The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-13
HE PAYS SMALL WAGES
Uncle Sam Is an Economical
Employer.
POOR MEN IN HIGH POSITIONS.

WASHINGTON, Jan. l3.-lSpeciaL Now
that it seems TO be settled that Senator
Sherman is TO be President Mckinley's SEC
rotary Of state feel at liberty % say that
certain considerations not generally known
10 the public at large have bad 20 be taken
account of In the framing Of the cabinet.
For instance, Senator Allison declined 60
be secretary Of state partly because Of his
pleasant place in the senate and because he
prefers senatorial 10 executive work. But
among the considerations which be took
into mind was his lack o. wealth. Senator
Allison is poor man. He has little
property out in Iowa. and he owns n house
and lot in this city, bus his property is not
productive Of income, and he has practical
~ nothing 20 live on but his salary as a
senator. He could not afford 20 accept a
place in the cabinet for this reason, IL for
no other, A cabinet minister, especially
secretary Of state, must spend more than
/ his salary II he is 10 discharge the social
part of his duties in becoming style.
While General Gresham was secretary Of
state he was hard up for cash all the time
and spent each year several thousand dol
| lars more than his salary, although he lived
and entertained in very modest way. He
was not able 10 take house and found IL
/ cheaper TO live in apartments at a hotel,
where the rates were made very low by the
/ landlord, a personal friend Of the secre-
| tary's, who was not unmindful of the ad-
vantage TO his house of having so distin-
] guished an official as the secretary of state
among his guests. If General Gresham had
/ lived in a house of his own and carried ont
his social obligations as secretaries of state
usually do, he could not have got along
with an expenditure of less than $50, 900
year, and perhaps s25, 600 AS it was he
managed TO scrape through on about Sl2,.
/ 600, net loss of 81, 600 for every 2 months
of his incumbency of the state department.
In the one item of dinners and luncheons
Mr.. Gresham had an advantage through
his residence in the hotel, for the landlord
could serve meals for him from his regular
kitchen at much lower rates than a caterer
would have charged or less than it would
have cost had the secretary had his own es
| tablishment.
They Have Modest Incomes.
Senator Allison could not take the state
department without running into debt,
and this he was unwilling to do. While
he might not have been willing to leave
his pleasant place in the senate even If he
were rich man, or well enough to do to
enable him to afford the sacrifice, as mat
1
ton. The same considerations had their
weight with Governor Dingley, who de-
clined to be secretary of the treasury in the
Mckinley administration. Governor Ding
ley is far from being a rich man. He owns
a newspaper in Lewiston, Me-, which pros
pers fairly we'll, but in the nature of things
| 1t does not make a great deal Of money.
Governor Dingley's chief income Is his sal
airy, and while he manages to live COM
fortably upon that In his simple way as
a congressman, as secretary Of the treasury
he would find 1t necessary TO spend great
deal more money. He and Mrs. Dingley
now live in two comfortable rooms in a
modest hotel, where they are very simple
and even old fashioned In their tastes. AS
secretary Of the treasury he would find 1t
necessary to set up more pretentious es-
tablishment, which would not only be con-
trary to the tastes and desires of Mr.. and
Mrs Dingley, but more expensive than
their modest income would warrant with
out too much sacrifice.
He VIII Soon BE Free.
Secretary Carlisle will leave the treasury
department in a few weeks a very poor
man. l doubt II he IL worth $4,000.
Probably II his debts were paid he would
not have cent. This Is pretty good rec
more than third Of century in public
life. Mr.. Carlisle has really been public
servant, counting his service in the Ken
lucky legislature in the house of repre-
sentatives, in the senate and in the cabinet,
for 81 years, nearly the whole of his active
life. He is now 81 years old and without
any property or income for his declining
years During the four years of his occu-
pancy of the Office Of secretary Of the treas
ury he has lived up to his salary, and am
told that but for tho good management of
Mrs Carlisle, who Is model manager and
housekeeper, the secretary would have
4, found 1t necessary to run into debt.
Fortunately for Mr.. Carlisle, he can now
turn his attention to the making of some
money. understand he has an offer of
&25, 900 q year to go to New York and be-
: come counsel for a big corporation on such
terms as would leave him free to do a gen.
eral law business He also has an offer of
a sum nearly as large to go to Louisville to
: engage in the practice of law. He has not
as yet decided what he will do. But with
his talents and reputation he will have nc
= difficulty in acquiring a competence during
the next ten years of his life, If his health
and strength be spared He has given all
!. the best years of his life to his country and
has the satisfaction of knowing that he has
O served it we'll and faithfully even If 1t has
not recompensed him with an opportunity
to save up something for his old age.
J. Because He Is Rich.
r know other instances Of men who have
q been considered for the Mckinley cabinet
:, but who are too poor in this worlds good,
to make the sacrifice required. One mar
q is likely to get place In the MCKINLEY
e cabinet more because no has large wealth
% and Is willing to employ n part of 1t in
making social display in Washington
z" than because Of his talents or reputation
b though he is well qualified for the Office tt
which he Is likely to be appointed
These facts and many others Of like ma
I. ture that constantly come to our motto,
~ here in Washington convince all disinter
ested observers that the United States gov
., eminent ought to pay its members of tn,
Df cabinet and perhaps many other public of
10 fcials larger salaries. 1t ought to be pos
=, sible for every poor man whose ability an,
:" fame make him eligible to appointment I,
IL accept public service without the feelin,