The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-11-09
WEALTH OF OUR POLITICIANS.
Mr. Carnegie Gives Some Information
on the Subject in a Letter 10 a
London Journal.

London Journal
In recent issue Of the London
Spectator the following letter from
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie was printed:
Sir-"Mr. Bayard has the honorable
distinction, rare among prominent
American politicians, Of having died a
poor man. These words we End in
the Spectator" of October l, foremost
and most powerful of all the organs
which labor for the unity of our race.
Never were more surprising words
written. SO far from Mr.. Bayard being
poor man as prominent American
politicians 60, he was able to accept
the enthusiastically to Britain, which
very few are, and was quite well-to-do-
Prominent American politicians Of his
rank (cabinet minister, senator, am-
bassador) rarely die as rich as he.
There is not in the senate to-day more
than perhaps half a dozen out of the
ninety who have the assured income
which the lamented Bayard possessed,
and in the house Of representatives not
perhaps more than score out of the
354. Consider even the past presidents
In our day. Lincoln had no fortune,
neither had Grant, Garfield, Hayes,
Cleveland or Harrison. These were all
very much like the present president,
Mr.. Mckinley, very poor men not one
of them had sufficient income to live at
the rate Of 81 500 per year when they
retired-Only one ofthem had anything
like that-and President Mckinley is
said not to be nearly as "rieh." 1t is
not seldom that the most prominent
| American politicians leave no prOvis-
ion for their families. President Grants
book provided for his. Mr.. Blaine's
Twenty Years in Congress" did the
same but for President Garfield's 5 fam
lily public subscription was necessary.
Ex-President Hayes turned poultry
farmer for living. Ex-President
Harrison and ex- President Cleveland
have returned to the practice of their
profession. Secretary Of War Stanton,
and his successor, Secretary of War
Rawlins, left no provision for their
families. There is one reason why the
most ambitious public men do not seek
wealth. 1t is fatal before a nominating
convention. No candidate for the
presidency, for instance, would be
thought Of who had large income.
There never has been a comparatively
rich president since Washington land
/ think Madisonl, who had Virginia
estates.
The choice Of the people for any high
Office, and especially for the presidency,
must have a record of hard work, plain
living, simple tastes and honest power
ty. The only rich vice president in our
time was Mr. Morton, whose extraordi-
nary personal charm made him uni
versal favorite and excused his fortune.
Some of the extreme western states Of
small population have sent a rich sena-
tor now and then, but this class passes
away as the states become pOpulous,
In short, Mr.. Editor, there is no record
for +hOnest poverty" among promi
nent politicians in any country com
parable to that Of the great republic
Whether it be well for the pOlitiea
leaders Of a nation to die generally q:
poor as die the prominent public mel
of the United States may be question
but that poverty has been and is thei
lot almost without exception admits o
no question. | have known many 0
the prominent politicians OF the repub
lie, Of both parties, and perhaps a
much Of their affairs as most, and
can not recall the name of more thar
one or two who died rich, and not on
who made anything but peeuniary los
through political life. They have has
to live upon their salaries, and hav
done so, rarely leaving even modes
provision for their families. If tn
Spectator will investigate the facts
am confident it will regret the word
: quoted, which are bitterly unjust an
can not fail to sting"