The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-03-02

Eight years ago, when the Democratic
party came into power after standing I'M
comfortably on the outside for quarter of
a century, it was thought the climax in in
augural magnifcence had been reached.
But when the Republicans routed the De-
mocracy four years later and with Little Ben
returned to power they certainly outdid
the celebration which their rivals had in
dulged in, and now it is the aim of all true
Democrats to eclipse even the Harrison in
auguration in brilliancy and in number of
people engaged in the festivities If this
sort OF rivalry goes on, and parties continue
to alternate in possession of the presidency,
as many acute observers think they will for
several years to come, it is matter of some
curiosity as to where we shall stop in our
mad efforts to make a display of partisan
Joy on these quadrennial occasions If we
go much further in this craze, our inau-
gurai fetes will Guido the most gorgeous
things that ever Rome saw in her most
profigate days.
You may rest assured that the people of
Washington are quite willing to have this
to their mill. When Republican presi-
men of the city take the lead in preparing
for the inauguration, and when Democrat
is the successful candidate for president
the prominent Democrats come to the 'front.'
But OH every such occasion both Democrats
and Republicans help in the work and
make of the fete a public rather than a
party affair. The people of Washington,
like people everywhere, are thrifty, and they
go in for making an honest penny or two
out of these inauguration celebrations. By
continuing to make the receipts of the big
ball pay all expenses they avoid the trouble
OF going down into their own pockets for
funds, and the amount of money that the
hotels, boarding houses, saloons, restau-
rants, carriage men, florists and other
| tradesmen are able to make cannot be esti-
mated. Nor is this all. About one-half
the people of the city conclude that they
Will rent out a room or two to strangers for
the inauguration week. They want pretty
good prices, too, and usually manage to get
what they ask.
Along Pennsylvania avenue, the route of
the parade, there is a mania for selling
windows and standing room on temporary
platforms Some fancy prices have been
paid for choice locations. A New York
congressman has paid $500 for the use of a
floor over business house where there are
four windows Here he will accommodate
on Saturday about 40 guests, serving them
an elegant luncheon with all trimmings.
He says this is cheap way for him to cam
paign, for his guests are to be men of infu-
ence from his district who are coming to
Washington and who will appreciate and
whose wives will more than appreciate his
| thoughtful attentions. He figures that
this outlay of $500 for the rooms and a
hundred or two more for the luncheon and
wines will come very near to securing his
return to congress.
A single window tolerably we'll located
is worth from $40 upward. Seats on COW
cred balconies built out before the houses
sell at from SIS to $40 each. All along the
avenue, for a distance of nearly two miles,
are huge stands, some of them covered and
some not, with a combined seating capacity
of nearly 10000. Two weeks ago wrote a
letter in which l said the capacity of these
stands would be 10000. That was true, &C.