Evening star., 1896-12-24
INAUGURATION SUGGESTIONS.
A Scholastic Brigade for the Parade
The AYeuue lecarafiana.


The Avenue Decorations.
| Several communications have been ad-
dressed to the editor of The Star making
suggestions in regard to the inauguration
celebration Mr.. er-Walker writes as
| follows:
"As the American people have the credit
OF loving the ways of peace and leading
most other nations in the pursuit of science
and general intelligence, and as 1t seems
desirable that the coming Inauguration Of
President-elect Mckinley should not be
wholly or even largely a military display,
allow me to suggest through your columns
to the gentlemen having the Inauguration
ceremonies in charge that the students or
undergraduates in attendance at the nu-
merous universities in this city be invited
to form scholastic brigade or section of
the inauguration parade and march in q
solid body, each university or college dis
playing its own coors. In other capitals
students take prominent part in the most
PUBIC functions, especially those which
have for their object the legal Inducing
into office Of the chief executive of the ma
ton. The probabilities are that in this re-
spect washington can make as fine dis
play as Berlin, Moscow, Paris or London
When l was last in Oxford, England,
was told that the undergraduates in that
CITY c @ OF colleges numbered but little over
3,VOo While do not know the exact num-
Der of students in this city. it will not sur
prise me If there are as many as oxford
can boast.
'Tne 4th Of next March will be a good op-
portunity to let the tens of thousands of
strangers within our gates see for them
selves that Washington is not entirely CIV
en- up to politics, but is really a notable
university town, as much as Cambridge,
new Haven, Ithica or Princeton. And
this Will be news to many who read of the
inauguration as well as those who witness
1t, who now have the idea that everything
Washingtonian revolves around the Capitol
and the White House. What with the Uni
versity of Georgetown and its schools, Co
lumb.an University and its schools with
the National University, the Howard the
Kendall Green College, the Catholic Uni
versity, Gonzaga College, the Spencerian
Business College. Martyrs and perhaps
others. feel confident that the students
OF this city would give a good account of
themselves and add notable and pictur-
esque element to the great parade, and
thus would set Washington forth in a new
light before the country"
E. w. D., jr., makes the following sug-
gestion:
I'm view of the fact that preparations
for the inaugural ceremonies are now oc-
eupyins much of the attention Of the citi-
zens, 1t seems to me to be quite the proper
t'me 10 discuss matters relating to more
perfect and uniform system of decoration
OF the avenue, the public buildings, stands
&c, than has heretofore ever been at
tempted. No one will dispute the fact that
there is great deal OF room for improve
ment.
In Paris and Vienna during the recent
fetes in honor of the czar and czarna the
streets and parks were lavishly decora ted
according to definite and uniform system
under the supervision of experts the gov
ernment paying the bills. We ought to be
able to conceive and carry out just as beau
tiful system of decoration, and we can
with the help Of Congress.
Gnh hot
suggested from time to time by letters to
The Star and by editorials are all met with
the argument of too great expense
1t Is but natural for the promoters and
subscribers to the inaugural fund to look
at 1t in the light of temporary loan and
expect their money back. 1t goes without
saying that there would be a deficit If the
scheme were properly carried out, and here
should be made good by the government
congress should appropriate money
enough to properly decorate the avenue in
a monumental fashion, so that from be-
ginning to end 1t would be on this day the
most beautiful vista in the world
Imagine either side of the avenue lined
with noble Cornthian columns made of
stan, surmounted by golden eagles of the
republic with outStretched WINGS If YOU
like. alternating with tall, decorated masts
with silken streamers flung to the breeze
Imagine both sides of the avenue treated
In this way from the White House to the
Capitol. 1t would be a sight for all the
world to see. The court of honor at the
worlds fair would almost pale in COM
parison. All this is possible with the CO.
operation OF Congress, who, by rights,
ought to pay all the expenses Of this the
most elaborate ceremony of the American
people,