New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-05
ONE OR THE OTHER.

ONE OR THE OTHER.
The experience of yesterday furnishes an
| other strong argument for changing either inc
| date or the character OF cur PRESIDENTIAL IN
| augurations. There is little risk in saying that
all the principal actoiS in the spectacular dian''
which is presented every four years, and IA
orcot majority Of those who look on and APP
Maud when misery docs not stfle enthusiasm
would agree 10 this proposition. Mach i
| an accidental date. In some minds 1t may be
hallowcd by time and tradition, but IN the
| thoughts of most il is loaded down with dismal
associations. The eminent and admirable Josh
billings prcfaccd one of his Amanacks with
4 notice 10 this effect Erratum-l find J
have got one too many days into this year and
the worst of it is it comes in February and Will
probably be a condemned cold one This Oh
scryation would have been equally judicou'
If the supcrilu3us day alluded to had been Il
Duplicate fourth OF March. The probabilities
are three to one that the day on which an
American President is naugulatcd will be cold
and stormy.
If any one doubts this statement We refer
him to history. in 1851 General Garfield was
indicted under metc rological conditions almost
exactly identical with those which prevailed
Yesterday. snow slu>h. gloomy skies and
penetrating atmosphere dimmcd and dciilod the
decorations and made all concerned unc m
Portable -Four Yeas agI steady, hopeless
storm Of rain. almost at the freeing point
rendered the day un>pcalably distressing 10
those who tried I, defy the 81 mcnt, and made
waste Of all the preparations FIR brilliant
Il ;re, y Ger Yesterday.
body will forget for al least a week what Ii
was like. Eight ycais ago. when Mr.. Ccve-
land was frs. inaueuratcd. March was Il
lovely day, mild, serene and clear except Tor
faint blue haze which was one Of H. pcri'c-
tions Bu, there we arc-Onc >uiabl" lnaugd-
ration day in four. and n more. AS the past
has been 50 is the future likcl! IL be. The
prospect is dismal and hlraSsine.
If the ONLY consequence, of atrociouS weather
on these ocrasisns were the ruin Of stree;
decorations and personal incry. the ensuing
disappointment Of two or three hundred thou
sand persons. and possibly the p'>tponcm"nt
IF the gIauitous display Of fireworks which l.
ALWAYS scheduled - intervene between tn
parade AMI the ball. the objections 10 the 'cstab-
lishcd date would nevertheless be scroU>. For
what is the sense Of prcaranging compare
tive failure three times out Of four, when We
have the whole calendar to choose from and
might have a rca ,onabc hope Of achieving Il
spectacular triumph AT least two times ont oi
three? But these mild disappontmcnts are nos
the main consideration. To sit or stand FOR
hours in rain or snow, the noise Of chaiirllng
teeth rising above the thunder Of marching
,ouadrons, is an extremely hazardous diversion.
10 wha. extent the National dcath-rac is in
creased by such IN exposure it is impossible
to determine, for the fatalities arc distributed
widely and the records do no. disclose their
origin. But there cannot be n doubt that the
consequent sickness and loss Of life would have
TO be rcckoncd in large figures If computa-
ton were possible.
Perhaps some cYnic may say that the ma
iority Of those who arc thus removed can be
spared. But even if this offensive impuia,on
were allowed it would not end the argum INT,
for the spectators not the onl" sufferers.
The President of the United States is assumed
to be Il parsonage whom the country desires
TO have live: and the assumption has generally
been justified But every President who stand,
forth on the steps Of the Capitol to take the
oath of office and deliver his inaugural adj
dress under such conditions of weather rs
generally prevail is subjected to an exposure
from which he ought to be carefully guarded.
If the country gained anything by the sacri
fee it's chief servant would doubtless accept it
chccrfuly but it gains nothing and runs the
risk of losing much. Even if the President
escapes without so much as cold in the head
nobody recalling the sccno can truthfully de-
clarc that there was any subimity in the spec
aclc of a Chief Magistrate hatloss and SILVER
ing in the wind, or pcrchancc dripping under
an uncertain umbrella, as he accepted the
solemn responsibilities Of his Office. We re-
peat: Let us change the date or the nature
ct the ceremonial, and preferably the date.