Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-01-13
PAYS SMALL WAGES.
Uncle Sam Said to Be a Very
Economical Employer.
Many Poor Men in High Positions
Allison, Carlisle and DingIey
Not Very Wealthy-Yet Liking and Longing
for Office Remains.

rotary of state feel at liberty to say that
certain considerations not generally known
to the public at large have had to be taken
account of in the framing of the cabinet.
For instance, Senator Allison declined to
be secretary of state partly because Of his
pleasant place in the senate and because he
prefers senatorial to executive work. But
among the considerations which he took
into mind was his lack Of wealth. Senator
Allison is poor man. He has a little
property out in Iowa, and he owns a house
and lot in this city, but his property is not
productive of income, ard Lc has practical
ly nothing to live Oh but his salary as Il
senator He could not afford to accept
place in the cabinet for this reason, if for
no other A cabinet minister, especially a
secretary of state, E.ust spend moro than
his salary If he is to discharge tho social
part of his duties in becoming style.
While General Gresham was secretary of
state he was hard up for cash ali the time
and spent each year several thousand dol
lars more than his salary, although he lived
and entertained in Il very modest way. He
was not able to take IA house and found it
cheaper to live in apartments at 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 house of his own and carried out
his social obligations as secretaries of state
usually do, he could net have got along
with an expenditure of less than $50, 900 II
year, and perhaps $4,000. AS it was he
managed to scrape through on about S12,-
600, a net loss of u, 900 for every IL 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 ut much lower rntes than 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 tho 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
ters stood II was purely out of the ques-
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 rich man. He owns
a newspaper in Lewiston, Me-, which pros
pers fairly well, but In the nature of things
it does not make a great deal Of money.
Governor Dingley's chief income is his SAL
ary, and while he manages to live COM
f0rtably 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
modest hotel, where they are very simple
and even old fashioned in their tastes. AS
secretary of the treasury he would find it
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 Will Soon Be Free.
Secretary Carlisle will leave the treasury
department in few weeks Il very poor
man. / doubt if he is worth $4,000.
Probably If his debts were paid he would
not have cent. This is Il pretty good rec
ommendation for Il man who has been
more than third of a century in public
life. Mr. Carlisle has really Eeen q public
servant, counting his service in the Ken
tucky legislature, in tho 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 declin ing
years During tho four years of his occu-
paDcy of the Office Of secretary of the treas
ury he has lived up to his salary, and am
told that but for the good management of
Mrs Carlisle, who is a model manager and
housekeeper, the secretary would have
found it necessary to run into debt.
Fortunately for Mr. Carlisle, he can now
turn his attention to the making of some
money l understand he has an offer of
$25, 900 year to go to New York and be-
come counsel for big corporation on such
terms as would leave him free to do gen.
eral law business. He also has an offer of
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 no
difficulty in acquiring 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
served it we'll and faithfully, even If it has
not recompensed him with an opportunity
to save up something for his old age.
Because He Is Rich.
know other instances of men who have
been considered for the Mckinley cabinet,
but who are too poor in this worlds goods
to make the sacrifice required. One man
10 likely to get place in the Mckinley
cabinet more because he has large wealth
and is willing to employ part of 1t in
making social display in Washington
than because of his talents or reputation,
though he Is well qualified for the office to
which he is likely to be appointed.
These facts and many others Of like ma.
ture that constantly come to our notice
here in Washington convince all disinter
ested observers that the United States gov.
ernmont ought to pay its members of the
cabinet and perhaps many other public Of
fcials larger salaries 1t ought to he pos
sible for every poor man whose ability and
fame make him eligible to appointment te
accept public service without the feeling
that he is robbing his children and his old
age by doing co.