The San Francisco call., 1898-08-22
OFFICIAL DIGNITY AT WASHINGTON

TT HE retirement of Mr. Day from the office of
 Secretary of State on the express ground that
 he is not rich enough to maintain the social prestige of the position affords striking illustration of the extent to which Washington society has drted away from the Republican simplicity of its early days It is likely will also give rise to movement toward increasing the salaries of members of the Cabinet.
 It was clearly the intention of the founders of our Government that the highest offices should be not only within the reach of the poorest citizen, but that they should carry with them salaries large enough to admit of their acceptance by who had private fortunes The fathers of the Republic, however, pected Washington society to continue on plane ot Republican simplicity of manners and living. It was not foreseen by them that social leaders at the capital would ape the customs of London and Paris and that State officials would be required to live like princes.
 A member of the Cabinet receives $8ooo year. The law does not require him to maintain anything in the way of social state H. may live at hotel or in modest flat if he chooses Neither does the sentiment of the country at large require him to keep man son carriage and retinue of servants. It asks of him no elaborate dinners and grand receptions Tn fact it does not require of Cabinet Minister much in the way of hospitality of the Governor of a State Clearly, therefore there IS nothing in the conditions of the office that necessarily entail lavish way of living and if there is demand for that sort of thing the demand is fictitious created solely by Washington society itself.
 It is to be regretted that any American should feel himself debarred from the service of the nation by the lack of private fortune It will be bad day for this country when, by of our social customs, none but the rich can afford to hold high offices at Wash ineton That fact is recognized at the capital itself and 1t is for this some papers there busily engaged in creating sentiment favorable to an increase of salaries Their idea is that since our society has advanced to the style of living at imperial capitals the salaries paid by the Government should also be imperial
 The members of the British Cabinet receive $25,ooo a year They maintain stately homes in London and entertain on grand scale. Washington people would like that style adopted by It would enliven Wash ington winters and help Washington trade Incl dentally it would boom Washington real estate by
 making the city desirable place of residence for the rich as the social center of the nation.
 There are however, serious objections to the plan proposed raise in salaries under prevailing con ditions would simply raise in the general style a demand for another raise. Even with salary of S25ooo year no man without private fortune can maintain the position of Cabinet Minister in Lon don Social prestige is like open poker game there is no limit to the amount of the raise.
 Any man who has the moral courage to defy the can live at Washington, perform all the duties of Cabinet officer and save money on S8ooo year; and man who lacks that quality ought not to be Secre-