Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-27

AS President Of the United states,
George washington probably was the
highest-paid working man OF his time.
There were no corporation executives,
movie stars, base ball players or prize
fighters whose staggering incomes
might have embarrassed the moralists
Of the day by being higher than the
Chief Executives pay. Some business
man Of the time may have had higher
commercial incomes, but probably no
man received a higher actual salary
than the $4,000 paid Washington.
This Is the belief of the division Of
information and publication OF the
United States George Washington BIZ
centennial Commission, which has COM
piled q few figures on the facts.
The $4,000 annual salary Of PreSi-
dent Washington was fixed by the infant
Congress in an act of September "a,
1888. This figure was confirmed rs the
presidential salary by the act of Feb
ruary 10, 1893, and for 80 years the
sum remained fixed. In 1873. the presi-
Dental pay was doubled when Congress
passed an act on March that was to
become effective the following day.
Thirty-six years passed until second
raise" was given the President and
this time. March 4. 1909, the present
salary of $4,000 was established Presi-
dent Taft was the FIRST White House in
cumbent TO be paid the present scale.
Vice President Gets One Fifth.
As far as other Federal ofAcials pay
goes, they are all considerably less than
that paid the Chief Executive. Curl
ouSly enough, the Vice President nearly
always has received one-flfth as much
as the President The same act of
Congress that fixed washingtons salary
at $25. 900. made John Adams vice pres
idential pay 5000. Today, the Vice
President receives $4,000 a year, still
NTH as much as the President re-
ceives.
In 1853, however, Congress became
more generous and raised the Vice
Presidents salary to $4,000. while still
leaving the presidential salary at S25 =
900. In 1873, when the Presidents pay
was doubled to $50 900, the Vice Presi-
dent was raised TO 10000 the old ra-
ito Of one-fiftn again. But in 1907 the
Vice President beat his chief to the next
and last salary raise, when Congress
awarded him $4,000. The presidential
raise to $4,000, in 1909. left the Vice
one-sixth. but in 1925 Congress cor
rected this and increased the Vice
President TO his present rate OF $4,000.
Cabinet of1cers were, from the begin
ming. let in on the ground floor. 1t
seems odd to look back and learn that
a Secretary OF State of the United
States once received a salary that in
these days might be shifted at by the
subassistant to the credit manager of
a department store. Yet Thomas JEFF
ferson. our first Secretary of State, was
paid precisely $500 So was the first
man to hold the ofice now filed by
Andrew W. Mellon. The great Alexan-
der Hamilton drew down his So. 500 and
no more. As for Washington's Secre-
tary OF War, Gen. Knox, he was let
down with q mere $4,000. During
Washington's administrations the United
States Attorney General had so little
to do that 1t was a part-time job, and
its holder had TO rely on other sources
of income.
Cabinet Salaries Raised.
The cabinet which consisted Of these
four original members In 1888 had be-
rome cabinet of six in 1899 BY then
the Secretaries Of State and the Treas
ury were raised to $1,000 a year. The
Secretaries Of War and the Navy got
81 500. and the Attorney General and
the Postmaster General drew $4,000 In
1919 the Secretaries OF State, the
Treasury, War and Navy were given
$4,000. The Postmaster General got a
lift to $4,000. But the Attorney Gen.
eral still was the poor member of the
family. on q salary of $500.
In 1888 Congress placed the entire
cabinet on an even basis at So 900
year, and by then there was a seventh
member--ths Secretary of the Interior.
In 1873. the year when the Presidents
salary went up to $50, 900, a generous
600 each. In 1907 the salary was made
$4,000. and in 1925, the year when
Congress raised it's own salary, the cabi-
net wage OF $4,000 yearly was estab-
lished.
AS for the members Of Congress. the
story Of their struggles for living wage
Is even more full Of incident When
the United States Government came
into being, as established b.. the Con-
stitution, under the presidency Of
George washington, the members of
Congress were treated, from a salary
standpoint, as day laborers, and their
endeavors in craftsmanship seem to
have been regarded as piece-work. At
any rate, they were paid a daily wage
of Sc, and that only while attending
sessions OF Congress and paying strict
attention to business.
The Speaker Of the House alone Jared
better. He received daily pay Of So
for being Speaker. In addition to his
regular s. Is Representative from his
district.
In 1915 the Senators, Representatives
and Delegates from the Territories voted
70 pay themselves . yearly salary o.