Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-26

the American government? The peo-
Pile of this nation are face to face with
this question right now. The increase
of millionaires in American public life
will, if it continues at the ratio that
has been maintained for the past de-
cade, soon place the conduct of ma
tional affairs exclusively in the hands
of the vastly rich; while it is now an
accepted fact that none but men OF
great fortunes can represent this re
public at the capitals of other great
nations today.
Supposing that the eyer-swelling
number of the greatly rich, who are
now crowding into American public
life, get their offices without improper
use OF a dollar; conceding that they
are able, patriotic, and would run the
government we'll; agreeing that every
thing good that could be said OF any
public man could also be said of the
rich public mantle question still is
whether this government OF, by, and
for the people is to be conducted solely
by the wealthy class The question
still remains whether the American
people are ready deliberately to shut
out from the conduct of their govern
ment that great body of fine. legisla-
tive. and executive ability constantly
developing among the masses. For,
excluding every other reason, one
plain practical cause is producing this
result; and that cause, 50 little
thought of and seldom noticed, is the
simple one of the extravagant cost OF
living in Washington.
1t was my rare good fortune to pc
the seatmate of Senator Hoar at our
daily luncheon in the senate restaur-
ant. Speaking of the extrayagant
plane to which living had been raised
in the nations capital, this great man IN
said to me one day:
ssWhen / came to Washington / had lac
accumulated about a hundred thousand
dollars from my practice OF the law.
If L complete another term, It Will
practically all be gone. 1t has been
used up, in addition to my senatorial
salary, in the common expenses OF
daily living. 52t RI B,
And yet it was well known that
this most learned as well as one OF
x the most useful of men in American
public life lived in extreme simplicity.
He and his wife occupied two rooms
IN a modest hotel whose prices are
very far below those of the great
Washington hostelries. He seldom II
ever gave a dinner. seldom il ever
entertained IN anssswes seldom i
ever made campaign contribution i
y was tsplain living and high thinking
with Senator Hoar from start to last
He rode to the capitol in the street
8 cars and once rebuked the extraya-
gance Of fellow-senator because ne
paid single fares instead OF buying
tickets. Nevertheless this splendid
& specimen of American craftsmanship,
whom the whole nation loved and hon
nred. and whom his state most prop
erly adored, found himself in his old
age without the money he had earned
before he went into public life and
without a cent of the salary that had
been paid to him during his thirty
years OF invaluable public service.
Another example: 1t was in the very
thick Of one Of those desperate strug
giles in the senate some three years
ago. which was so fierce that the
whole country from day to day watch
ed the contest. Late one evening
certain critical situation developed re
curing active warfare, on the fool
the next day, of one Of the purest
most courageous, and effective Ameri
can senator's man greatly beloved
J. In his own state, commanding the con
fidence Of the senate and the presi
dent; man in short whose whole LIE
iii the service of his country makes
L his career one upon which the nation
may Weel look with pride and admira
ton
happened to be connected Witl
that fight. He had no telephone in hi
house; and SO I took common stree
cab, which cost me only seventy-fiy'
cents, to take me to the out-of- the-wa.
part Of the city where this really grea
man lived Tt was bitterly colt
night, such as we rarely see in Wash
u ington On the way we passed a car
4 riage magnificent and yet elegant i
its sumptuous but subdued richness. I
was drawn by two splendid horses
and two extensively attired men sa
on the box. This imposing array wa
carrying a certain public man to som
gorgeous entertainment. Yet the ser
ator whom was going to see wa
worth, III his practical value to tn
& American people. many men like tn
h Midas in his opulent equipage.
Arriving at the home OF this nobl