Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-30
MR.. TAFT'S JOY RIDES


the vacation of the president nears
~ its close Of the amount of eXpendl-
ture now found necessary by the ma
tion's executive in resting from his la
bors at Washington. AS the figures in
cidental to the outing are scanned the
investigation naturally leads further to
the sums spent for the support of the
executive that were not a part of the
national outlay until recent years.
For example, while the salary of the
president has been increased and a
generous sum allotted for his travelling
expenses, the cost of maintaining the
White House has also been increasing
in a larger proportion than seems to
be justified in view of those additional
sums. The ordinary care of the place
foots up $4,000 a year; fuel, $4,000;
greenhouses, $4,000; stables, $4,000;
lighting, $1,000; police, $4,000; secret
service, $350O; contingent expenses,
$25,OOO; clerks and employees, $4,000;
repairs. $4,000, 1and greenhouse repairs,
s3O00 This amounts to $239,400, which
strikes the average American as being
exorbitant for the upkeep of anything
less than a big hotel.
AS recently as the administration of
Grant and Garfield no allotment was
made for presidential vacations. Mr..
Cleveland used to go occasionally on a
tender for a fishing trip. That entering
wedge has led to a custom which now
appropriates for the use of the presi-
dent two vessels of the navy depart
ment, the Mayfower and the Sylph,
while the Dolphin is now regarded as
the private yacht of the secretary of
the navy
These three ships of the United
States navy habitually used for per-
sonal and social purposes have cost for
maintenance during the last five years:
Mayhower ............!....s 67S.96I79
Dolphin ..........,...'''.' o4o'oot'-S
Sylph ..,...,.........'''.' l5o'ozo.sV
Total ...................S1,4 81, 455.26l.91
These vessels are not employed in
public service. They are on call at
northern summer resorts in the sum-
mer. They cruise in subtropical seas
in the winter. They meet favored rela-
tives and friends at quarantine. They
furnish a delightful means of enter
tainment for visitors who have wearied
of the land They are manned, equip
ped and kept in repair from the naval
funds. Their officers and crews are
sailors of the United States navy. A
large part of the expense of their up
keep is due to the personal and social
ends that they serve.
Mr.. Taft has had a good deal to say
in the past year or so about economy
in government expenditure, and a con-
siderable trimming has been under
taken in the departments at Washing
ton, to the real suffering, it is said, Of
many superannuated clerks who to
make a showing of economy have been
forced out of places long held by them.
How can this means of saving be
applauded when the habits of extrava-
gance are not curbed higher up?
Mr.. Taft Travelled so much around the
country last year that he greatly ex-
ceeded the $25, 900 appropriated by con-
gress and called for more to make up
the deficit. He maintains several au-
tomobiles and the operation and up
keep of these, together with those Of
the vice president and speaker, run
into many thousands of dollars year.
The question is a fair one: Can Mr..
Taft expect congress to practice econ
omy if he does not in his official ca
pacity, as it relates to his personal
pleasure, show some consistent purpose
of the same kind? Mr.. Lincoln re-
ceived all told $4,000 a year and was
thought to be literally paid. That
sum is of course not sufficient for the
presidential establishment of today
but it would be bold champion indeed
who would say that an expenditure Of
near $500, 900 a year was an encourage
ment of the spirit of economy.