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Show What i. provided free for Pmideat'. wivM-bu wilnout r .to keep up the .ope.raocp, th Luriei make nece.s.ry. 1, U the White House, rent fuel J light : tree , A pair of hijh-priced .art and two cUuifeurs; 3. fourteen horses and t- pooms, 4, a rcjor- Queen Mary of England in Some of the Robes and Jewels Which Her Country Pays for in Order That Britain's "First Lady of the Land" May Keep Up the Dignity of Her Position. TWENTY years ago Lawyer Henry. G. Freeman, of Philadelphia, even then ;i millionaire, walked into a Central Y. M. C A. building where a fair was being held for the organization. He stopped in front of a booth where was conspicuously displayed a doily which had been "donated" by Mrs. MeKinley. the invalid wife of President Presi-dent MeKinley. Mr. Freeman mused over this and asked the attendant how Mrs. MeKinley had come to give it. "Why." said the attendant, "we asked Mrs. MeKinley to help along this fair and she sent us this to sell." Mr. Freeman waited a while longer. No one bought Mrs. MeKinley 's doily. At last there was an auction. Mr. Freeman attended attend-ed the auction. "This beautiful doily was made by Mrs. MeKinley, wife of our President." announced, an-nounced, the auctioneer. "What am I bid for it V" "Five cents," said some one in the audience. audi-ence. Mr. Freeman shivered. Slowly the. bidding bid-ding crept up to a quarter, and at twenty-five twenty-five cents 1he work which the mistress of the White House had spent perhaps hours on M as sold 1o some one or other. Mr. Free-l Free-l man did not bid it in because an idea was germinating in his mind. It took twenty years for the idea to bear fruit. Mr. Freeman died the other day in Philadelphia, worth about, three million dollars. dol-lars. By his will he -set aside $300,000 for ' "the sole use of the lady who serves as "the ! first lady of the land." whether she be the wife of the President, his daughter, sister or other attache of his official household, so long as she shall he acknowledged hostess or i "housewife" of the White House "as long as this Republic shall endure." This $300,000 is to be so invested by salaried trustees that it will yield not Jess than $12.3f0 a year, and "the first lady of the land" is to receive $1,000 of it each month during her occupancy of the White House. This money cannot be attached, en-tailed en-tailed or in any way he interfered with by any process of law. The $360 left over is to t :ovor taxes. ! The first lady of the land will not have to render any accounting for it to any one. She can spend it or she can save it. It is well known that the salary of the President is not enonn-v, for the expenses he . is put to in keeping i his position. It has only been within the last few years tiiat Congress, Con-gress, taking cognizaii'-e of this long-dis-( domo, who is an army officer; S, . social secretary; 6, e.ght ehgible J0t bachclo . to rucsh: 7, a butler; 8, twelve house servants and an engmeer; 9 a housekeeper; 10, a chef d two 'assistants;' U, elaborate conservatories and gardeners ; 12, the ' of 47 pieces; 13, the yacht MayBower and its crew; 14, x post off.ee clerks to look after her HI . V cussed point, raised the President's salary by giving him $25,000 more for "traveling expenses." We have never had a rich man as President indeed, the feeling of the Republic Re-public is against this. And it is a fact that almost every President, has gone out of the "White House poorer than he went into it. With these demands upon comparatively poor men. it follows that the President's wife, or whoever it is that occupies the position posi-tion of mistress of the White House, cannot have, without, an independent fortune of her own, the means to keep up adequately what is called "appearances." The present Mrs. Wilson is the first President s wife in history . to have, an income in-come of her own ' lare enough to enable her to live up to the position the Government has forced upon her. It cannot be pleasant for the nation's first hostess to sit at a dinner in the White House with all her guests shining in jewels and clothing in the newest and most expensive fashions while she presides at the head of the fable in