The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-08-31
Cost of Living in White House.

noe q wear. His expenses have been
1ess than those of Mr.. Taft, the hrst
tn profit by the increase from S9o'-
e0e.
Although Mr.. Wilson has been
forced to deal with many more vital
domestic and international problems
than any other president in recent
wears. he finds time to look after MS
nersonal business affairs. He re-
ce;ves each month United States
treasury warrant for $500 ana
makes frequent visits, almost always
.foo+ to a bank a few blocks from
the white house.
In the early days of the Unlteo
States the presidency was no place
for, q man without Independent
means The Office cost the occupant
more than he got out of it, and at
least one president, Andrew Jackson
after spending $4,000 of his own
money. ended his term without nav
ing enough to pay his travelling e2-
penses back home.
At first the salary was $4,000 a
wear, regarded then as very liberal
But as the country grew in territory
and Importance the expenses OF tne
nresident increased; distinguished
visitors from foreign nations hao 10
no entertained, receptions and State
dinners became frequent and other
expenses developed. The time came
when a president had to pay out
more money than he received.
Congress, in 1873, after long,
bitter fight, increased the salary 10
s50,o00. Soon afterward congress
passed a bill reducing the pay 10
s25,o 900 again, but President Grant
vetoed the measure.
In those days congress proVloeo
no assistance in the payment OF
white house bills. But there came
a gradual awakening to the hnanclai
hurdens of the presidency, and ap-
pronriations came little by little, un-
til now approximately 100000 is al
lowed to defray certain expenditures
in addition to $4,000 a year for
travelling expenses.
Even with this help president
cannot escape paying about $4,000
a wear from his salary for provisions
for the white house tables, enter
tanning, clothing, and contributions
to charitable and other organizations.
This leaves him $4,000 a year,
which he may possibly set aside for
future needs.
This is not exorbitant; for most
men who are of president calibre-
and many who are not-accumulate
much more than 100000 in four
years. According to the federal in
come tax returns for 1915 there are
in the United States at least 3,S49
persons receiving $4,000 or more
annually. There are $3.50 more who
get between $4,000 and $4,000.
Few of these should find it difficult
to set aside $4,000 year.
The biggest item a president must
meet from his own pocket is the cost
of provisions for the white house
tables. There rarely are fewer than
thirty persons at every meal, includ-
ing the president and his family,
guests. and staff of servants aver
aging from twenty to twenty-five.
Bills for groceries, meat, milk and
other provisions, ordered by the
housekeeper, under the general SUI
pervision of the mistress of the white
house, f1uctuate considerably. In
summer, during the brief time the
president and his family are at the
seashore or in the mountains, these
bills at the white house can be kept
down to about $1,000 month, OF
even less. But when the president
is in Washington and during the win
ter social season they run from two
to four times that amount
This increase in winter is due to
the extensive entertaining expected
OF the president and his wife. State
receptions and dinners, of which
there are always eight or nine in a
season, cost upwards of $1,000 each.
The president and Mrs. Wilson
this year included in their social pro-
gramme four large receptions and
five State dinners. In addition there
were many smaller, less formal af-
fairs.
At the receptions the number of
guests invariably ranges from twen-
ty-fiye hundred to thirty-fve hun