East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-06-02
FINANCIAL COST Of BEING
PRESIDENT OF THE united STATES

| bills. The regular surgeons and doc.
tors of the army or navy will respond
to any call of the president, who, as
commander-in-c -chief OF the army and
navy, is their superior. In case Of
death the government would bury
the president, and perhaps pay his
widow a pension for life of $4,000 a
year.
Uncle Sam Makes Repairs.
If there are to be any repairs made
in the White House it will cost the
president nothing. Mrs. Taft need
simply cali upon the engineer officer
of the army who is also employed a..
the superintendent of buildings and
grounds, and he will see to the re-
pairing Of a roof or remedy a defect
in the heating apparatus.
When President Roosevelt moved
into the White House he found it sad
ly in need of repair. 1t was compared
to flat located over a museum. The
state dining room was draughty, the
furnishings soiled and faded, the
furniture old-fashioned.
Emphatically Mr. Roosevelt declar-
ed that the president of a great coun-
airy should live in a style befitting the
dignity of his position. The cabinet
listened to him and agreed. The White
House was remodeled, new furniture
was bought and the place took on a
new appearance.
Dinners Come High
Mr.. Taft, as president, will have
$4,000 at his disposal each year for
furnishings for the White House. A
similar amount will be allowed for re-
pairs. There will also be allowed s4.-
900 for taking care of the grounds.
5000 for greenhouses and $4,000 for
fuel.
OF course, the president will have
to defray nearly all expenses of enter
tanning. His affairs must be elaborate
to great degree. Now while he may
spend $1,000 or more for each of his
state banquets. the flowers for the
decorations will cost him nothing Yet
this is mere bagatelle. The music,
supplied by the Marine band. will also
be free.
In the great state dining room Mr..
Taft is able to entertain 100 guests.
Before president Roosevelt had the
White House remodeled the room ac-
commodated only 40. OF necessity.
the president must entertain large
ly. 1t is said that during his term
President Roosevelt never took a meal
at home without guests excepting his [
breakfast. He entertained more ex-
tensively than his predecessors;
the cost 1t is said, far exceeded his
salary and made quite a hole in his
personal fortune. Without a private
fortune such as Mr.. Roosevelts, it is
thought Mr.. Taft will not be able to
entertain to such an extent.
Persons can readily understand the !
heavy drain upon the presidents purse |
when they consider the state dinners.
with forty to fifty guests; the cabinet |
dinners, with guests numbering from |
Eighty to 100. Each season there are |
our such functions, costing each from
$500 TO $1,000.
Then there will be the coming-out
'arty of Miss Helen Taft; there will be
gowns and other things to provide.
During Mr., Roosevelt's term he had ts
iefray the expenses OF the coming-out
PARTIES Of his daughters, Miss Alice
md Miss Ethel. Then there was the
Of Miss Alice to Nicholas
4ongworth. For functions such as
hese the feminine members of the
'fficial family must be fittingly
owned, and the ball dresses may ap-
roach or exceed the thousand-d dollar
mark. The costuming bill for a single
eason is staggering.
or course, Mr.. Taft, viii nave to
ay for the clothing for his sons. their
tutoring and schooling and incidental
expenses. And one can understand
hat with the magnitude of his posi-
on the expenses of president, COM
AIRED with man in private life. are
large.
Many persons imagine that when
he president travels, his bills are paid
the government, just as a travel
lg salesman's are covered by his {
rm. During the latter part of Mr.,
'oosevelt's term the sum Of $25,060
year was allowed for travelling ex- ;
enses, but when the presidents sal