last year's gown or some inexpensive inexpen-sive makeshift. All this wise Mr. Freeman apparently considered, con-sidered, lie realized that the Government of the United States had put its foremost hostess in the reverse of the position of "all dressed up and no place to go.'' She had everywhere to go and all ways to go. but not the dress. For instance, it is mi that when she wanted to ride she could have the use of two magnificent high-powered automobiles that cost the Government $12,-000 $12,-000 apiece touring car ami limousine. True, too, that. Iwo expert chauffeurs wore at her band, that each is paid $100 a month by the Copy i1!;: hi own maO; IS, another clerk to look after the seating of cuests at entertainments ; 16, a Summer residence provided by others but looked after by the Government; 17, gardeners for Summer residence; 18, electricians and mechanics to look after the White House. How Kind-Hearted Millionaire Freeman Has Elal iisSied a Fend to Forever Provide Every President's Wife with Befitting .Clothes and Pocket Money i A ' Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, ; : ,. Wife of Our Present Pres- . , ' ident and the First Mis- - tress of the White House : - ' to Have an Income of Her '' Own Large Enough to Dress Her Part and Fulfil All the Obligations Placed Upon Her Without Envy or Humiliation. Government. Her dwelling is a palace, provided rent-free. rent-free. Housekeeping need not bother her at all; a capable woman, paid $1,000 a year by the Government, takes all of that off her hands. The "servant problem" never gives her the slightest annoyance. Her butler, known as the "steward" does all the "hiring "hir-ing and firing;" and his wages, $2,000 per annum, are drawn from the Treasury. There arc a dozen other house-servants, of whom four are men. In the kitchen de-:, de-:, 1317, by ;hc Star Company. Great Britain Rights .. partment are a cook and two assistant cooks. The "first . lady," of com-se, has her own -. maid; the other women do duty as "upstairs girls" or m the laundry. The President pays the head cook and his wile s , maid; all the others are earned -wivjs. on tie Government payroll. A personal secretary paid bv TJncle Sam $1,400 a year attends to her correspondence cor-respondence and minor errands. Over the housekeeper, buller and the. dozen servants, the President's wife is not obliged to exercise a. general supervision. The President's personal aide, a Jroung array officer, -is ex-officio major-domo, and looks out for everything. Incidentally he acts as a sort, of factotum to the mistress of the establishment. Then there is the Summer home, with its grounds to be kept. up. with its special staff of servants; an official physician to be paid all a. drain on the President's salary. Flowers cost, money these days, but the While House housewife can have them in unlimited quantities without paying a cent. Mrs. Wilson is fond of music. Any day she wants it she can send for I lie Marine Band to come to the White House and play Tor her. Reserved. The Late Mrs. MeKinley, Whose Needlework Given to a Y. M C. A. in Response to an Appeal for Aid, Started Millionaire Freeman on His Plan to Put Every Mistress of the White House Above the Humiliations Humili-ations Due to Lack of Independent Income. How Kind-Hearted Millionaire Freeman Has Eslab- ' f"' " . r iis!ied a Fend to Forever Provide Every President's , :f : ' " .V Wife with Befitting Clothes and Pocket Money iv , ,; f, i l - . ' kf I . -y l ' v " . , - " v f is- , ' . , ' ' 1 " - : H, v, y l Willi ? ' v . -, , 1 J . -v. - , - M . ' , ' A ' I'- , -r- - : s I . - l f n . ' " '""",' " - "" . -V ' T, Cl'""'tr' rr-,j-o r.uTDu jt i ru- u . v w, - ' - The Late Mrs. MeKinley, Whose Needlework Given to a Queen Mary of England in Some of the Robes and Jewels Which f-V, 's , - , Y. M C. A. in Response to an Appeal for Aid, Started Her Country Pays for m Order That Britain s First Lady of Sf, " , t 4' Millionaire Freeman on His Plan to Put Every the Land May Keep Up the Dignity of Her Position. - Mistress of the White House Above the Humih- a-: . .' v.: -; . : s ations Due to Lack of Independent Income. TWENTY years ago Lawyer Henry G. cussed point, raised the President's salaiy V !, . At White House dmne, s or other enter- Freeman, of Philadelphia, even then hy giving him $25,000 more for "traveling . -. ., , wm , . , , pvnpnws " U"i,..,.,.uj. v v , tamments theie ai e eommonlv young women a millionaire, walked into a Central expenses Uehave neer had a rich man . . . , ,, . , . f. , as President indeed, the feeling of the Re- " ' , for vhom agreeable young men must be pro- ncl f I'- S"!. &i7Z SlrSe??