St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-03
TOPICAL TALK,

pioSluoHb lay Ills mana on Jne sacred
book and register his oath to uphold the
government and execute the laws of
this great nation. But how far from
solemnity are the feelings you expert
ence at the close of Inauguration day,
when with sore feet, tired limbs, your
body bruised all over from the frequent
JostlingS of the surging crowds, and
your nerves racked by the everlasting
din and confusion, you seek place to
rest and can't find it. If you have had
your room engaged month ahead the
chances are when you turn in at night
you will find somebody occupying it.
Those Washington hotel and boarding
house keepers have genius for doub-
ling up on crowded occasions.
t +
My first Inauguration experience was
in boyhood days, when old JIMMIE b.
CHANAN took the reigns of government
from FRANKLIN PIERCE'S hands. Being
the first, it left the most vivid impress
sion. Mi. BUCHANAN had statesman
like look. His head, being inclined a
little to one side, added dignity to his
bearing. He looked wofully solemn,
almost tearfully so, when he took the
oath of Office; and, as I recalled the
peculiar facial expression in the light of
subsequent events, l imagined he had a
premonitiOn of the dark clouds that
were TO lower upon the close of his adj
mlnlStration. The memory of that sad
expression was vivid enough to compare
with the undisturbed CLEAN of solid
satisfaction which rested upon Gen.
GRANTS face at his first inaugu-
ration. BUCHANAN was assuming the
office of chief magistrate in the face of
the grayeSt situation that, up to that
time, had ever confronted president.
Gen. GRANT was receiving the preSi-
dency as the reward of distinguished
services. Hence the difference in their
feelings. The only other Inauguration
l ever attended was one which have
often wished l had not witnessed. 1t
was when HAYES was indicted into
office under the color of title. The
scene was calculated to shake faith in
the integrity of republican institutions.
tt +
Comparing the BUCHANAN Inaugural
ton with those of later years, one gets
an idea of the changes the war produced
in the social customs and the political
methods of the country. Then. as now,
there was an aristocratic regime at the
national capital. Then 1t was an aris-
tocracy of blood; now it is one of
money. Then the only passport to the
society of the -Four Hundred" was a
genealogical tree. Now it is the jingle
of the gold in your pocket. Then no
amount of money could buy a ticket to
the inaugural ball, unless the appli-
cants name was a guarantee of his
gentility. Now the ball tickets are
handled by brokers and sold in blocks
of five to the highest bidders.
TT
There is likewise marked difference
in the character of the Office seeking
crowds who attended inaugurations in
the old days and those who flock there
now. Then there was no scramble.
National politics had not degenerated
into such scuffie for spoils as is now
observable. Partisans were rewarded
then as now, but it was done in more
seemly manner. The man who was
caught hanging around the national
capitol begging for a little Office was
looked upon as bum or political dead
beat, and no attention was paid to his
demands. Now the applicant for the
highest Office realizes that has no show
unless he goes down to Washington and
hustles for it. Then the Office went to
the man. Now he must not only go to
t, but he must fairly dig it up by tn e
roots before he can get hold ON it..
+ + +
The race prejudice is not confined to
the South. 1t exists right here in st.
Paul. / was coming down the street
the other day, and observed a mis-
cegenated lot of boys congregated to-
gether just ahead, and apparently ex-
cited about something. AS l drew
seven or eight years old, and young
colored boy of about the same age were
in an alteration. A few blows were
exchanged, when the combatants
clinched and rolled over in the sand,
the coon on top. The eight or ten white
boys in the crowd rushed forward and
pulled the colored brother off, while the
five or six youthful coons who were in
the assembly were loudly protesting in
favor of a free ballot and fair count for
the darby. In an instant two lines were
formed, one of white and one of black,
and there would have been race war
right then and there if l had not ar
rived in time to act as posse cOmitatus
and dispense the belligerents. The boys
all went off in bad blood, and with NUT
tered threats of renewing hostilities at
a more convenient season. The little
coon who had been robbed of his victory
seemed the most provoked, and as he
passed around the corner shaking his
head and clinching his fists, L heard
him say: mo poor white trash can
trample on me, if l am niger"
IT +
The man who has sand is generally
admired. BUTT doesn't follow that the
fellow who puts sand on the sidewalk is
to be made an idol of. There are a
good many denominations connected
with the street service in this city, but
we can't recall any of a more uncalled-
for character than the practice of
sprinkiing sand on the sidewalks. The
city hires men to do it, and yet there
isn't householder in the city who
would not cheerfully pay the city not to
do it. 1t makes mud and dirt without
being particle of advantage to pedes-
TRANS.
CAPITOL HUMOR.
The chief merit in the Sevatson inter
est bill is that it is imperative. Repre-
sentative Forbes said well that the rate