The San Francisco call., 1913-07-16
Mr. Bryan's Bread and Butter

4 q
II The spectacle of the secretary of state. OF tn
United States, the highest official OF TIL
presidents cabinet, going round the country prac
teally hat in hand and in effect begging for con
tributions for the support of himself and his fail,
is one which reflects the greatest diseredit on tn
nation and on the man who does it
Suppose, for example that such a diplomatic in
cident occurred like that which led to Secretar,
O1neys declaration to England in the Venezuelan
affair under President Cleveland, and Mr.. Bryaf
should be preaching peace on the platform Of
Chautauqua meeting in Hendersonville, S. C. Wht
could tell what disaster might not befall the coun
try when the responsible head of its foreign polio,
was off on a lecturing tour in remote countr,
town in a southern state. in which, if it is k
similar towns elsewhere, no telegraph Office is opel
after o'clock in the evening"
And suppose such an event should happenwh
President Wilson again had got lost in the woods
near Cornish, n H.
These suppostions may be extreme, but reall,
big men are needed for emergencies, not for th'
ordinary routine of affairs, which any competen
desk man may handle well.
Mr.. Bryan is quoted as saying at Henderson
vile:
tAs this is my first Chautauqua lecture since
becoming member Of the cabinet it may not
be out Of place to say that find it necessary
TO lecture in order to supplement the salary
which / receive from the government
"As have lectured for 13 years this method
Of adding to my income is the most natural
one to which 10 turn, and regard it as ex-
tremely letigimate'
" ~ -
one to add to his income BY lecturng; but til,
question IS is it proper for the secretary Of stat
of the United States to do 50
The answer obviously IS no and very posi-
lively no.
Mr.. BRYAN knew before he accepted the Office
what its obligations are He knew very well tha
the United States can not defy the whole world
even in the matter OF social obligations and con
yentions, and lie knew that social entertainment
and not with grape juice either is one Of the chic
functions of that representative OF the home govern
nent who deals with the representatives of foreigr
governments oninternational matters.
Mr.. Bryan knew all this and he should have ac
ceped the position other secretaries of state have
done, by accepting the obligations and the self
sacrifices that might be necessary.
Mr., Bryan's last democratic predecessors, Mr.
Bayard and Mr.. Olney, were not rich men Neithe
was reported wealthier than Mr.. Bryan is reputee
to be. Both Of them entertained more extensvel,
than Mr.. Bryan has done. Neither Of them com
planned about his salary. Neither of them resortee
to the "most natural and extremely legitimate
method Of appealing to the public to help out hi
pay by paying to hear him. Both of them were or
the job all the time, and Mr. Olney in particular
proved one OF the abest secretaries of state W.
have ever had
Congress ought. to. come TO Mr., Bryan's relic
at once Let him schedule the amounts he think.
will meet the demands upon his purse made bv rea
son Of his being secretary Of state and no doub
Speaker Clark will be glad to jam such a bill
through the house, and Senator Bankhead will pr
1T through the senate
But perhaps Mr.. Bryan prefers to lecture OF
Chautauqua platforms, and let the Mexican ane
other diplomatic matters wait until he has earned
few hundred dollars. There he is before the dea,
people and 1915 is only three years and hal
away 81.