- tl"1 1S a ffCVh,at t s ?aea, in order that they mav have a good - front of a booth where was conspicuously ' ?ts Presidcn2 has gone out of the 1ime To ordmarv hostesses this is a matter disi-lavcd a doilv which had been "donated" NN e , "Se P0rer than he went mto t , ' of everlasting difficulty, but not so vxith the bv Mrs. McKinlev. the invalid wife of Presi- "h these demands upon eomparatn elv , , - "first lady." Eegularh attached to the dent McKinlev. ' , poor men' lt; follows that the President's . . President's staff aie seen or eight young- :ir. Freeman mused over this' and asked "yife. or whoever it is that occupies the posi , ' and good looking bar helor orTitei s known as the attendant how Mrs. MeKinley had come .tlrm of mistress 0f the White House, cannot "soual aides," contributed from the army, to give it have, without an independent fortune of her the navy and the marine coips. "Whv." said the attendant, "we asked ' Ti1! es t0 keePP adequately nhat ( 4 These young men are ahwivs at her beck Mrs. McKinlev to help along this fair and r l i. T"1"1 I ho present Mrs. - and call for v, hate, cr serMces she chooses to she sent us tliis to sell." b p -a 7' i' . ' ' demand of them A rcquct from her (to Mr. Freeman waited a while longer. No nrst lesiaent s , vhom the President's authority is delegated) one bought Mrs. MeKinley s doily. At last wife m history . v , ' is practically a military command. She there v as an auction. Mr. Freeman attend- to "ave au m- " T ' ' " ' vants them to dance. They dance. She ed the auction. ?ome of her own J ' . ' ' needs them as beaux for girls staj nig at the "This beautiful doily was made by Mrs. ' large enough to , , .. White House They "do the attentive." MeKinley. wife of our President." an- enable her to J ' , ? - ' ' , ', ' n A frind of Mr Ft ecman. an eminent at- nounccd the auctioneer. "What am I bid live up to the ' - " ' ' ' - S" ' 1oi nev m Philadelphia, thus recounts one of for it V" position the J , Fieeman's conversations with him re- "Five cents," said some one in the audi- Government has f " ' ' - garding the matter at least ten vears ago. elc1 forced upon f-' i ' , ' ' ' ' Mr. Freeman said- "The Government y Mr. Freeman shivered. Slowly the. bid- her. if , - - t. r , , I ' . - ought to pay the lady who leads the social ding crept up to a quarter, and at twenty- It cannot be ' ' ' official life of this nation She ought to hav e five cents 1 he work which the mistress of pleasant for the i . " ' t . at least if 1 .000 a month for her , ery own, as the White House had spent perhaps hours nation's first . ' ' ' v omen say it It w as a crime to ask a com- on was sold lo some one or other. Mr. Free- hostess to sit at - partment are a cook and two paratively poor man like MeKinley to meet l man did not bid it in because an idea was ;, dinner in the . assistant cooks. The "first SQ manv 'obligations of his office out of his germinating in his mind. White House - . lady," of com-se, has her own mean little salarv, and then foist upon him, It took twenty years for the idea to bear with all her maid, the other women do dut jn addition, the necessary expense incident fruit. Mr. Freeman died the other clay in guests - shining " . t as " upstairs girls" or m the to raai,mg his wife presentable at official Philadelphia, worth about, three million dol- jn jewels and ';' -" .... -. ".,": -i- laundry. The President pays functions lars. By his will he -set aside $300,000 for clothing in the the head cook and his wiles . "Congress on Hit to fi a salary for the "the sole use of the lady who serves as "the newest and '' , .'..",'-. ' ; . V p' , ,,; ; ' ' -v u AB-,.