Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-28
THE INAUGURATION.

aug,iratlon of Mr.. Mckinley as Presi-
dent. The Committee of Arrangements
seems TO have labored zealously and
intelligently TO make the ceremonies oil
the day imposing and successful There
is. however. some fear that the parade
will not be all that could be Wished
though It y%ill certainly be large enough.
Thouglr-the West Point cadets are not
to be present. and though neither New
York nor Pennsylvania Is to be repre-
sented by great Bodies OF troops Gas on
former occasons). there will be big
muster of regular soldiers and marines,
and the turnout of the National Guard
will be quite imposing.
so there will be plenty OF soldiers In
line for all practical purposes. Num-
bers of posts OF the Grand Army OF the
Republic will also appear and 1t Is given
out, also, that an organization OF Con-
federate veterans from the Valley OF
Virginia will display itself Then there
are to be many Mckinley clubs there.
Altogether IT is said. there will be 2ooO
men in line. and the procession VIII
require about three hours to pass given
point. This is all the parade that the
spectators will desire, particularly II the
day should prove to be cold and windy.
Mr. Mckinley is said to have recov-
cred from his recent Illness, and TO be
I'm good health now. If this be so, all
we can say is that the grip must have
visited him but lightly, or else the Ohio
type Of that disease is milder than that
prevalent In Virginia. However, we
suppose Mr. Mckinley feels equal to
the occasion, since he has undertaken
to deliver his address in the open air
as the custom Island also to spend some
hours upon the reviewng-stand.
He will have to face great crowd
when delivering his inaugural, and is
expected to stand with uncovered head,
and to raise his voice to the highest
pitch. And i'm doing all these things, he
will necessarily run the risk of taking
cold. But his plight would be much
worse if he were a bald-headed man.
Judging by the pictures Of him that we
have seen, we imagine that he has
very good head Of hair for man OF his
age and distinction. If Washington
weather be no better on Thursday next
than it usually is upon such occasions,
Mr.. Mckinley while delivering his in
augural address will feel grateful for
every particulars hair that time and
trouble have left upon his head. While
.f,,er 20
pose he will be permitted to cover and
uncover his head at intervals-as the
cheers that are given him require.
For the sake Of Mr.. Mckinley and the
tens of thousands Of others who will as
semble at Washington on the 4th, we
earnestly trust that the skies may be
bright. and the air balmy on that day.
We want to get all the good possible out
Of the new administration. We find no
tears trickling down our cheeks as we
think Of the departure Of Mr.. Cleveland;
yet we cannot "hurrah for Mckinley"
The farthest we can go in that direction
is to wish that the new President may
have good health, and may succeed in
keeping all the promises made in his be-
half as to restoring prosperity to the
country etc.
The views OF Mr.. Mckinley as 10 the
tariff and currency questions have been
stated so often and so deliberately we
cannot imagine that in his inaugural adj
dress he will be able TO say anything new
about them. The public will. however.
read with interest what he may say upon
the Cuban question, and upon the general
arbitration treaty. John Sherman. who
is TO be the new Secretary OF State. IS
now classed with the jingoes; but 1t will
remain to be seen how far he represents
Mr.. McKinleys views in that matter.
Mr.. Cleveland leaves number Of en-
barrassing questions for Mr.. Mckinley
TO settle. Perhaps it is we'll The coun-
try has voted McKnleyism into power,
and now let us see if it can and will
keep the pledges its leaders have made.
There will be many cheerful faces in
this country on the 4th Of March. But,
viewing them. one must use discrimina-
tion-for some countenances will be
aglow at the thought Of McKinley's
coming in. while others will be aglow
merely because Of Cleveland's going out.