The Washington herald., 1920-12-09
BY RENE BACHE.

People are much interested in
what Mr.. Woodrow Wilson will do
with himself after his departure
from the White House, March 4.
The most wretched situation in
the world is that of former Presi-
dent" said Mr.. Cleveland, at the end
Of his first term. But this view
does not bear analysis, .inasmuch
as a number of our Presidents have
pursued existence actively and use
fully after leaving the office.
The specter of poverty has haunt
observation-disclosures Monroe. Jack
impossible in these commercial
times, when the mere fact Of being
a former President is worth $4,000
q year to any man. For the pres
tige conferred by the high office
of President has a distinct value in
the business and professional world
when the White House days are
done.
Harrison. He h6d never been finan-
Siohy S1SScSSlui as lawyer pul
after he left the White House he
could command, and get, $4,000 for
acting as advocate in a single case.
The government paid him 100000
in a lump for one job which lie
would have been glad to undertake
a few years earlier for a twentieth
part of that sum.
Cleveland was a poor man when
hn n,.N
when he left IT, after his first term,
porous law firms in New York Of
fered him a partnership, and ref
ereeships gave a rapid bulge to his
bank account.
Cleveland Became Rich.
A number of former Presidents
have taken up literature. John
Adams, after his retirement, col
lected historical data. Grant wrote
his memoirs to furnish needed
money for his family. Harrison and
Cleveland did magazine work at
good prices, $500 to $1,000 an arti-
Gle. The stun they furnished was
worth the money, because they were
former Presidents, IL not for any
other reason. Roosevelt was a
skilled writer: indeed, literature
was his profession.
The Leland Stanford University
paid Benjamin Harrison $4,000 a
year for a dozen lectures annually
not before, but after he was Pres
ident. When he died his estate was
worth $375,0o0. Roosevelt left $780,
600. So,
Cleveland at the time 6f his
death was worth considerably more
than 100000. Most of his money.
however. was made through the ''un-
earned increment" of land values.
He bought real estate in the out
skirts of Washington; a boom in
land arrived opportunely, and he
sold at an immense profit. When
Chicago gas was cheap he bought
a lot Of it and gained a fortune
thereby.
Van Buren, Well Ts Do.
Eight Of our Presidents were men
of wealth when they took the ONCE
Madison, John Quincy
Adams, Van Buren,, Polk, Fillmore,
Pierce and Buchanan. Cleveland left
the White House rich at the end of
his second term, and Roosevelt, who
was always well of, having Inherit
ed a fortune from his father, a glass
importer, became much wealthier
before he died.
Washington left at least $500, ,oo0,
being at the time Of his death per-
haps the richest man in the United
States. In his day the Mount ver-
non estate covered 5000 acres, or
twelve and half square miles, and
embraced number of farms on
which grain. tobacco and blooded
stock were produced.
John Quincy Adams owned much
valuable real estate in Boston and
also in what Is today the principal
shopping center of, Washington, on
Pennsylvania avenue and r street.
He was nearly so years old when
he left the White House and his
intention was to devote the rest of
his life to bookish pursuits, but the
folks at home In Quincy, Mass,
asked him IL he would consent to
serve them in Congress, and he re-
piled that he would consider Il
an ho0oY fo Ia ehoaAu a. ~al>~<usN