Weekly journal-miner., 1909-01-13

Lill to increase the salary of the pres idcn 0f thc Cuitcd state. To Sl0O,0oO . year will hc passed at tb's session of congress and if it is not passed be { fore President elect Taft takes the . oath of office it cannot hc passed 10 . become operative during his tenure. ! The constitution provides that the sal . ary of the president shall neither be ! increased nor diminished during his term of office. Failure to pass the bill this winter, if it does fail. win not be because of lacl. of ciruc,tnc,. on thc part of the Oregon senator. nor does tle bill meet with ilc di.appro,al of the president himself lt nigh, be explained that the Bourne measure. though admitted. ly mertorious. has been introduced at an inoproriuuo time, bceause. to quote Chairman Tawucv of the house com miticc op appsopria' ous "th's Is to be congress noteworthy for its cconor,y.' Then. 'ou. there i- a fat rivers and narbors appropriation in prospect, the demands of the water ways people for fifty million dollar appropriation have become SO insist. cnt they can hardly be ignored, and congress feels the need of appropriat- ing for public buildings in various sec tions of the country, all of which will take considerable slice of the fedcr. al funds In the face of this demand of the already ovcrburdcncd treasury. it would seem that the friends of the Bourne bill could take little or no cheer
 There are few among those having knowledge of the drains to which the executive purse is subjected. however, who will not admit that he is under. paid. While Presidcn, Roosevelt has not openly advocated the passage of Senator Bourne's bill, he recently said to a caller at inc White IIouse that seven years experience running the executive establishment had taught him a valuable lesson m economy. In short, he has learned that it takes mighty good management for man with q family to run the place and keep up appearances without over stepping his salary allowance. Prcsi. dent Roosevelt is in no sense n Clay ish spender." yet it has always been his desire to maintain the traditional brilliancy of White House entertain. ments. In doing so ne has been called upon more than one to call on his pri. vnte purse.
 Everyone knows that the president 's salary is s50.000 a year. which is less in some instances than is paid the heads of big present.day corporations. The government also maintains the executive stables. keeps the White House grounds in order. supports the greenhouses that the presidential ta- ble may be supplied with flowers on the occasions o entertainment, and provides ap allowance for travelling expenses On the other hand, enter. taining, which is distinctly public function and entails the biggest item of yearly expense must be paid for by the president himself. Whether he saves from or exceeds his salary is something that must be controlled by the Chief Executive. This is an anon ally which has impressed Mir. Roose welt, and he is of opinion that if con gress would provide q proper sum for entertaining, in addition to the salary of the office, it would he only fair tc the president.
 Contrasted with the emoluments of European rulers, the salary of tho president of the United States seem, insignificant, even pittance. IL may be explained, however, that tnese Flu ropean monarch have many demand upon their incomes, such as the sup port of regal establishments and ostcn tatious entertaining far exceedinI the cost of that extended ny thu American president, that almost bal ancc tho scale. While King Edwar, of England receives annually s2,35o GOO from the state, of which but one fourta goes into the privy purse, hi royal expenditures arc 80 many am lavish that he is said frequently to b hari pressed for cash. His racing sta ble alone, which is conducted on
 scale of magni6cenee, costs a forum