New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-05
MAJOR MKINLEY BECOMES PREslDENl
TRy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE!


Washington, March 4.-The ceremonies VI On
other Presidential Inauguration nave r"" '"eN
ooursc-the twenty-seventh of these iii'p'
functions since the adoption OF the reoei'' va
stitution the twenty fourth whicn ""Sne
has seen since the transfer of the sSa' Vi
mower from The banks Of the Delaware to those
of the Potomac The varied pleasures anu
ci,op,epts Of the Re,ublic's quadrennial "coro-
nation day" have eliminated In the huse mo"
gural ball now a; the nccdtide OF i's "no'''
gsyety and Kaleidoscope brilance Inc "e"
President with his onicia! suite, mas a'ed'S ,,'
ished the customary promenade aihchs '",
merry makers who thrchg the vast ih'e'''
the Pension Building and has WITHDRAWN io' ~.
first nights rest in the White HOUSE, 'e''
which, It Is to be hoped, VIII put u c""A
Shakespeare's gloomy line about the neau "".0"
wears crown, even the shaoowy al" NJ
phorical crown of a democratic oh'e' '""e
trate For an hour or two longer the great e'.
sion Office court will echo the sort OF re'e"S
for which "Belgium's capital Is Famous |" "'
the Fourth Readers; then, with the last S""
Of one CT Strauss dreamy waltzes or oo"'"
infectious two.shps the curtain VIII faii o"
completed Inaugural! celebration. for mashi.uue'
color intensity of nteres. and drama'c e"c0'
iveness perhaps the most imposing ana SUCCESS
full that ever ushered new Administration 'h'o
place and power
NOT A HITCH OR MISHAP.
As a popular spectacle indeed. planned on the
free-and-easy scale and executed with the oefno
cratic simplicity imposed by American trao'-
tions to-days Inauguration must be couh'ec do
a uniGue and unqualified success. FROM III"
ucmen. the Prcs:dent-clect took his seat oes'nc
the retiring President for the drive from the ED
btt House to the Capitol to the moment When'
leaving the glitter and confusion OF the oa'' he
sought refuge in the White House from the Ia
tigue and excitefnents Of his ten-hours oroea''
rot a slip or nshap occurred to mar the smoo'h-
ness and effectiveness of the varied FEATURES oi
the Inaugural pageant or TO checK the eh'hu-
siasm OF the countless masses OF cheering specta-
tors in whose minds the advent to power OF 'he
new Executive has become indeNbiv associaeeo
with the return Of forgotten era OF sound ad-
minstration and National prosperity
Even the tickle and uncertain goddess OF the
weather nut on her fairest smile to welcome the
coming of "Prosperity's Advance Agent by
her timely craces the spell OF tnat inveterate IA
tality was broken which so repeatedly on lnau-
ctratior years has filled the closing week OF Feb
ruary with balm and sunshine only to les loose
upor the early days Of Marcn the furleS anu
rigors of a midwinter blizzard. For twenty-four
hours pas: this most caprciors OF months has
ceased to bluster. and with the purest Of azure
skies and the mdes. Of western zephyrs has for
the second time in a generation almost justified
the whimsical Judgment which selected March
as the date for the greatest of open-air holidays
at the National Capital Martin Van Buren, was
the only President to count definitely on a clear
Tradition
says that at the join. session Of the two houses
IN February 1881 to count the electoral votes.
Henry Clay ventured to launch the common
place TT is a cold day. sir" at the President
elect.
THE ADDED CHARM OF FINE WEATHER.
"Tho sun will shine on the 4th Of March" re-
orod Va, Buren sententiously and 1t did.
with briiilance which found no parallel again
until tho first Inauguration Of Cleveland In 1SSo.
rho incoming Ohio Presiden: has had the good
,or,,ne NJ tho two New Workers without even In
currinc Van Buren's risk to reputation OF becom-
ing his own Wizard of the Nile. What good
r,oatber means on an Inauguration Day can be
annrcciated only by those who have endured the
discopf,rts and hardship Of celebrations ike
those of 1889 and 1893. No open-air pageant can
be made effective in the lowering gloom or WIN
fer storr,. no fund of enthusiasm can quite with
stand the chill OF icy winds and penetrating ram
Weather like to-days. on the contrary adds
tho final touch of charm to the great popular
spectac,e which unfolds itself al the "hi'e
House tho Capitol and along the whole length
,.u broad avenue which unites them. The
int, cags in the windows and on the house.
tons Goa, more gayly in the breeze: the reVle"-
,,a Glands are fuller Of color and animaton the
tro,rs march with livelier step; all the actors
IN the drama perform their parts with keener IN
,o,ost and sprlt For twelve years Cleveland
uaother'' has been the ideal by which the success
oC an Inaugural celebration has been measured'
f,oro to-day a new standard has been set oy
y President whose entry into power signalizes In
tho publc mind the setting Of so many other new
or and higher standards
THE DEMAND FOR A CHANGE OF DATE
,trcb has been said and written about inau-
crro, celebratons-their lights and shadows,
measures and dscomforts. spendors and crudi-
,ies Certainly the fathers OF the Republic were
lacking in weather wisdom when even In this
southerly latitude, they chose Tor what mas now
bccome the greatest Of National celebrations the
first week in a caprClous and treacherous month
,u, March Time and again. while still smart
inc under the sunerings entaied by exposure to
tho rIrors Of a belated February bliZzard. prac-
,,ca,-rdnded statesmen have raised ther voices
:, aomond a shifting OF the inaugural day to
Anru 3O-the true anniversary OF the hrst Presi-
aa,,,o, ,psta,lation-by which simple change the
aaro,,orv OF Inauguration would not only be
shorr ~ us frequent lnconveniences and terrors.
hut would gain an added and never-falllng beau
80 from the flowers and sunshine. the balmy airs
ana caress,ng warmth of full-blown spring
custom has always proved stronger than rea-
.on however. and after some desultory agita-