Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-15

Minor scenes and Incidents Sketched
ON the SPOT.

non 8 nnNSloHnOmy, Wnicn Cart0OniHle nANt
made familiar TO mankind, has developed
traits Of the firebug, and menaces inflam-
mable junk In his vicinity. The speakers
cigars are one OF the sights Of the ma
tional capital and are highly esteemed by
the owner and those Of his associates who
seek atmosphere in a smoke house. AS
curiosities they are highly priced, though
not envied as smoke producers. But they
have the rich. pungent vigor that suits
and tickles the palate of Uncle Joe, and
that's commentator enough. The other
day the speaker tilted back his chair, put
up his feet at an altitude of tenders,
stuck the favorite long black cigar at the
usual rakish angle and started IN for solid
comfort. So free and soothing was the
breath of Prince Nicotine that the speaker
forgot the blazing match and let It fall in
a waste basket. The comfortable smoke
failed to materialize, for Secretary Busbey.
with a loud cry Of fire pounced on the
blazing mass and upset the speakers chair.
He extinguished the flames with his naked
hands. but Uncle joe let his cigar go
out. When the excitement was over and
Mr.. Busbey was having his hands dressed,
the speaker relighted his cigar and care
fully deposited the match on a metal ash
tray. Hereafter a relay Of ~fireguards Will
be placed around Uncle Joe's smoke house.
In the annals of either house OF con-
gress. says the Washington Herald. there
Is no more pitlable case at least than
that OF Senator Henry Clay Hsnsbrough
Of North Dakota. Last spring during the
latter weeks of the session he was for some
time a patient in a local hospital. an acute
sufferer from mastoiditis of the inner ear.
He recovered sufficiently TO be brought
into the senate-or as far as the door-to
vote on the financial bill, and some time
after he returned to his home. About this
time his mother died, and-shortly after
that Mrs. Hansbrough became permanently
afflicted with a mental disease. Later all
his little accumulation of property was
swept away through no fault of his own,
and at the fall primaries of his state he
was disastrously defeated in his attempt
to succeed himself in the senate. This
would seem to be enough, but the worst
was yet to come. He was in very poor
health when he started from home to come
here Just previous to the converting of con-
gress early I'm December, and grew worse
so rapidly that he was compelled to stop
off at Minneapolis. Here he entered a hos
pital and submitted to another operation
for the old trouble in his head, after which
he was at the point of death for a fort
night. He is now said to be out of imme-
date danger but as his term closes in
March, 1t is probable that his public ca
reer is closed, evol If he regains some
measure of health. He was elected to the
senate January %, 1891, and has served con-
tinuously since. He is now chairman of
the senate committee on agriculture, sue
ceeding Senator Proctor, and is also a mem
Der of other important committees. Both
In committee work and personally his loss
will be seriously felt.
The expenses attached to the White
House have enormously increased during
the last twenty years and perhaps the
greatest increase has been witnessed dur
ing the Roosevelt administration. By this
is meant the expenses that congress pays.
The appropriations for the executive man.
sion-as the home of the president 10 still
officially designated in congress, although
Mr.. Roosevelt changed the official name
by order to white House"-have jumped
from S19, 900 in 1886 to $685. 900 in 1909, exclus-
i've of an appropriation of $4,000 for tray
cling expenses. The total expenses of the
presidents home and other expenses
amount this year to $4,000 as compared
with $4,000 in 1885. This Is in addition to
the $4,000 salary.
Prior to 1873 the salary of the president
was $4,000 a year. 1t was increased in
that year. Andrew johnson retired from
the presidency with a comfortable estate,
and there was never a suspicion that he
made a dollar except legitimately. He
saved from his salary, which was only
half OF what William H. Taft will receive.
Practically every expense, except his
L---s NtNV - A. T.. l.wra 49, NIa ,n,y
ernment For ordinary care, repair and
furnishing at the White House and for the
purchase, maintenance and driving of
| horses and vehicles for official purposes"
the sum of $500 was appropriated for
the current fiscal year. This estimate is
made for 1910. and in addition an estimate
is made Of SIS, 900 for interior decorations,
ETC., which will be enjoyed by the Tafts.
The government heats the White House
at an annual cost of 5000. 1t provides
greenhouses at a cost of 5000 a year, in
4 addition to annual repairs and improve
ments amounting frequently to 5000 or
s., 900 additional. 1t pays SIS, 900 for the
travelling expenses of the president, his
family and any persons he may choose to
lake with him when he travels about the
country. 1t pays for the lighting of the
White House and grounds at an annual
cost of about $4,000, a part of this money
being taken from the revenues of the Dis
trict of Columbia. The government pays
the salaries OF the presidents secretaries,
all the clerks and White House officials.
It pays the expenses of most Of the house
hold servants.
The president OF the United States &C.
cupies the White House practically as the
guest of the nation. But not entirely so.
He must pay from his " purse for his
clothing, and for that OF his family, and
he must meet the weekly market bill,
which in the case OF a president with even
a moderately large family is a considerable
item. But to offset this the president, as
comander-in-c chief OF the army, is entitled
to purchase a large portion of the provi-
sions consumed from the army commits
sary department, and is able to buy largely
Of what he requires for his table at cost
price.
A man on his first visit to Washington,
a few days ago, boarded a trolley car in
Pennsylvania avenue and asked the con-
ductor IL he was going toward the White
House. What house?' asked the con-