Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-07-24
SALARY TOO LlTrLE7

Mr.. Bryan's determination to leave
his desk in the state department for
six weeks and 60 out on money lee
ture tour and his several explanations
OF why he Is doing this, have afforded
q conversational topic in Washington
which for the time has overshadoWed
the Mulhall charges.
While the republicans are enjoying
the embarrassment of the Bryan sup
porters to the full limit, this enjoy
ment is not to be compared to the glee
in which the .anti-Bryan democrats
are reveling. These anti-Bryan men
are saying this is the worst break
Bryan ever made, but they knew IL
was only a question Of time until he
would put his foot in it somewhere
Mr.. Bryan's explanation that he is
required to lecture because the salary
of $1,000 per month is insufficient to
maintain him in his position in Presi-
dent Wilson'S cabinet, is criticised IN
many ways. In the first place, it is
said Mr.. Bryan is a wealthy man and
could we'll afford to dip into mis- pocket
If his living expenses should run over
$1,000 a month.
A democratic congressman from New
York offered to wager that Bryan
could not show where he had spent
81 900 any month since he had become
secretary of state.
"He has given one dinner" said the
congressman, "and that function was
made famous by the fact that grape
Juice was served instead OF wine.
Well, everybody knows that it Is the
item of wine which makes a dinner ex-
pensive. A wineless dinner does not
cost much money. That's where there
Is some method in Bryan's grape juice
IDEAS
In one of his explanations Mr.. Bryan
stated he had been able to save $1O,-
200 wear. His critics say, Eyes, and
q GOOD deal more" They point to the
large circulation OF the Commoner,
said TO be more than 10000. and ask
how much this amounts to In annual
subscriptions at so cents per annum.
they point to the fact that Mr.. Bryan
has zen delivering lectures after
moons, nights and Sundays for seven
teen years. His usual contract re-
ouires a guarantee Of $500, the next
three hundred goes to the organization
engaging him, and all above that is
equally divided.
One democratic apologist for Mr..
BRYAN offered the rather novel excuse
for his idol that the applause OF the
multitude is necessary to the very ex-
istence of Mr.. Bryan.
"Mr. Bryan has been used to this
annlause for SO long that he just can't
i've without it," this gentleman said.
"You see, here In Washington, Bryan
"a simply one cabinet officer. No more
attention is paid to him than to any OF
tha others. AS these members Of the
presidents Official family are pointed
ont by the capital guides, Attorney
General McReynolds and some OF the
others less known to fame, actually
attract more attention. This Is new
to Mr.. Bryan. He isn't accustomed to
playirg second fiddle. He doesn't like
It: SO he Jumps on the train, leaves
washington, surfeited with great men,
behind him, gets back to his enrap-
tured chautauqua crowd, hears again
the plaudits of the admiring thousands,
looks once more into the sea Of up
turned faces, receives that dear old
chautauuua salute and is supremely
happy"
Long headed politicians see in Mr..
Bryan's return to the chautauqua plat
form a move to secure a firm hold on
enough state delegates to control the
next democratic national convention.
they believe that Mr. Bryan intends
to force President Wilson to live up
to the one-term pledge of the Baltimore
nlatform.