The Washington times., 1906-06-10
REFUSES TO PAY
PRESIDENT FARE
ON THE RAILROADS
House Strikes Out Item
in Sundry Civil Ap-
preparation Bill.

On point Of order raised by Minority
Leader Williams. the paragraph OF the
sdndry civil appropriation bill carry
ing S25.o0o TO pay the Presidents travel
ing expenses was stricken from the
measure late yesterday afternoon, and.
unless the Senate comes TO the rescue
and contemporaries the item in the bill.
the President viii have 10 pay his own
railroad fare.
Mr.. Watson Of Indiana. the Repubn-
can whip" was in the chair when the
point Of order was raised by Mr.. VIII
hams, and Mr.. Watson promptly sus-
tained the Mississippian's objection
Attempt to Increase Salary.
Time, however. was allowed for a long
debate on the item. in the course Of
which it was defended by Mr.. Smith of
Iowa, Mr.. Gardner OF Michigan, Mr.
Fitzgerald Of New York. Mr.. Sullivan
of Massachusetts. and Mr.. Shirley of
kentucky, the three last named gentle
men being Democrats.
In making his point Of order Mr..
Williams based il on the claim that the
proposition was an attempt 10 increase
the Presidents salary 50 per cent. He
declared. in the beginning Of his re-
marks. that he favored increases in the
salaries Of the Vice President. Sen
ators, and members of the House
Believes in Staying at Home.
THE President" he continued, sin
addition to his salary. out Of which he
has practically nothing 10 buy but his
provisions. receives free Of cost his
house. furniture. his servants. fuel.
clerk hire. light. horses, carriages and
even his flowers. What we want the
Executive. judiciary and the legisla-
tors to do is to stay at home and at
tend to their duties"
He condemned any action OF the Pres
ident which would result in him get
ting acquainted al the public expense.
"A man who Is big enough TO be Pres
ident," he declared. SIS big enough to
be acquainted with the country, the peo-
pie. and the conditions. and if he is not
he is not fit TO be President of the great
United States"
In concluding. Mr. Williams said that
If a man Of his own party was in the
White House he would be more severe
in his criticism.
Wanted a "Gilded Palace"
Mr.. Gardner, in favoring the provi-
sion. criticised the appropriation of S70.-
600 for White House furnishings. He
said that the recent remodeling of that
building has cost 100000. and charged
that a member of the White House staff
wanted the Presidents home 10 be a
"gilded palace"
Representative Sulzer of New York
made an unsuccessful attempt to have
the Presidents salary doubled. and that
of the Vice President fixed at S25.O 600. He
also urged an annual ex-Presidential
pension Of $4,000.
Good Ad. for the Railroads.
The FIVE members who defended the
item and asserted that its passage was
entirely proper argued that its adop-
ton would DO away forever with the oft
heard criticism that the President should
not accept favOrs from the railroads Of
the country. Judge Smith said. however.
that. as far as that was concerned, he
could not see how it was a favor TO
the President for railroads to offer him
free transportation, as his acceptance of
such offers was a great advertisement
for the railroads concerned and gave
them much more traffic than they would
have under ordinary circumstances.
Mr.. Sullivan. a member Of the Com
mittee on Appropriations. said he fav-
ored the item and did not think hat too
much money was appropriated for the
Executive Mansion.