The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-06-12
PRESIDENT MUST PAY
|. A BIG RAILROAD BILL
- COSTS HIM TWENTY-FIVE
nrcrtLAR FARES FOR USE q
OF PRIVATE CAR.
EATS Up MUCH OF HIS SALARY

IL
oil For Forthcoming Trip Will Stag
-" n.r Him. In Old Days Companies
Transporting Presidents Stood Bur
den Of Travelling Expenses.
There still is a great deal Of mys-
.,, through the country as to how
w. ore.ident travels. Mr.. Harding's
.ar+bcoming journey to Alaska has
t.o,obt the subject up anew Tor dis
,,.s;on. says a Washington special to
~. Baltimore Sun. Continuing, the
Sun writer says: :,
Does he use pass"
"Does he pay for the trip out OF his
Does he pay for the newspaper
men and the photographers who go
along'
He Pays His Way.
These are the most common ques-
hons that come to Washington, and
ior the sake of brevity the answer to
m OF them is No"
The president of the United States
!, not "deadhead" in railroad par
Si,oce He must pay his fare just as
sry ordinary individual must, except
Fiat the president, for the sake OF ex-
Serltiye secusion, always uses a prl-
ra+e car. and in order to induce the
ralroads to handle this car he has to
H. p full fares instead OF one. Any
zcrd;nary person, however, can have a
Sbryate car hauled at exactly the same
Sate
4 There was a time, up to and includ-
Mng large part of the Roosevelt ad-
nipistration, when the president was
rarred free by the railroads; not only
Hhe president but all of his encourage,
&ncluding as many guests as he cared
"a invite. The Pennsylvania railroad
kn the old days financed many a presi-
Siential trip entirely across the conti-'
bent and back, defraying not only the
kypenses of transportation, but all
sbullman charges and both solid and
#quid refreshments, with atter-d1nne
Smokes thrown in for good measure.
Expensive for Railroads.
1t is estimated that some of the big
Residential Swings around the cir
s' cost the Pennsylvania as high as
-. SEQ or 100000 There was no
&thcr way the president could travel,
Anless he chose to spend the greater
Hortion OF his salary, which was but
100000 a year at that time.
q Congress at last came to the con-
&usion that the practice OF placing the
Burden OF presidential trips on few
q accommodating railroads was all
#rong. I. was agreed that the presl-
it, should travel but that he should
81 have to place himself under obi
cations to the railroads for services
8 rderod So congress, doffing its coat
n niggardlineSs. not only raised the
,idcntial salary to $4,000 a year.
Mr.. TAFT came into Office, but
granted yearly appropriation OF So
Il additional for travelling expenses.
ut even $4,000 a year does not pro-
30 an awful lot OF transportation at
F. prevailing rates.
This Bill Will Stagger Him.
81 When he starts across the continent
#his month the president will trayel
% special train. A special train costs
rs full railroad fares for every mile
#raveled. In addition to this every
pullman car in the special train costs
D. a day, with an additional sur
charge which also goes to the rail
foads. 1t can be seen that at this rate
8Rhe presidential appropriation will be
81 sed probably for two cars OF the
&pecial train, accommodating the pres
dents immediate party, including his
ecretary, George Christian, and DR..
fa"yer and such personal guests as
desires to take along, as we'll as
3 Faif OF clerks and stenographers to
andle the executive business while
ne chief magistrate is on tour.
Newspaper m EN-, photographers,
peclal writer's, and even the secret
TVlce men will have to bear their
pare OF the general expense of the
Fam. On some of the Taft trips,
aen ~ailroad fares were much cheap
than they are otday, each news
sager man was assessed as high as
-''V0 Tor travelling expenses alone.
Must Rent Private Car.
Contrary to the general impression,
lie president of the United States has
81 private car of his own. When he
oes on the road he is compelled to
ht one from the Pullman company.
mere has been talk from time to
Ae OF providing the chief executive
I'm car, but congress never has
ahen the step. The $4,000 travel ap-
IopHatlon always has proved suffi-
sht so tar, even with so keen a way
aTer Mr.. Taft.
Inc Alaskan portion of the jour
y and the return trip through the
a'alao canal, of course, will be made
a Ivy vessel, but here again the
Dental party will pay for its
p NY standing full share in the
Guy cost OF the messes aboard.