-a Ew,w. ma"1,; a", the othcl;s are c,"'Icd first ladoi the land and pay it to her every : first lady ot the land, whe her she be the lnost expensive : , i 7 : , . ; : C - ' " ,r S WARft,s on the Government payroll raonth hp pams i(. ufp Jg & : wife of the 1 resident, his daughter, sister fashions while ? - '-. : ,.;; '' A personal secretary paid bv snl.bcd in a routine of duties which the first or other attache of his official household, so she presides at . ' ,, ; Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, Uncle Sam $1,400 a year attends to her cor- Mrs Harrison was frank enough lo say long as she shall he acknowledged hostess or the head of the j ;''"';., : .. ' , ;; - -'. Wife of Our Present Pres- respondenee and minor errands. bored her to death President Harrison was "housewife" of the White House "as long fable in last ' V '. ' ' 'v :" r- ' " :y' ident and the First Mis- Over the housekeeper, buller and the. well off. but Mrs Harrison was not. enthu- as this Republic shall endure." year's gown or to Have anncome' of Her dozen servants, the President's wife is not siaslic over paving out $1,000 a month, or This S300.000 is to be so invested by some inexpen- .. ' M :':;:f." Own Large Enough to obliged to exercise a general supervision. even more, for affairs that Were of no real salaried trustees that it will yield not Jess sive makeshift. -,: , - Dress Her Part and Fulfil The President's personal aide, a young army personal interest to her. than $12,360 a year, and "the first lady of All this wise ': V ':'.K,i-3.;-,-! Cn the Obligations Placed officer, is ex-officio major-domo, and looks "She ought to get a 'direct, revenue from the land" is to receive $1,000 of it each Mr. Freeman ''-,,: Upon Her Without Envy out for everything. Incidentally he acts as Conarress, but, upon f'onsress failinur. I shall At White House dinners or other enter-tamments enter-tamments there are eommonlv young women for whom agreeable young men must be provided, pro-vided, m order that they may have a good time. To ordinary hostesses this is a matter of everlasting difficulty; but not so with the "first lady." Eegularlv attached to the President's staff are seven or eight young-and young-and good looking bachelor officers, known as "social aides," contributed from the army, the navy and the marine corps. These young men are alwavs at her beck and call for whatever services she chooses to demand of them. A request from her (to whom the President's authority is delegated) is practically a military command. She wyants them to dance. They dance. She needs them as beaux for girls staying at the White House. They "do the attentive." x A friend of Mr. Freeman, an eminent attorney at-torney m Philadelphia, thus recounts one of Mr. Freeman's conversations with him regarding re-garding the matter at least, ten vears ago.j ; ' "Mr. Freeman said: "The Government ought to pay the lady wdio leads the social official life of this nation. She ought to have at least $1,000 a month for her very own, as women say it. It was a crime to ask a comparatively com-paratively poor man like MeKinley to meet so many obligations of his office, out of his mean little salarv, and then foist upon him, in addition, the necessary expense incident to making his wife presentable at official 1 unctions. "Congress ought to fix a salary for the first lady of the land and pay it to her every month. She earns it. Her w-fiole life is absorbed ab-sorbed in a routine of duties which the first Mrs. Harrison was frank enough lo say bored her to death. President Harrison was well off, but Mrs. Harrison was not. enthusiastic enthu-siastic over payincr out $1,000 a month, or , even more, for affairs that Were of no real personal interest to her. "She ought to get a direct, revenue from Congress, but, upon Congress failing, I shall provide at least $1,000 a month for her own use, and none may ask her what she did with, it or what she proposes to do with it." This Mr. Freeman is said to have stated as the reason for his unique bequest-No bequest-No act of congress or anything else in necessary to make his bequest legal. No law stands in the way. It is for future mistresses mis-tresses of the While House to decide whether they will accept the $12,000 a year or not. Mr. Freeman's son and daughter, who have been made the executors of 1he fund, sympathize with their father in his ideal. 3 |
