West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-07-16
A STRENUOUS PRESIDENT.

strenuous Presiden, in the White House and
he also isa very costly proposition when
you come to count the dollars he has cos,
the taxpayers Of the country since he entered
the mansion Of the chief executive OF the
nation. Aside from the half a million
dollars IL has cost to repair and refurnish
the building during the pas, year. the cost
OF maintaining the establishment has in
creased enormously. There was $os,oc
spent on presidential Office building,
directly to the west OF the White House,
and members of Congress who have expressed
an opinion of il say that /, looks like a
stable. II certainly Is about the orneriest
looking affair for the Office of the chief
executive Of great nation TO have cost so
much money that any man ever saw. On
first seeing il nearly every man says to him
self that Il that little cheese box cost sos.
900, then some man certainly got in his
graft good and hard. Then there are other
expenditures that the people of the country
never heard, in connection with Roosevelrs
short occupancy OF the White House There
of the White House, siaoe the Roosevelt
advent, of over ssy,ooo a year, new furni-
ture and fittings for the "Maynower" (,he
Presidents yatehl over sIoo, 600; the cost Of
keeping the "May flower" in commission for
two months last year, about sIS, 900; repairs
and reii,,ing the "Msyaower" last year
about $4,000; repairs and reft,ing the
''Mayilower" this year about $4,000. All
this with the half million dollars spent on
the White House makes approximately
about s7So,ooo that the strenuous President
has COS, the taxpayers Of the country more
than he OF any man IN his position should
have cost them. There were few thousand
dollars left over from the appropriation to
fix up the White House unexpeuded after
'he work was finished aud plans Immediately
were Pu, in operation to get rid OF this
amount before the end of the fiscal year,
June 80. A lattice work screen was
erected to hide the Roosevslt family wash
from the vulgar gaze,.a double tennis court
is in progress Of preparation, although the
President never plays tennis and by the time
IL Is finished the Roosevelt children will all
be over at Oyster Bay for the summer Fine
imported green bay tees costing over $500
each have been placed on top Of Ihe cast
entrance to the White House until il
resembles noesing SO much as a beer garden
on roof in the height OF the season. Great
beds Of high priced flowers Of many kinds
VIII be sci on, and tha, part of the White
House grounds used 10y the Roosevelt family
and their friends will bloom with the lux
uuance of the tropics. "There ain't goin'
20 be no core to this apple" when the Presi.
dent gets through with that appropriation.
II will be "all in" and the people will have
paid pretty penny to CRAFTY the aesthetic
tastes of the strenuous President. The
Presidents yacht, The "Maylower," is the
most gorgeous craft that ever Aoated in salt
water. II was built by Mrs. Ogden Goelet
and was about completed when the govern
ment bought i, for s45o, 900, at the time
war was declared with Spain. II is officially
classed as n cruiser aud is about the size Of
the "Cineinnsu'' or the "Boston" " In the
"""'N"'HN"A VI HhipP VI navy euG apptdio
son special service" She is really at the
disposal Of the President at all times and
was fitted up az enormous expense for his
enjoyment. The King of England or the
Emperor Of Germany does not travel in more
imposing style than does Mr.. Roosevelt
when he is aboard his private yacht, for the
"Mayaower" is nothing less than that. As
l said before, the re6ttings and reiurnish-
ings cost not less than sIoo, 600, and part
of this was for solid marble baths that cost
$4,000 each. Presidents Cleveland and
Mckinley were satisfied TO ride on the
"Sylph" or the Dolphin" when they
wanted to go out to sea, but alongside of
the "Mayaower" they look like cheap tugs.
If the people Of the country want the aris-
tocraoy of wealth instead Of intellect in the
White House, they should by all means
keep Roosevelt there