Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 September 1891 — THE PRESIDENT’S FAT. [ARTICLE]

THE PRESIDENT’S FAT.

Ho w General Harrison Draws His Monthly Salary. Washington Post. Just how President Harrison is paid, perhaps one man in a hundred knows. It is taken for granted, though, that the President gets his hand on his salary in some way and spends it very much after the fashion of other men. The statutes of the United States fix the salary of the President and other public officials. Mr. Harrison is entitled to $50,000 a year, and is supposed to be paid quarterly. In fact he is not. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Crounse has charge of the payment of salaries and once a month he sends to the Division of Accounts a document addressed to the Secretary of tho Treasury in these words: “Please cause a warrant to be.issued in favor of Benjamin Harrison,President of the United States, for the sum of $4,166.67, with which he is charged and held accountable under the following head of appropriations.’,' The section of the statute is quoted, ah>d the document signed by the Assistant Secretary. The warrant for this amount is then issued and recorded in the proper books, when it is sent to Treasurer Nebeker, who issues his draft on the United States Treasury in favor of the President. This draft is. no different from that of any other save that it is in the name of the President alone. If the Chief Magistrate is in the city, it is sent to the White House by special messenger and delivered to the President or his private secretary. After the President puts his name on the bock: of it the draft becomes negotiable paper, the same as any other; and it is sent by him to the Columbia Bank, where it is deposited to his credit and becomes a part of his private account. If he should be out of the city the Draft is sent, to the President by mail. It happened that on thd ISth of July Gen. Crook was going down to Cape May, and the draft for that month’s salary was given him to convey to the President. There is' no monthly accounting kept with the President or Vice-Pres-ident as with other officials, but at the close of his term a final settlement is made between the Treasury Department and the Executive.