Show government SALARIES some interesting facts respecting spec ting the salaries of high government officials are given in a recent publication by the george washington bicentennial commission which notes that salary of a year was the pay of all presidents until 1873 when an increase to was made in 1909 the present salary of was authorized by congress cabinet officers in the early days received what would be considered very meager pay today thomas jefferson drew drew only a year as secretary of state alexander hamilton drew the same as secretary of the treasury general knox the first secretary of war received but and the at torney general had a part time job with little pay these four were the only cabinet officers aiom 1789 to 1799 members of congress received no regular yearly salary in the early days but were paid 6 a day when actually attending sessions in 1816 a salary of 1500 a year was provided but this was repealed the following year and 8 a day for actual service was established as their compensation in 1856 the pay of members of congress was fixed at in 1866 at in 1875 at and in 1925 at leading movie stars prize fighters baseball sluggers and columnists would sniff at all these salaries except that of the president and many of them make even if they do not earn much more than is paid the nations chief executive |