Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-03-01

WHAT HE REALLY RECEIVES DUR
ING THE YEAR.
In the appropriation for the fiscal
year, $25, 600 appears for the president 3
travelling expenses, an item unimpOr
tant 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
a salary of $50. 900 a year is sufficiently
accurate. it is not strictly So, as ordi-
nary people measure incomes. Sixty
thousand dollars is appropriated for
the care of the White House, includ-
ing refurnishing as we'll as repainting.
The fuel for the White House and its
conservatories is also supplied by I'm
Gle Sam. Formerly the greenhouses
were directly connected with the man
sion itself, covering what is now the
west terrace, but in the McKim resto-
ration these were removed to the mon
ument grounds; they are still carried
on the appropriation bills, however, as
White House affair.
The president is thus relieved of the
cost of furnishing and caring for the
White House, heating it, or supplying
it with flowers. A second appropria
tion bill carries $4,000 for lighting,
and this includes everything from bis
lamp on his study table to the arc
lights outside, which are a part of the
illumination Of Pennsylvania avenue.
1t is even specified in the statute that
this grant shall pay for the White
House matches, as we'll as stoves ard
fuel for the watchman' 3 lodge. Another
item carries $40, 900 for the contingent
expenses of the White House. This
covers the telephone and telegraph
service and stationery, and provides
for 1.-THE official stable," which is q
different thing from the presidents
stable, although the two may occupy
the same building. A fourth item of
$50. 900 pays for the White House em
plOyes, most of waOm are on official
duty, although few. like the steward
and four of the upstairs maids, may
be regarded as personal in their obliga.
tiOns. 1t is very hard to separate q
presidents personal relations from his
official, and the appropriation bills
make no serious attempt to do so.
This roundabout system of compen-
sating president doubtless acc0rds
with the American conservatism much
better than would one direct payment
covering the whole sum. But the pres
ent arrangement gives rise to many
anomalies. For example, the govern
ment provides four horses for Mr..
Loeb, the presidents secretary. and
pays the wages of the driver and the
groom. But the president himself must
buy bis own horses and carriages, pay
for the grain which they eat and COM
pCAcdbC DAC AAOh "AO tohO OelA . Va
them. The government does furnish,
however, the presidents driver, one
OF the offices most coveted by the col
ored population of Washington. 1t
also furnishes the stable lighted and
supplied with water aud feed. The
chief cost Of being president comes in
the entertaining, for which the gov
ernment furnishes only the fuel and
flowers. and the services of few
helpers.
This travelling expense appropriation
settles one of the most difficult ques-
tions with which the occupants of the
White House have had to deal. They |
ought not to go as 'deadheads, accept |
ing favors from the great transporta-
tion companies. and they cannot afford |
to make such trips in the manner that
custom prescribes, at their own ex.
pense. Unlike minor officers of vari- |
GUS grades, they cannot discover Off
clal business calling them to places
that they want to 60 at various times. |
They must go across the continent on
trips, and congress has done we'll to |
pay for these. The new union station
in Washington has been built with a
special entrance for the president of
the United States, to save him the risk
and trouble of going through the pub
lie waiting rooms with their attendant
crowds. This means that the people
intend keeping him travelling.
Few men save anything in the pres
idential office, and this latest addition
to the presidents income will make
little difference in this respect. The
standards of entertaining are constant
ly rising, and this is what entails the
largest expense. Most of the presi-
dents have died poor, if indeed they
were not made SO by occupying that
office 1t is not unlikely. in spite of
the extraordinary changes of centu
ry in the standards by which wealth
is measured, that George Washington
was our richest president Boston