The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-15
~ JOHN ELrRErH ". ATKINS.

NJ JonN FIJI NIL v" y ~
washington. d. G
TT HIS question OF properly as
posing OF our ex-Presidents surely
has the country ny the ears Al
though ne may have failed To MAKE
MS pension scheme appeal 10 the pub
lie. the press and the. powers ihat 'e
MI. Carnegie. the laird OF SkiDo cas-
tie has immensely succeeded in orlhS
ING the NeXsd problem to hraH'
MANY public men feel that The Ht'i"
ironn,aster has shamed Uncle sam M"
i. helated sense OF responsibility TO
what they consider the most path"ttV
class of personages In the realm
these auondsm cAief magistrates
others are maintaining that eN-fies
idents have an advantage over othtr
citizens ia opportunities FOR money
adkins and need no sympathy y aid
,hst the magic and advertising value
Of the presidency VIII stick through
out q lifetime. always suaranteeinS
q premium on remuneration for any
services rendered in private enter
prise
Pension ms Comm nder-lo-' mel.
several bills offering solution az
The question are before the present
session OF Congress. one. presented
hv senator McCGmber Republican,. "t
North Dakota. would provide expires
dents with a pension Of $4,000 a YEAR
for their services during their terms
as commander in chief OF the arm!
and ravy-an eN-OfficiO rank conieiie"
upon each chief ma gistrate by the
Constitution M. McCumber mann
tsins rhal retired comma n.er-in-
chief VIII, mad borne the entire Iesp"n-
sisility OF me national defense uP""
MS shoulders deselN YES service pen
sion quite as much as does a re'i'e"
subornate offiSer never given sNch re
snons;bility And. inasmuch - w.d-
ows OF subordinate officers ale en-
,itlsd to service pensions. senator
M~Cnlmber would establish regular
nension OF S.. 00p a year TO- widows
Of zach commander n-chlet- TIES
vauld be but establishing by general
statute what already has been done
nv special legislation for the heneh'
OF the reIicts Of eight former Pres
idents.
According 10 another PROPOSITION
on. :arthered by Representative Bur
Lesson. Democrat. Of Texas. e2eh ~
President il TO NJ given FOR al" =
seat in Congress as representative al
large Of the people = III" tnlied
states at al annual salary OF l',""o.
All the rights OF members "i ''e
House of Representatives. save th"t
Of voting" would he conferred by
this legislation. In the View 81 MI
Burleson. superior knowledge ana 'N-
nerience gained during one or two
tsr,s in rha White n ouse should al
WAYS be available to the lawmakers
OF the naIion.
Put Them In the senate:
similar scheme admitting -
Presidents to lie MEMBERSHIP Ih th'
senate. without A vote. IS proposed "<
Mr.. BRYAN. but President TAFT says
that he would prefer Or oSier
chioroform route 10 tn" l"nser-draw ~
out anesthetic % listening 1" svna-
torisl el9quen,e
These are not the first propositions
Of the kind offered by our nAt"h"i
LEGISLATORS Eleven wears sS" i'"iI'-
sentative Lowering. OF Massa husettS'
offered bill providing for all az
Presidents life salary in the same
amount as that OF the Carnegie pen
sior-s.5. 600 The only -X-Pr-sideni
alive at that tine was Grover CleVe-
land.
President Taft. VII, IS pood man.
said the other DAY. Il consider tnat
the President OF tho United states =
well paid. The salary 10y no means
measures the contribution to las
means Of living which the generosity
Of Congress has afforded. and unless
is 70 the policy Of Congress 90 rna-
BILE him IL his four years 10 save
enoug! TO live in adequate dignity
and comfort thereafter. then the sal
srv is all that Il ought L. Ice
The standard Of presidential hos
aitaIsty was vastly increased wn@n
the White House was enlarged /"
I'll the new state banquet board 20
the enlarged state dining room Pres
dents musl now feed. AZ their Own
expense. -nes-ly double the number ~
Official mouths that had I be sup
pEed with v.ands q decade age. And