Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-02-15
TAFT A REGAL HOST

''Pogeantry That Rivals Glory of Napoleon'S s Court" is a part of the heading of the Washing ton Posts description of the recent reception given at the White House to the army and navy by President Taft.
 "The supremely brilliant event of a season studded with brilliant events-the army and navy reception-was held at the White House last night ' continues the Post. "Never has the social felicity of the Taft administration been more effectively illustrated.
 ''The glitter of golden epaulets, the splendor of full dress uniforms, invaded the east room, and the calm democracy of this great chamber made way for the pomp and pageantry of what might have been Versailles in the full glory of the Napoleonic era. The opalescent chandeliers, the myriad candeabra, the riot of reflected color, made the scene one of almost binding brilliance.
 ''As the guests threaded their way through the White House, passing from the east room into the smaller chambers, memorable scene greeted them. There was vista running the entire length of the mansion, flooded with gold and rich color. As far as the eye could reach through the green room, the blue room, and state dining room-gold braid glittered re- spendently, moving and swaying in kaleido- scopic splendor Through the colonial doors of the rooms, which narrowed the view as if one
  scope the same dazzling ravine of gold blazed before the vision.
 No one has any objection to the president of the United States keeping up to the dignity of his high office. The above account of what took place in the White House is worthy of passing notice, however, just because it indicates the general trend of things in Washington. At a time when the government is facing large an nual deficit, and the mass of the American peo- pie are crying out at the ever-increasing cost of living, the executive is setting an example in ex- trayagance by rivaling the 'glory of Napoleon $ court
 In 1880 the total appropriations for all pur- poses amounted to 40,000000; for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1910 they amounted to the tremendous sum of $1, ,044, ,29S.23 The sal ary and allowances of the president for 1909 amounted to $329, APO, among the items being the following: Presidents salary, $75, 900; sec retaries, clerks, etc, $69,920; contingent fund, $25,000 travelling expenses, $25000; vehicles, stables, etc., $35,000
 ''No nation in the world appropriates half this amount for the use of its chief executive, y declared Representative John A. M Adair of In- diana in a speech on the floor of the house on January ,. ''We should not forget that these expenses are kept up by taxes collected from the people, and that the major portion of it is paid by men who earn their bread by the sweat of their faces. Under our system of indirect taxation the common laborer who earns $50 per day and who supports family of four or five pays more toward running the government than the millionaire, who is too proud to raise a family and has no children to feed and clothe Just think of it! If a laboring man earning an average wage of $1.50 a day began when he was p years of age and would live to be 100 years old and worked every working day during the seventy-fve years, he would not receive enough wages to keep the president in automobiles for a single year"