The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-14
AN ADVOCATE OF LEGATION BUILD
INGS.


Mr.. Bryan has become convinced that
! our government ought to have legation
buildings in foreign capitals. 1t is prob
able that before Mr.. Bryan made his
| trip abroad he would have secuted the
idea that there was need for such
! buildings. AS a member of Congress he
did not introduce a bill making an APP
preparation for erecting homes for our
ambassadors and ministers in foreign
capitals, and he did not advocate them
when he was candidate for Presi-
dent, though, for many years, there
has been a pressure upon Congress for
legation buildings at the principal cap
itals of Europe. A little observation
did more to convince Mr.. Bryan that
there is need for them than all the talk
he had ever heard on the subject.
And it is not improbable that the am
bassadors and ministers he met during
his European trip took occasion to i'm
press upon him that it would be bet
ter for them and to the advantage
of the United States if they were pro-
vided with homes owned by their gov
eminent.
Mr.. Bryan was very kindly received
and entertained by the ambassadors,
ministers and consuls of this country
in all the cities which he visited. In
deed so cordial was his reception that
he has taken occasion to say, since his
return, that his reception by them
greatly exceeded his expectations. OF
course, he knew that he would be ten
dered every civility that he was en-
titled to, but he hardly thought that
he would be the recipient of so much
genuine hospitality from them. He
isn't trying to pay them back by adj
vocating legation buildings, because
most of them may be out of Office be-
fore Congress gives the matter much
consideration, but he has seen the ne
cessity for them, and hence has be-
come an advocate of them.
But it will be some time before Con-
gress takes hold of the matter in earn
est if, in fact, it ever does so. 1t would
cost a big sum of money to erect Of
fetal residences for our dipomatists
nished, there would come a demand
for an increase in salaries that would
enable them to live upon a scale COM
mensurate with the magniicence of
their residences. What Mr.. Bryan is
advocating therefore means an expend-
iture of many millions of dollars, and
an addition to the yearly appropria-
lions of the government of many thou
sands of dollars.
1t is probably within the bounds of
truth. to say that it is the intention
of congressman to increase their own
salaries before increasing those of any
other class of officials. There is a
movement now to increase salaries all
along the line-1that Is, salaries of
congressman, Supreme Court justices
and cabinet officers. The only thing
that is in the way of such an increase
is the fear of public sentiment. AS a
matter of fact, there doesn't seem to
be any difficulty in getting the best
talent at present salaries. The great
majority of voters regard the salary
of a congressman as princely. They
cannot be made to understand that it
costs a great deal more to live at the
capital now than it did when Daniel
Webster and Henry Clay served their
constituents at little more than half
what a congressman now gets. But
there is a growing sentiment among
congressman that they should have
more money for their services, and
doubtless they will vote it to them
selves sooner or later. When they do,
they may decide to provide official res
tives in foreign lands.