People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1897-01-22
ending Ma rob a, 1897:

rrODertv ......,.,..,. 42S, 000
Stocks and be- nds. ......... 1000
The Cleveland fortune. $1,O2s,0
President Cleveland when he re-
tires from office on the 4th of next
March will he the richest President
that ever Left the Executive Mansion.
He will carry an ample fortune with
hia into priv ate life, all Of which has
been accumu lated during the past
twelve years.
Mr.. Clevel and has made the Office
OF President "pay" in a way that
would open tihe eyes of most Of hi s
predecessors. Although many Pres
idents have lived much more simply
and inexpen gively than Mr. Cleve-
land, they had practically little OF
nothing when they retired to private
life. The reason for this is that up
to the second term Of General Grant
the salary of the President was only
$4,000 a year, and the President
was obliged to pay many expenses OF
the White House that are now
charged to the cost Of its maintenance
by the government.
When congress raised the Presi-
dents salary to $4,000, it for the
first time became possible for Pres
dent to save respectable sum during
his term of office, if not, indeed, to
take away with him a snug little for
tune for his old age. General Grant
spent all of his salary during his first
term Of office. He had large and
expensive family and entertained
freely, and when the end Of the year
came around there was nothing left
of the $4,000 year paid him by the
government. During his second term,
however, he enjoyed salary Of $780,
600.
The Presidents pay has been raised
as part of the salary grab, and this
bronght into Washington life an era
of extravaganza that affected the
Grants like most Washington families,
and the expenses of the White house
weee raised to the limit. General
Gsant did not carry 100000 with
him into private life, and he endeav-
cred to enrich himself by going into
the business that ruined him.
President Hayes is supposed to
have saved more from his salary than
any President previous to Mr.. Cleve-
land. He lived with great economy
and entertained sparingly, furnished
no wine to his guests, and yet is not
believed to have saved much over
s125,O0O during his four years Of
office.
Arthur fqusndered his salary as
fast as he got it, and with lavish en-
tertainments, expensive wines, choice
flowers, rare dishes and other ele-
ments CT high living, set pace in ex,
travsganee that astonished the old
residents of Washington. Arthur
had saved little or nothing from his
salary when his term of Office ended.
General Harrison was much more
economical. He lived with much Of
the simplicity of successful Indiana
lawyer, but was more liberal in his
views Of entertaining than General
Hayes. The necessities of his position
IS President, with a considerable
number of relatives always about
him, obliged him to spend at least
half OF his salary When General
Harrison retired he is believed to have
saved about 100000, and this he
added to property which he possessed
before entering tho White House,
making a snug little fortune.
But all Of these accommodations Of
recent Presidents fade into insignif-
canoe begide the fortune which Mr.
Cleveland will take with him into
private life next March. He is gem
orally regarded as a millionaire by
those having close knowledge of
bis affairs.
This money has been accumulated
by economical living and by judiciOus
investments.
When, Twelve years ago next March,
Mr.. Cleveland took his seat as Preai-