Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-25
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Bill to Increase Presidents
Salary
HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED
REPRESENTATIVE AIKEN THINKS
IT SHOULD BE PASSED.
Says There Would Be No Objection if
It Was Brought Up-Sone
of Today's Callers.

There is one bill pending in Congress
that has the approval of practically every
member Of that body, and yet no action
has been taken upon it. Attention was
called to the fact toSsy by a prominent
ser ator who was at the White House. This
is the bill providing for an increase of the
salary of the President of the United States
to 100000 per year and pension of So, 900
for the remainder of his life. The bill,
upon Introduction in the House by Repre-
sentative Maynard of Virginia, attracted
favorable attention throughout the coun-
try the opinion Of democrats and republi-
cans being that the President of the United
States ought to receive a salary of this
size and pension for life after leaving
office. In the rush of other business the
bill has been overlooked. Mr. Maynard
the author, has been pressed for time in
working for the Jamestown exposition bill,
and has not been able to push it as he de-
sired 1t Is understood that some of those
who favor the measure may get together
at once and try to secure it's passage salts
fled that there will be no opposition from
the democratic side of the House. and that
there ought not to be any from the republi-
can side.
A number of democratic senators and
representatives favor the measure and
desire an opportunity to record them
selves that way. Some of them desire to
make speeches. The feeling is that the
measure, If it is ever to become law
ought to go through now that it may
benefit about the hardest working and
most popular President the country has
had.
talked with a representative of The Star
today did not care to have their names
used, saying that while they would do
anything to get the bill through they did
v1yo To to- 1;<~l.<
Some of the democrats felt the same way
but Representative Wyatt Aiken of South
Carolina did not hesitate to say that the
measure ought to go through at this ses-
sion
The President Of the United States is
underpaid," said Mr.. Aiken, land the sal
ary ought to have been raised long ago.
No President we have had or will have
for many years to come more richly de-
serves the increase than Mr.. Roosevelt. /
sincerely hope that the persons having
the bill in charge in the House will go to
work Monday and not rest until it has
passed through that body. There ought
not to be objection from a single man.
and it ought to go through by unanimous
consent. I believe it would do So too.
Somebody seems to have neglected push
ing 1t up to this time, and about all that
is needed now is for some one to get be-
hind the bill and shove it right through,
especially where it is known there is a
clear road for it.
There is much economy talk in the
House, but no one wants this to apply to a
man who is pleasing so many people by his
course in the White House. The entire in
crease would amount to $4,000 year, SO
far as the President is concerned. The pro-
posed increase in the salaries of other Off
cials could be allowed to go over until an
other session before full consideration is
given to it. The others will not begrudge
the fact that the President secures the in
crease before they do.
"As I understand it, the measure pro-
viding for the increase must be passed at
this session or it will not apply to President
Roosevelt at all. The next administration
would not be qualified to make an increase
in salary, and the President will be exclud-
ed from participation in the benefit of any
readjustment Of salaries which the next
Congress may deem to be just. The work
ought to be done now, and can be done If
the right persons will get back of it.
"Of course the matter Is too delicate
one for President Roosevelt to permit 1t
being mentioned to him, but am satisfied
that if action were taken by Congress in
q unanimous sort of way the President
would not feel that he was justified in in
terfering with the action of that body by
Veto"
Ack3pn precidonfio1 Acsic<onra