The independent., 1907-03-07

cheapest. 1t was very plain. 1t was
clear that most of his money had been
spent on books. The sharp cold of the
swapping winter night heightened the
absence OF luxuries in this ideal Amer
leans Washington home. In a mo-
ment he came in. The crisis of the
next day and the advsability of his
speaking at the beginning of the NOR
rows debate were laid before him.
There vas not an instant's hesitation
in his answer
VERY WELL" he said; II agree with
you and will be prepared"
1t was the direct sef-sacrificing
spirit Of the Spartan, or Of some Of
our own Americans in our heroic peri
oas. And yet happened personally to
know that he himself was carrying
the burden of one of the great legis-
lative tasks Of the season: that for
many nights he had been working un-
til far into the morning hours on the
duties Immediately before him; and
finally that the critical moment in the
affairs of which he had charge was
almost at hand. But he assumed the
additional labor which kept him in his
library nearly all that night in obedi-
ence to his sense of duty to the welfare
Of the American people whose faithful
servant he was and is.
This grand old man has not been to
the theatre or any other place Of en-
tertainment for the last two sessions.
He seldom attends the endless round
Of dinners which SO distract the at
tention, consume the time, and impair
the health of the peoples servants in
Washington. In short, he is giving
his life and consecrating his large abil-
tiles to his country. Yet, 1t was and Is
all that this admirable type Of Ameri-
can statesman could do to make both
ends meet
There is another senator well known
to the whole country who lives in two
small rooms on the top floor of an
apartment house. These two little
rooms cost him nearly a thousand dol
lars a year unfurnished. So this sena-
tor must spend one-fifth of his salary
each year before he has place to lay
his head. Like Senator Hoar and the
other notable example just given, this
senator never gives dinners, never en-
tertains, seldom goes to the theatre,
and lives in self-denial that would
not be believed by the people of his
own state. He has no family whatever
and there are no extraordinary drains
on his pocket. Yet / am credibly in
formed that it cost him at least $4,000
a year more than his salary to pay
the absolute necessary expenses Of ex-
istence and travel And / could give
several other Illustrations as striking
as this. For example, one of the old
est, most useful, and most honored
men in the senate lives in a simple
single room in one Of the cheapest
hotels.
1t would be quite out Of the question
for any of these men to live at any of
the great Washington hotels. Here are
some of the rces of the best of the
nations capitals vansaries: Will !
lard hotel, one room without board,
$3.50 per day and upward-no reduc
tion made for renting by the month. /
The prices at the Arlington hotel are
substantially the same as the Willard I
for rooms. Meals are not quite so ex- (
pensive. Raleigh hotel, So per day and /
upward for one room without board
And mind you, too, these prices are
for the room itself without meals-and /
these tile cheapest, least comfortable
and serviceas 10 rooms in the hotel
The meals are more expensive than
the rooms: because friends are con-
stantly dropping in" and the public
man cannot be niggArdly with his con-
stituents visiting Washington. And
this Is but the actual bed and
board" expenses-tha outlay at the
lowest possible estimate for merely
keeping alive
None of these things IL known to the
American people. All of them should
ha known by the American people
They are causes which are working an
Infinitely important change In our
government. doubt whether any
practical situation exists more serious
than this or fraught with more pro-
found consequences Co the American
people The government II passing
Into the hands ol the rleh the poor
laan or man ~ moderate means Il be-
lnE crowded out Of the peoples service. 4,
Nnu Will SAY "a once that such
scale ~ living IN absurd. and | Nay 10
Ioo. And II " Ia call the attention of
he nation Go this concrete. immediate,
growing. and critical evil that | ann
u