The weekly Alaska citizen., 1918-03-11

then a millionaire; walked into a Central Y. N. c. A. building where a fair was being held for the organiza. ton. He stopped in front of a booth where was conspicuously displayed a dolly which had been donated" by Mrs. Mckinley. the invalid wife of President Mckinley.
 MT. Freeman unused over this and asked the attendant how Mrs. Mckinley had come to give 1t.
 Why" said the attendant, i've asked Mrs. Mckinley to help along this fair and she sent us this to sell"
 MT. Freeman waited a while longer No one bought Mrs. McKinley's dolly. At last there was an auction. MT. Freeman attended the auction.
 This beautiful dolly was made by Mrs. Mckinley. wife of our Presi. dent." announced the auctioneer. What am I bid for it?"
 Five cents." said some one in the audience
 MT. Freeman shivered. Slowly the bidding crept up to quarter, and at twenty-five cents the work which the mistress of the White House had spent perhaps hours on was sold to some one or other. MT. Freeman did not bid it in because an idea was germinating in his mind.
 It took twenty years for the idea to bear fruit. MT. Freeman died the other day in Philadelphia, worth about three million dollars. By his will he set aside $300.000 for "the sole use of the lady who serves as the first lady of the lnad.'" whether she be the wife of the President, his daughter. sister or other attache of his official household, so long as she shall be acknowledged hostess or housewife" of the White House "as long as this Republic shall en dure."
 This $500. 900 is to be so invested by salaried trustees that it will yield not less than $12.36o a year, and "the first lady of the land" is to re ceive $1.000 of it each month during her occupancy of the White House This money cannot be attached, en tailed or in any way be interfered with by any process of law. The $360 left over is to cover taxes.
 The first lady of the land will not have to render any accounting for il to any one. She can spend it or she car save 1t.
 It is well known that the salary oi the President is not enough for the expenses he is put to in keeping UT his position. It has only been within the last few years that congress, talk ing cognizanee of this long-discussed point. raised the Presidents salary by giving him s25.000 more foI "traveling expenses" We have never had a rich man as Presiden,-indeed the feeling of the Republic is agains, this. And it is a fact that almost every President has gone out of the White House poorer than when he went into it.
 With these demands upon compara lively poor men. it follows that the Presidents wife. or whoever 1t is that occupies the position of mistress of the White House. cannot have without an independent fortune oi her own. the means to keep up ade quately what is called "appearances.' The present Mrs. Wilson is the first Presidents wife in history to have an income of her own large enough to enable her to live up to the posi- ton the government has forced upor her.
 It cannot be pleasant for the na tion's first hostess to sit at a dinner in the White House with all hel guests shining in jewels and clothing in the newest and most expensive fashions while she presides at the head of the table in last years gowr or some inexpensive makeshift- All this wise Mr. Freeman appar ently considered. He realized that the government of the United States had put it's foremost hostess in tho reverse position of "all dressed uI and no place to go." She had every where to 50 and all way to go, but not the dress. For instance. it 1, true that when she wanted to ride she could have the use of two mag nificent high-powered automobile, that cost the government $12.00( apiece-touring car and limousine True. too. that two expert chauffeur. were at her hand. that each is pait $100 a month by the government. Her dwelling is a palace. provided rent-free. Housekeeping need no bother her at all; a capable woman paid $1.000 a year by the government takes all of that oil her hands. Int servant problem" never gives hel the slightest annoyance. Her but Ter. known as the steward" doe' all the hiring and firing" and hiI wages, 5000 per annum. are drawI