The Washington herald., 1909-01-19
GIBES AT FLOWERS
FOR WHITE HOUSE
Bailey Says President Should
Pay for Them.
WANTS ITEMIzED ACCOUNT
Declares. Regarding Item for Exec
utive Expenses, that He would
Rather Trust Hr. ROOSeTeIt'S Con-
science Than His Judgment-Yice
President Political Bric-a-brnc.,

Senator Bailey. in the Senate yesterday,
declared Il was a piece Of national folly
10 expend $500, as was done last year,
on a conservatory for the President.
Flowers often soften the nature snd
civiIize the man" and for that reason.
the Senator said, they served a good pur-
pose. perhaps. bat the President ought
TO pay for them
I am not in favor Of appropriating
5000 for a White House conservatory 50
long as there is a poorhouse in the coun-
TRY" said Mr.. Bailey. 7 an opposed 70
buying flowers when we have to tax peo-
pie who want bread"
Lavish Expenditure Condemned.
The Senator condemned the expenditure
Of S6,eoo for the Presidents stable. and the
item OF S3o.oo0 for maintaining the White
House. He declared that the appropria-
tiol OF $500 for travelling expenses was
unconstitutional. and inquired Of Senator
Warren. in charge Of The bill. whether
the President had submitted vouchers for
the items OF expenditure.
4 am IS modest as the Senstd1 from
Texas replied Mr. Warren. 'I have
never inquired how the President expend-
ed the money. I an willing to leave It
TO his conscience
I would rather trust the Presidents
conscience than his judgment. retorted
Mr. Bailey
The Senator ridlculed the proposition
that e Increase OF salaries was neces-
sary 20 meet the requirements OF enter
tanning
If that were the only argument. I
would advocate a reduction" said Mr.
Bailey. Ny experience IS that they who
entertain most devote the least time 20
the public service
III a wealthy man IN New York wants
70 spepd money 20 give banquet 10
monkeys, IL is all right. so long as IL IS
his own money. said Mr.. Bailey. He
has a right TO entertain his ancestors
Mr.. Bailey said the forefathers tried
TO keep the Capital away from a big
city 10 avoid having the lawmakers drop
into the social whirl.
1t IS due 10 the Senate and the House
20 say that few OF its members waste
their time going 10 social functions,
said he Then who Is demanding this
additional appropriation for entertaining?
Is it to be expended in feeding brainless
dudes and idle milliOHaires? No: that
cannot be. Diplomats2 Hardly.
''Talleyrand once defined a diplomat as
one who was sent abroad to lie for his
country.
'The President spent last year. accord
ing 20 the items OF the appropriations.
said Mr., Bailey. reading. 80, 900 for ordi-
nary care and expenses OF the White
House. God only knows what the cost
would have been If the expenses had
Been extTacrdina-y
The Senator expressed the opinion that
The Vice President ought TO be given
more money for entertaining than the
President He cOmplinented Mr. Fair
hanks dinners. and ventured TO guess
that he had paid out more for entertain
ing from his private purse than the Pres
ident.
Every Vice President in recent years
had returned poorer than when he en-
tered office. and every President had
GOGe ont or Office richer" said the Sena-
tor "The Vice President had to enter
tain. for there was nothing else for him
to do" said Mr.. Bailey. "He is a piece
Of political bric-a-bTac." 85r. Fairbanks
DTrcEal