Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-07-28
PRESIDENTS OF PAST
MOST OF THEM HAVE DIED COM
PARATlvELY POOR.
Cleveland the Latest lnstance-Few
Have Left Families in More
Than Comfortable Cir
cumstances.

New YOrk.-They say that Grover
Cleveland died comparatively poor
man. like most of our presidents.
When congress meets law will be
passed giving a pension of $4,000 a
year to Mrs. Cleveland. This annuity
is always bestowed upon widows of
presidents. Mrs. Garfield is the only
living beneficiary at present.
Cleveland was a poor man when he
became president the first time. He
made some money through real estate
investments in the neighborhood of
Washington. With the savings from
his salary he bought Oak View, which
he occupied for awhile as summer
home, and other suburban property.
Then came a boom in land values,
and he sold at considerable profit. His
purchases gave, fashionable impor-
lance to the localities where they were
made and this alone made prices run
up.
Mr.. Taft is notorfously poor man.
He has absolutely nothing more than
his salary. But for the aid of his
half-brother, Charles o. p, he would
have been unable to make the can
vass for the nomination.
Mr.. Bryan was poor young lawyer
at the time he made his famous
speech in Chicago in 1896, which won
for him a presidential nomination.
Since then he has been making money
fast and is now credited with being
worth 100000. From the Commoner
and his lectures he is reputed to re-
ceive in the neighborhood Of 100000
a year. His candidates. for the presi-
dency have been very profitable for
him, probably more so than even an
election would be.
Mr.. Roosevelt will leave the White
House in comparatively easy circum-
stances and will add to the money he
now has by magazine contributions
and the writing of books. Just what
he is worth is not known, but it is
believed to be between 100000 and
100000.
William Mckinley left an estate
worth between 100000 and 100000.
By careful management under the d.
rection of George B. Cortelyou, its
value was materially increased SO that
Mrs. Mckinley was more than we'll off
in worldly goods.
Benjamin Harrison saved money
while in the White House, but was not
a wealthy man at the time Of his
death. When elected to the presi-
dency he was worth probably not more
than $4,000. He lived simply while
in the White House and saved more
than 100000 during his four years
occupancy.
Chester A. Arthur was worth $780,
900 when he died, that amount being
divided between his son and daughter;
but 1t is probable that he was worth
about as much when he entered the
White House. He was the most lavish
of our presidents in his expenditures,
not hesitating to spend from $4,000 to
$4,000 on single dinner, and it is not
likely that he saved much during his
term. His predecessor, Garfield, died
poor but his widow was magnificently
provided for by the nation, 100000
being raised for her, while her pension
OF $4,000 a year made it a certainty
that she should never want.
Hayes. who spent the last years of
his life in what he called delightful
retirement" left his family we'll OF.
Grant, during his first term, got
only $25.Q0C year, but at the begin
ming of his second term the pay OF the
president was raised to $4,000, and he
had some chance to save a little out of
his salary. Nobody seems to know how
much he was worth when he left the
White House.
Andrew Johnson left a modest for.