The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-02
POLITICIANS WEALTH.
Mr.. Carnegie Tries to Inform Eng
lish Oninion on This Subject.


In u recent issue Of the London
Spectator the following letter from Mr..
Andrew Carnegie was printed
Sir: Mr. Rayard has the honorable
distinction, rare among prominent
American politicians, of having died u
poor man" These words we find IN
the Spectator of oct. I, 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 a poor
man as prominent American pOliti-
clans" go he was able to accept the
ambassadorship to Britain, which very
few are. and was quite Well-to-do.
Prominent American politicians of his
rank cabinet minister, senator, ann
bassadoi) rarely die as rich as he.
There is not in the senate today more
than perhaps half a dozen out of the
ninety who have the assured income
which the lamrnted Bayard possessed,
and in the house OF representatives not
perhaps more than score out Of the
three hundred and fifty-four Consid
er even the past presidents in our day.
Lincoln had no fortune. neither had
Grant, Garfield. Eayes. Cleveland or
like the present president, Mr. McKin-
ley, very poor men: not one of them
had sufficient income to live at the rate
of 81 800 per year when they retired
only one Of them had anything like
that-ond President Mckinley is said
not To be nearly as rich" 1t is not
seldom that the most prominent Aneri-
can politicians leave no provision for
IL. -. l.
provided for his. Mr.. Blaines Twenty
Years in Congress" did the same;
but for President Garncld's family Il
public subscription was necessary.
/ EX-presidpnt Hayes turned poultry
farmer for a living. EX-Prcsidenr
Harrison and President cleveland
have returned to the practice Of their
profession. Secretary of War stanton
and his successor, Serr"tary of War
Rawlings. left no provision fer their
families. There is one reason why the
most ambitious public men do not seek
wealth. 1t is fatal before a nominat-
/ ing convention. No candidate for the
presidency for instance. would be-
thought o. who had = large income.
There never has been comparatively
| rich president since Washington Cand
/ think Madisom. who had Virginia
/ estates
The choice Of the people for any high
/ office. and especially for the presidency,
, must have record of hard work. plain
living, simple tastes ana honest poverty.
( The only rich vice president in our time
. was Mr. Morton. whose extraordinary
/ personal charm made him universal
I faVorite and excused his fortune. Some
Of the extreme western states of small
/ population have sent rich senator nuw
/ and then. but this class passes away as
/ the states become pupuluus. In short,
/ Mr. Editor there is no record for hon
/ est pOverty" among prominent polite
I ianS i'm any country compare BILE To that
/ of the great reuublic Whether it le
/ well for the political leaders Of nation
/ to die generally as poor as die tho
prominent public men Of the United
/ States may he question, but that pow
. eTty has Apcn and is their lot almost
4 without exception admits uf no queS-
tiun. | have known many of the proml-
ncnt politicians of the republic, of both
parties. and perhaps as much OF their
/ affairs as most and ! cannot recall the
/ name of more than one or two who died
/ rich, and not one who made Hnything
/ but pecuniary loss through political
, life. They have had to live upon THEN
! salaries. and have done 50. rarely leav-
! ing even modest provision for then
/ families. If the Spectator viii invcsti-
gate the facts | am confident it win re-
gret the words quoted which are Bit
/ terly unjust and cannot fail to sting
| am, sir. etc, Andrew Carnegie.
Skiho Castle n b., October t.