The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-01
The Presidents Budget.

There will. we take il, be little or no
sympathy on the part OF the American
people with the plea Of the New York
World that we are paying too much Tor
the expense OF the Presidential Office.
The grumbling began over the fact that
President Taft was using the MayHower
10 convey him 10 various places on the
coast. and as the statement Of this fact
did not seem to arouse any great amount
Of excitement or antagonism, other Presl-
Dental expenses were looked into and
have been set forth by the World as a
proof that the dignity and comfort and
convenience Of our Chief Executive is
costing US too much.
It has been learned that it costs 500
a year 10 run the Presidential green
houses and 5000 for fuel FOR the White
House. For policing the Executive resi-
dence it takes $4,000. and the White
House stables cost $4,000 The ordinary
care OF the White House costs SIS. 600. and
there is a contingent expense fund Of
$4,000 The clerks and employees Of the
White House cost $4,000; the illumination
bin is $1,000. Secret Service costs $500.
and last year $4,000 was spent in extraor-
binary care Of the White House and
grounds. while 5000 was spent in repair
ing and altering the greenhouses. All
these items, together with the Presidents
salary OF $4,000 and his travelling fund Of
$4,000. foot up to $4,000, which is the
total OF what the people pay for main
tanning the dignity and comfort Of their
Chief Executive
As we have said, we think there will
he little sympathy with any cry OF ex-
travagance over such figures as these.
We feel quite certain that there are a
number Of private citizens in the United
States who spend more than this for
themselves. their houses. their yachts.
and their families, and when this expendi-
ture is compared with the sums disbursed
for the civil lists Of European monarchs.
the rulers Of principalities with nothing
near the population OF the wealth that
we possess, our figures look rather cheap
and shabby
To spend the sum OF $4,000 a year to
'maintain our President is. Of course a
long way from the so-called Jenersonian
simplicity but it must be remembered
that we have Travelled far from that
ideai since Jefferson's day. Indeed. it
might seem that talk about such trivial
ties was in rather bad taste. Take this
matter Of tho Mayflower, for instance
Could there be anything more natural than
that the Commander-in-chief Of the Navy
should travel on one Of the ships he nomi-
nally commands? As. a matter of fact
there should be a Presidential yacht. OF
such size and equipment as BELTS the
hgh station Of our President.
Tradition has long kept down the ex.
penditures OF our Presidents, and Il is
just as well that we should recognize that
the historic White House. even with IFS
recent additions, is getting too small for
tho purpose for which & was designed
and that before long there has got 70 be
p change. There should be no talk a,
all about the Presidents travelling ex.
Penses. He could ride free IN a dozen
special trains II that were fitting: as II i,
not surely 1t is up 10 the people to see
that when travel is necessary he travels
in comfort and with such dignity as be-
fits his Office