The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-28

dignity of his place and position. He must
other governments and countries and must do
It properly. Even without wine or liquor. which
no avoids dinner in Washington costs some
hundreds OF dollars. 1t isn't like entertain
ment We can give on our farms where we can
have a few chickens picked up out of the yard
and maybe turkey or a goose killed and some
roasting ears 3erked off In the field and potatoes
and turnips dug out and cooked. Everything
bought from the market costs Forty dollars a
day sounds big. but when house rent at ten or
twenty dollars a day. servant hire and living
expenses are counted. the income shrinks
rapidly. A man 10 meet guests ut the door
and the cook down stairs mean eight or ten
dollars day and the men to walt on the table
SO much more.
In the earlier and simpler and cheaper times
subscribed for him by Boston and New York
friends enable him to make "a decent and
credttab1e appearance and to entertain prop
eriy. we believe John c. Calhoun. occupying
the same great place had to rely on friends
10 help him out. Not breath Of scandal
or criticism ever touched either of those men,
Nj. Bryan's plan is better he earns for him
self by his own work aud voice the deficiency
In what the government pays him. Forty dol
lars day looks large to us ordinary working
people. but when we consider the demands and
requirements OF big and responsible place and
tho Job Of contact with men and women from
MI the countries of the world and making be-
fore them the right kind Of appearance for our
own country. # becomes small
We do not pay our president too much. even
at $4,000 year and house and grounds. al
lowanees and perqusites. considering what he
has to do and the responsibilities he has to
take. Most Of as would like the presidents
Job, but we wouldn't to take It for less
money than re gets So with the cabinet places
and especially that of secretary OF state We
DO not pay any Of the occupants enough. The
fact that none of them steal is due more to
their own honesty or ability to care for them
selves than TO our liberaltty. The ambassadors
we send abroad would starve II they depended
the ambassadors and consuls Jobs because
they the only people who can afford to take
them.
We havo grown large and great and to such
important place in the world that we cannot
afford 10 continue little cheap scale Of
salaries, We are paying our cabinet officers and
representatives about along tho same way we
paid them when we were a poor and feeble
nation. Mr.. Bryan is instance. We do not
blame him for doing outside work to piece out
his pay, large the salary may look. His ez-
perience may teach us TO be more liberal with
our officials hereafter Whatever we may think
for against his Judgment. all of us know he
Is honest personally and is not an extravagant
or yaingiorious man. We have become a large
people and must learn TO look at things In
and scales Of salaries and wages were made
when we were young and weak. sequestered
and had but feeble say In the worlds affairs
We are in different situation now. We ought
TO pay cabinet officers SO well as to save
them from the need keep them from the
cording to the needs we impose upon them
We should provide for our ambassadors and
ministers abroad so that at least they should
have decent houses In which to live and re-
ceve thar visitors and guests 1t Is a shame
to US that sometimes the men who are sup
posed to speak and act for the hundred mil
lion people we have are tucked away in obscure
fats side streets OF European capitals and
the Stars and st .pes hang out from second and
third story rooms No American likes that
Mr.. Bryan IS taking care of himself lie has
figured that he cannot live and do Justice to
his position on what we pay him and Is doing
the best he can TO make up the deficiency
Whether he is working with vaudeville peo-
pie. acrobats or yoedlers ne is doing honest
work for honest purpose, and II derision and
criticism come upon him from abroad they are
not fitted properly on his shoulders but belong
on us people and our congress. which we elect
and supposed 10 direct and control
LETS END IT NOW
Now let's have an end OF the Y M q tr