The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-03-18
The Expensive Roosevelt.

III september, lJUl, w llllam Me-
klnley, President ot the United
States, was assassinated, and Theo.
Roosevelt entered the White House.
Mr.. Mckinley, like his predecess-
ors lived in style of simple dignity
betting his great office and lar
monizing with previous usages.
But all this has been changed.
Things that were good enough for
others were not good enough for
Roosevelt. The White house must
be improved, and in 1902, appro-
priations amounting to s5S2 ,641
were made for that purpose. This
sum was spent, and yet there re-
mains deficiency of s11S, 900.
The architects were paid $65,000
for the plans and the resnlt is not
improvement, according to compe-
tent testimony, but sheer disfigure-
ment. In order that Mr.. Roose-
velt's horses may be housed in the
style deemed necessary, 10000 is
asked for new stables. The govern
ment vessel Mayfower was fitted
up as a family yacht at an expense
OF $1e5, 900. and it is estimated that
the cost OF keeping up the Mayfow-
er ancl Sylph for the Presidents
convenience this year will be sS5,-
600. Champagne glasses have been
bought at SAG a set.
A new piano was put in the East
room at cost of 1000, chairs
were bought at $400 each, and cut
glass, specially ordered India rugs,
and the most expensive carpeting
without end and at enormous prices.
Paintings of Lincoln, Washington,
Jefferson and others have been dis
placed by the stuffed heads OF bears,
mountain lions, buffalo and carl
bou, the stuiling of which cost the
government 81, 900. 1t takes $500
electric lights, each having from 20
to 60 candle power, to light the
mangled White House according TO
Mr.. Roosevelt's notion. The cost
of lighting is $4,000 a year. For
secretaries and clerks employed in
the Presidents Office more than
S65, 900 is required annually. For
servants, flowers and such like $780,
500 was allowed for this year, which
cum is $50, 900 less than was asked.
Nearly three times as much money
is now wanted for the green house
as was used under Cleveland and
Mckinley and their predecessors.
The fire shovel and pokers used in
the East rom cost 81 ga and some
other odds and ends in this room
such as electric light fxings, gilt
pieces and curtains, took from the
treasury more than SIS, 600 addi-
tional, which sum does not include
rugs, chairs and other articles of
furniture.
To make room for the expensive
new grimcracks and gewgaws, wag-
on loads of valuable articles OF his
torical interest were put up at auc-
ton and sold for song. Costly
candelabra presented to President
jackson by General Patterson, Of
Pennsylvania, was sold to negro.
The sideboard presented to the wife
of President Hayes by the temper
ance women Of Cincinnati, was sold
to brewer, as was also magnifi-
cent walnut bookcase made by or
der OF President Buchanan from a
tree under which Henry Clay had
made famous speech. Members
of Mrs. Hayes family, aided by
Ohio women, have been trying to
get possession of the sideboard, but
its purchaser who paid sS5 for it,
now prices it at 5000. For a
long time it was on exhibition in a
cheap beer hall. 1t is little less
than a sacrilegious hand that has
been laid upon the White House
and its contents in order that a
taste for expensiveness and glitter
may be gratified.
But these things are not all the
things that have been done with the
peoples money. Before he gets
through, if he is given more time.
Mr.. Roosevelt will make the royal
swelldom of Europe look stale and
dat compared with the splendor
with which he will surround HIM
self-that is, splendor according to
his very questionable taste. Among
other things contemplated is sum-
mer home for the President for
which 81 ,000,0 is wanted to be-
gin with and heaven knows how
much to finish with. Is any COM
ment necessary? Do the Ameri-
can people wan. very much more
of Roosevelt?