Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-10
ON A POINT OF ORDER
Item for Presidents TrayeIinu
Expenses Ruled Out.
DISCUSSED BY THE HOUSE
Minority Leader Williams Objects to
the Provision.
OTHERS TAKE OPPOSITE VIEW
Asserted That the Chief Execut,vs
Should Visit Every Section
Of the Country.
OTHERS TAKE OPPOSITE VIEW

When the item appropriatinv soy ooo -,
| 'he travelling expenses of the President MO.
| ieached In the sundry civil bill which The
| io"se OF Representatives had under con-
e'oei ration yesterday, Mr.. Williams CAftss.,
mace a point OF order against IT,
III explanation of this course he satd ha
.esfet'eo that there was republican Pres
ioent IN the White House. II there Uas +.
ueihocrauc PRESIDENT in the White House
ne would make the objection with SIN
greater force and then his motives COMA
not be impugned. He wanted II understood
that mis- objection was general I'm character
Discussing the subject of the salaries naid
government officials, Mr. Williams was OF
the opinion that in some respects the SAL
aries or the cabinet officers We're too low.
ne knew the Vice Presidents salary was
TOO iow' as was the salary of the Speaker
oI the House. He thought the salary paid
member of Congress was also too low.
and cited his own case to show how many
demands, absolutely correct, were put upon
hlm he said that to make campaign in
his district where 1t was impossible to
spend money except for legitimate expenses
cost in the neighborhood of a thousand dol
lars. this including hotel bills and railroad
fares. ate.
But, he said this was not ALL His ex-
peHseS lor speecnes were large, probably,
larger In his case than In many others, for
he had spent In one week upward of $3.50
for speeches. but II showed clearly the de-
mands made upon members. But as for
the President, he believed his salary was
sufficient.
Then touching another phase of the ques-
tion, Mr.. Williams thought that there was
too much travelling about. not only by the
President. but by members of Congress.
While he could not accept as final the
statement of a well-known American that
the President was the peoples hired man,
true. with a limitation. i aIfe and YOU and
I are the hired men of the people, and IL
seems to me that our business is IN WASH
ington when Congress is in session.
a Contrary View Taken.
Mr.. Walter i. Smith Qowa) took a wholly
different view of the item in question. He
contended that there was not a section OF
the United States where the President was
not welcome. and 1t was his belief that the
President should travel and he ought to be
Independent of the railroads. He pointed
out the educational advantages to be gain
ed by travel on the part of the chief ex-
ecutive and how all sections would be
benefited by the broadness of thought thus
acquired.
Mr.. Sullivan (Mass.) regretted that he
had to take issue with the leader of the
minority. but he believed that the item in
question along the highest lines OF
the President should be put under oblga-
tions to the railroad companies. He said
that the cost of living had vastly Increased.
Habits were more expensive and the devel-
opment OF railroads had made extensive
travel necessary.
1.-THE President ought to travel" said Mr..
Sullivan; the people demand it. and dur-
ing the recesses of Congress he ought to
visit every section of the country"
Mr. Sullivan recapitulated the several
items for the President. the Executive Man.
sion and the White House grounds amounts
ing to s2S3.310: mot extravagant sum-"
he concluded: only about one-third Of one
cent for every inhabtant of the country.
and / would gladly pay my third of a
cent" which caused a hearty burst OF
laughter.
Would Raise Salaries.
Mr.. Gardner (Mich.) advocated not only
the appropriation for travelling expenses,
but agreed with Mr.. Williams that the
salaries of public officials generally should
be increased, and with Mr.. Sulzer IN. ",
who urged as q substitute that the salary
of the President after March 4, 1909, should
be 100000 per annum; the salary OF the
Vice President should be s25 900 and that
the President after his retirement shall
receive an annual salary of S25 900 for the
remainder of his life, and that any former
President living at the time OF the passage
of the act shall also receive S25,too per
annum during the remainder of his life.
Mr. williams (Mss.) thought that there
was too much mystery surrounding the
person of the President. He believed that
il there was less concealment regarding the
Presidents movements there would be
less desire upon the part OF madmen, anar-
chists and fools to do the President bodily
harm He told of the unceremonious way
in which Gen. Grant moved about the
streets of Washington how he, used to buy
a cigar at well-know1 cigar store, patrons
ize a wel-known cafe and lived a life al
most like that of the prv3te citizen. He
believed If members of Congress wero
hedged about like the President that they
their freedom to come and go they
pleased that was their strongest protec-
tion.
The Appropriation Favored.
Mr. Fitzgerald, New York, also favored
the appropriation, believing that the time
demanded that the President should be
provided wish such a fund In order to ex-
tend his knowledge. from arst-hsnd point
of view, of the various sections of the
United States
Representative Sherley, Kentucky, was In
favor of giving the President a travelling
fund He believed much of the mdsunder-
stenoing that grows up and which makes
nearly all the political bitterness that ex-
lists in American public Efe Is due TO the
lack of understanding between the different
sections of the country. He firmly believed
that II the men from the north could travel
south and vice we would see for
ever an end OF the bitterness which has
at times divided the House. oftener due to
causes rather than anything
elso.
He also believed ambassadors should be
supplied with dwellings and that IN many
Instances their salaries should be increased.
He wanted to do away with the condition
Of affairs that makes only possible the ac-
ceptance OF the Office By men Of large
means.
Mr.. williams point OF order against the
order for travelling expenses for tho Presf>
lent was sustained by Mr.. Watson 1ns
diana, in the chair.
Mr suIzer Now YORK. offered his nnsend-