The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-07-19
DECLARATION STlRS CAPITAL.
BRYAiN'S LECTURING PROGRAM
SUBJECT OF MUCH DISCUS
SION.
Senator BriStOw of Kansas Presents
Resolution Calling for Information
of What Is Proper Salary for Sec
rotary of State.

today was interested chiefly in deVel-
Opments following Secretary Bryan's
statement that he had to spend his
vacation on the lecture platform, be-
cause he could not live on the secre-
tary of states salary of $4,000 a
year. The lobby investigation, the
tariff and the Mexican situation were
forgotten temporarily. at least while
everybody talked about the resolution
introduced by Senator Bristow calling
on the president to advise the sem
ate what would be proper salary to
enable the present secretary of state
to live with comfort and enable him
to give his time to the discharge of
his public duties
When the Bristow resolution was
read amid Republican laughter, Dem
| ocratic Leader Kern and other sena-
tors Immediately objected to it's con-
sideration and after few brief ex-
| changes 1T went over. 1t was fully
discussed. however, in the lobbies and
cloak rooms at both ends of the capi-
| tol.
Later Secretary Bryan issued this
statement:
Il am glad to have the criticism
brought to the attention. l believe
in criticism of public officials. Crti-
cism is helpful. If a man makes
mistake. criticism enables him to cor
rect it. If he is unjustly criticised the
criticism helps him. 1 have had my
share Of criticism since l have been
| in public life, but it has not prevented
my doing what I thought proper to
| do.
I'm devoting a part of my vacation
to lecturing l am doing what l be-
lieve to be proper and / have no fear
whatever that any unbiased person
will criticise me when he knows the
facts.
For II years the sources Of my
income have been writing and lectur-
ing. but each year l have made more
ton and where l have paid my own
travelling expenses, than / have where
compensation was received. My earn
ing capacity has been large and l
have made not only an income suffi-
cient for my immediate needs, but
have saved, on an average, something
more than $4,000 a year.
I'm accepting the office which l
now hold, l gave up the opportunity
to add to my accumulations, for
do not expect to increase, during my
term, the amount l have laid aside
that is, 1 am willing to forego what
advantage l might derive from the
acquiring of $4,000 more for the
privilege of serving the country in
this Office during the coming four
years l will do more if necessary,
but do not believe that fair minded
people will ask it Of me.
| L
for changing my purpose, / expect
to lecture enough to bring my income
up to my expenses, these lectures to
be delivered during the time that
other officials give to their vacations.
In addition to supplementing my sal
ary, / hope that my lectures do good
people who attend them would not
do SO if they did not think they re-
ceived their moneys worth, but 1
would be glad to spend my vacations
resting instead of lecturing If / could
do so without eating up the amount
| have laid away as a. protection
against old age"
Senator Bristows resolution set
out that from 1889 to 1898 Thomas
Jefferson and Edmund Randolph
held the office Of the secretary of
state at salaries of $500 a year;
from 1893 to 1919 John Marshall,
James Madison. James Monroe and
John Quincy Adams served at 1000;
from 1919 to 1853 Henry Clay, Mar
tin Van Buren,. Daniel Webster, John
&. Calhoun and James Buchanan,
served at $4,000; from 1853 to 1911.
william II. Seward, James G.. Blaine,
Thomas f. Bayard, Walter O. Gresh-
am. Richard Oney, John Sherman,
John Hay and Elihu Root served for
$4,000; and added:
During this long period of time
no one of these eminent statesmen
was compelled to neglect the duties
of the Office because of the meagre-
ness of salary"
whereas, the Great Commoncr'
now holding that Office, Hon William
j. Bryan. announced i'm the public
press that the salary of $1,000 per
month is not sufficient to enable him
to live with comfort, and that the re-
SIIIt Of thp Of h. l.,