The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-01-28

would hardly do for this period OF
billiards and our modern notions of
propriety. The simplicity Of the stone
age, when our ancestors lived In
caves and ate their beef and FISH
raw and an animals skin for the
loins was their only garment and in
full accord with the taste of the
times, would not at present be adop
ted by the most democratic member
of this body, Jefferson received
salary of s25, 900 a year, and e9en
with his notions of the simple lif@ he
sought to maintain the dignity of his
Office. He gave entertainments and
made expenditures which took the
whole of II. In everything which re-
1ates to the cost of living and to
what the people expect of presi-
dent, $25, 900 in 1900 would go fur
Their than hundred thousand in
1909.
| We have been fortunate In our
presidents In their abilities, their
| characters, and their high apprecia-
| ton and fulfillment of the duties OF
| the chief magistry of this republic,
| but no American takes pride in the
! conditions which most OF them had
to meet after their retirement from
| office Washington was the richest
man in the United States, aud his old
/ age was passed upon his estates in
| the usual and pleasurable occupation
| of cultivating them and in dispensing
1 a large and liberal hospitality. The
| picture Of his declining years is
! wholly in sympathy and touch with
I the occurrences of his active life.
| jefferson wonderful position not
only with his countrymen, but with
statesmen and men of letters of for
eign countries, made his home at
| Monticello a mecca for the pilgrim
ages of his admirers. The American
people were proud and glad that the
author of the Declaration of indie
pendence could 50 live as to illustrate
the best traits of an American gen
tleman, but the misery of those later
| years of the great statesman is the
| shame of his generation. He could
not close his doors nor deny q seat
at his table to those who had come so
far to do him honor His guests, who
were really the guests Of the nation,
ate him out of house and home. His
private fortune was exhausted. A lot
terry was suggested to relieve him Of
debt. A popular subscription gave
| temporary relief The sale Of his IL
| brary and the loss thereby of his
best loved companions. was a little
help, but he died in anguish and in
debt. His case presents the strongest
possible argument that l know for
pensioning our ex-presidents.
The American people do not look
kindly upon their engaging again in
the hot competitions of the bar or
of business Monroe lives, after his
eight years in the presidency en-
balmed in the Monroe doctrine,
which is the safety of the Western
Hemisphere from European Interior
ence and conquest He, too, lost
everything in the effort to maintain
in a simple way the dignity OF his
great place, and died in New York in
poverty. Several of the presidents
who had private fortunes, though not
large, were enabled to pass their de-
clining days in a very modest way.
Harrison retired from the presl-
feaCy possessed of very limited prop
clTy He was the greatest lawyer who
ever occupied the presidential office
and one of The ablest this country
ever produced He had to return i'm
ueGiately 10 the practice of his pro-
fession The only largely remunera-
tive employment for lawyer of his
rank is in the service of corporations.
In the eight years of his life, by the
hardest kind of work and the sim
plest living he gained limited COM
petence for his family. But there was
1 UNPLEASANT criticism and distinct
feeling of annoyance in the press,
and a feeling of annoyance among