The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-29
THE PRESIDENTS REAL SALARY
Boston Transcript.

Boston Transcript.
In the appropriation for the fiscal year, $25 600
appears for the presidents travelling expenses,
item unimportant in ITSELF except as constituting the
fifth regular appropriation which affects the life Of
the occupant of the White House, While the school
book information that the president receives salary
OF $4,000 year is sufficiently accurate, it is not
r So Ordinary people IRE Inc
OF the White House, including refurnishing well
as repainting The fuel for the White House and its
Conservatives is also supplied by Uncle Sam For
merly the greenhouses directly connected with
the mansion itself, covering what is the west
terrace, but in the McKim restoration these were
removed to the monument grounds; they are still
carried on the appropriation bills, however, as
White House affair." n .El
The president is thus relieved of the cost Of fur
nishing and caring for the White House, heating it,
or supplying it with flowers second appropriation
bill carries $4,000 for lighting and this includes
everything from his lamp his study table to the
ton in Pennsylvania avenue. It is even specified
in the statute that this grant shall pay for the White
House Matches as well stoves and fuel for the
watchman Is lodge. Another item carries $4,000 for
the contingent expenses of the White House. This
covers the telephone and telegraph service and sta
tionery, and provides for the official stable which
is different thing from the presidents stable, altho
the two may occupy the same building. fourth
item OF 100000 pays for the White House employees,
most of whom are on official duty altho few, like
the steward and four of the upstairs maids may be
regarded as personal in their obligations It very
hard to separate presidents personal relations from
his official and the appropriation bills wisely make
~
This roundabout system Of compromising presi-
dent doubtless accords with the American conserva-
tism much better than would direct payment COW
ering the whole sum- But the present arrangement
gives rise to many anomalies. For example, the gov
eminent provides four horses for Mr. Loeb the presi
dents secretary, and pays the wages Of the driver
and the groom. But the president himself must buy
his horses and carriages pay for the grain which
they eat, and compensate the who take care OF
them. The government does furnish, however, the
"president's driver,'' Of the offices most
eted by the colored population Of Washington. It
also furnishes the stable lighted and supplied with
water and fuel The chief cost Of being president
furnishes only the fuel and flowers and the services
of few helpers. H..
This travelling expense appropriation settles one
OF the most difficult questions with which the occu-
pants Of the White House have had to deal. They
ought not to 60 "deadheads,'' accepting favors
from the great transportation companies, and they
cannot afford to make such trips in the that
custom prescribes at their own expense Unlike
minor officers Of various grades they cannot discover
official business calling them to places that they
want to 60 to at various times They must go across
the continent as trips" and congress has done
well to pay for these. The union station in
Washington has been built with special entrance
the risk and trouble Of going thru the public waiting
rooms with their attendant crowds This means that
the people intend keeping him travelling.
Few men save anything in the presidential office,
and this latest addition to the presidents income
will make little difference in this respect. The
this is what entails the largest expense. Most of
the presidents have died poor, if indeed they
not made so by occupying that office. It is not
likely, in spite of the extraordinary changes of
tury in the standards by which wealth is measured,
that George Washington richest president.