Evening star., 1934-08-12
SALARY OF 4,9O
ISPA|D TO R|TCH|E
Small Sum Is Bolstered,
However, by Extras"
State Provides.

on S4,ouU n year.
This question. repeatedly asked by
the voters, especially In an election
year, calls for an answer that goes
back to the days of Gov. Austin Il.
Crothers, elected In 1907.
For many years all Of Maryland's
Governors have been rich men. Croth-
ers, however, was poor" man and
announced he could not afford to
live in the executive mansion at An
napolis. q pretentious 12-room brick
town house. on his salary Of s4,5o0 a
year. Instead, he indicated. he would
live in a hotel in Baltimore.
Rather than see the executive take
such a step, however. the Legislature
promptly appropriated $1,000 a year
''for the living expenses Of the Gov
ernor" in the mansion. This was the
only way the money could be made
available TO Crothers, for. under the
Maryland constitution, salaries of pub
lie officials cannot be raised or
lowered during their term OF office.
A change in the Governors salary
would. furthermore. have had to be
approved at referendum as an
amendment TO the constitution.
whereas an appropriation to defray
the expenses of his office could be
passed like any other fiscal bill.
Increases Reach $4,000.
In the succeeding years, this $4,000
has been increased gradually until
now it is $4,000, and is known as
the mansion maintenance fund" In
addition, another $4,000, known as
the Governors contingent fund. is at
the disposal Of the chief executive
for various expenses. From these
funds all expenses in connection with
the upkeep of the mansion itself, for
official entertainments and office ex-
penses are paid. 1t has been the boast
of the Ritchie administration that
every year an unexpended balance of
these funds has been returned to the
State treasury. In 1882 more than
$4,000 was refunded.
1t also has been the custom in re-
cent years to include $4,000 in the
State budget for mansion repair and
replacement" $4,000 for the "auto-
mobile maintenance fund" and
smaller sums for the salaries of the
employees of the executive mansion.
Some idea of the personnel Of the
mansion and their pay can be cleaned
from the appropriations made for them
In the current budget, which lists
them as follows:
Assistant superintendent Of build
ings at executive mansion, $1,000;
two buffers, So, 400; one janitor, 1924;
one maid, $8l6; one laundress, $500;
one cook, 1864; one steward, $1,040:
one maid, $3.50; one maid, $710, and
81 900 for extra help" In some years,
as in 1882, the appropriation for the
steward and one of the maids was
unexpended.
From the $4,000 automobile mainte-
nance fund the salary Of the chauffeur
is paid At present there are two
cars at the mansion, spare" for use
In case the "No. l car" breaks down.
The 1885 budget provides $4,000 for
a new car for the Governor.
Yacht at His Disposal.
Maryland's executive also has at
his disposal the yacht of the state
Conservation Commission. There have
been some disputes between the Re
publicans and Democrats Of the State
because the former have at times
tried to give the impression that this
ship is little more than private
yacht for the Governor. Ritchie used
it to reach the Maryland Tercenten-
ary celebration In st. Marys County
this Summer.
Add them all up, the mansion, the
servants, the automobiles and the
yacht, and 1t is obvious that Mary
lands Governor, despite his $4,500 a
year salary, can live like a man with
a salary of from $50, 900 to $50, 900 a
year. No wonder a United States
Senator is willing to forego his $10,-
900 a year salary to be GOVERNOR
On the other hand there is no doubt
that conscientious Chief Executive
earns all that the State gives him.
Ritchie is known as one Of the hard
est-working Governors Maryland has
had On a typical day he arrives at
his Office on the second floor of the
State House about 10 am, passing
through the elaborately furnished re-
ception room with its oil paintings of
all of the States Governors, and
through the busy room of his clerical
force to reach the comparatively
plainly equipped private office which
is his workshop"
1t always has been his policy to be
easily accessible to the public and
scores of persons see him each day,
many without appointment. His office
force consists of three secretaries and
three clerks.
Occasional Lunch at Desk.
Sometime after noon if business is
too pressing for him to walk across
the street to the executive mansion
he has lunch brought to his desk and
eats while transacting affairs of state.
Often the evening meal in the ex-
ecutive mansion is favored with state
craft, too, for Maryland's bachelor
Governor frequently has political aides
as dinner guests. More often than
not he goes back to the State House
that he is still busy at his desk
when midnight arrives.
The Governor also maintains offices
in the Union Trust Building, Balti-
more, and spends one or more days q
week there. taking clerical aides from
Annapolis with him. Except on those
days when the Governor uses them,
the Baltimore offices are closed. II
he has to stay in the city over night
he occupies a suite in the Hotel Bel
vedere.
Maryland has no Lieutenant Gov