay the allowances OF the vari'
ous members OF his family. But this IL
not heavy drain on his purse. His
brother, Prince Henry, and his brother
in-law, Prince Frederick Leopold. have
each inherited immense private fortunes
and are practically independent of any
allowance, while the only other princes oi
his house, Prince Albert OF Brunswick,
the crazy Prince Alexander, and the
eccentric, yet talented Prince George, all
three elderly men, are exceedingly
wealthy. Indeed, they figure among the
richest princes Of the blood in Europe.