Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1880 — What Hayes Costs. [ARTICLE]

What Hayes Costs.

In the multitude of items that make up the Deficiency bill, which passed the House of Representatives a few da;< ago, is one “for contingent expenses o. the Executive office, including stationery therefor, $1,000,” for the current fiscal year. There is no excuse for any deficiency in that office, and this loose practice of voting away the people’s money on false pretences deserves tip severest reprobation. Before Gen. Grant became President the sum voted for contingent expenses was small, yet abundant for the object. Until the last year of the civil war SI,OOO per annum was appropriated for Mr. Lincoln. In 1864 the appropriation was raised to $2,000, on account of exceptional demands od the Executive office. The Republicans in the Forty-second Congress not only doubled Grant’s salary, in violation of the precedent which had stood untouched from the foundation of the Government, but they increased the pay and emoluments of all his surroundings, and voted $6,000 a year for “contingent expenses of the Executive office. ” or three times as much as the highest sum ever received by Mr. Lincoln. Last year Congress appropriated “so/ contingent expenses of the Executive office, including stationery therefor, $6,000.” And now, before nine months have passed away, this money is all gone, and the fraudulent President asks for SI,OOO more. We undertake to say, and all experience justifies the assertion, that $6,000 a year cannot be legitimately expended for proper contingencies of the Executive office, because the only expense to lie incurred is for ordinary stationery and postage stamps. I'nis money is practically an addition io the salary of the Executive, and was so utilized, partially, by Grant. Hayes has tinned rally three-fourths of it into the fund for maintaining his personal household, and in that way has saved so much of his regular pay. No num ever occupied the Executive Mansion heretofore who made a business of converting the office and its opportunities to moneyhoarding, as Hayes has done, and that, too, by the meanest of contrivances. The cant about temperance, is a mere dodge in the line of economy, for it is notorious that the scruple disappears when the expense falls on somebody The cost of keeping up the Executive establishment has increased out of all proportion to any necessity that exists for the expenditure. It is not the dollars and cents alone that provoke criticism upon this extravagance, but the far more serious consideration that it is a departure from the simplicity of the fathers, and is an attempt to imitate the pomp and parade of monarchical Government. Take the items of 1879 as an illustraConipensatlon of President $ 50,000 Compensation of private secretary 3,250 Compensation of assistant secretary 2,250 Compensation of two executive clerks at $2,000 each 4,0(h) Compensation of stenographer 1,800 Compensation of steward 1,800 Compensation of messenger and usher. 1,200 Compensation of furnace keeper 804 Compensation of night watchman 900 Compensation of one night usher 1,200 Compensation of two day ushers at $1,400 each 2,800 Compensation of two doorkeepers at $1,200 each 2,40<) Compensation of one clerk 1,800 Compensation of one clerk 1,400 Compensation of one clerk 1,200 Compensation of one telegraph operator 1,100 Compensation of four messengers (to wait on the three clerks and telegraph operator nominally, but really servants) at sl,2(h) each 4,800 Two horses for messengers, to l>e furnished by the .Secretary of War, nominally for use of messengers, but really for Secretary’s carriage, cost not given. New item Contingent expenses (>,OOO Grounds of Executive Mansion 5,000 Refurnishing, repairs, and greenhouses 25,000 Total $119,904 11l addition to all these charges, fuel and light are supplied free ; there is a large kitchen garden attached to the premises, and -there are grounds that urnish hav for the horses. In fact, the occupant of the White House is at no expense but for the food and dressing of his family, and most of the former comes from the Commissary Department of the army, at wholesale prices for the choicest articles. This is the bill for one year of a fraudulent President, who is believed to have invested over $125,000 of his pay and perquisites since March 4, 1877.— New York Sun.