Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-07-24
MR.. BRYAN AND THRIFT

Had Secretary Bryan decided to spend he
vacation in,he Maine woods. the Yellowstone
Park. or in travelling abou, the country nobody
would have given such action a second thought
lie would have been following the time honorcd
custom. and people are 10th to cuoisc time hon
ored customs But tina, he has announced his
intention of trying to earn an honest dollar during
a time which his predecessors have invariably
spent in the pursuit Of pleasure the country is
amazed. Nay. more-the country Is alarmed lest
his absence from Washington ieopardilc the pub
lie interests.
II not many years ago that Mr. Root
left the state department 10 make an extended
tour Of the South American republics And there
those still living who remember something
about world junket performed by William
H. Taft at the instance OF his then patron SAINT IN
neither case was the country unduy exercised over
the absence OF the member Of the cabinet But
times have changed since those haloyon days and
good people thrown into paroxysms OF an
gulsh because Secretary Bryan is to be absent from
the capital overnight
Possibly the adverse criticism has been cvok
ed by the fact tina, he is trying to meet his ex
penses by actually earning money That is new
fadism in public lie which doesn seem to appeal
to the old school may he that he is looked mp.
on as re,rogressive in not living beyond his means
or II may be that the country is disguised to think
that the president, appointed secretary OF state
who did not possess an ample forum" with which
to entertain for the government
With all due respect to Thomas Icilcrsan and
the simple life. we have been rather pcnuuous with
our cabinet officials The secretary OF state is
pected TO act as the nations host IN the enter
,ainment of foreign diplomats 1t would be m
compatible with the wealth and dignity OF the Tn
tied States for him to feed them fish and potatoes
or permit his table to be presided over by three
dollar-per-week country yaps. Besides, the tor
eign diplomats would not like 1t, and our relation
with certain great powers might suffer thereby
for Europe has not yet ROBBED hrescli IN the gar
ments of simplicity.
Thanks to the sagacity OF former presidents
and the intimacy existing between the government
and the weather. classes We have had little oc
easion to complain of the financial ability of our
secretaries OF state Most OF them have been
able to run the social functions OF the office with
out assistance from inc government W'""hH
Door William r. Day is CONSPICUOUS exception
He was an able man, but lacked the cash and fled
for refuge to the supreme court whereby the state
department lost valuable head and chief
tribunal gained a worthy member
Doubtless Mr. Bryan would have been compel
led TO pursue a similar were q not for his
ability to supplement his salary with a lecture lee
now and then. The country does not dispute Mr.
BRYAN when he says he not hive as secretary OF
state on 900 per year but the country seems
ehayrined that he is homes, and straightforward
enough TO say So Somehow. It doesn appear tx
ae,ly consistent for the head OF our diplomatic
department to deal in naked truth Mr. B-yan s.
exclamation might have been received with bet
ter grace had he gone about 1t in a more round
about way.
But while the society bellies and the club dan
dies NAV regard Mr. Bryan with polite tolerance
and courteous patience. the people back home
the real people--sre inclined to be Just little
proud of him They proud Of HIM because
he moderately poor and not afraid to &C
knovsledge il. They are proud OF him because he
refuses TO squander his opportunities IN idlenes'