The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-01-07
FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL,
The Presidents New Year Reception
Big Preparations for McKinley's
Inauguration-Othe r1atters OF In

tereSt.
WAsHISGTOy, D. C., Jan. 15t, 81.

WAsHINGToH, d. C., Jan. 15t, 81.
EDITOR GOLD LEAF:-I have just re-
turned from the Presidents Ne" \ ear
reception which is the first ever atten-
dpd: and should not have attended TINS
perhaps but for desire 10 get good
look at his charming wife
| reached Pennsylvania Ave. IN front
Of the White House at 1870, \. NJ, ana
took my place in line behind some two
hundred and fifty people who had ar
rived ahead OF me. From then until
F. NJ. this line gre" very rapidly until
they extended up Pennsylvania Ave. az
far az could Scr As the line increased
the tighter We We're packed together. 50
great was the pressure that Il great
many ladies had to drop out. There
seemed to be no police regulations out
side the White House grounds.
The brutIslness III man was most
f0rcbIy illustrated by their efforts to
shove aside or tramp.e upon the weak.
From 10 to 1910 while this great crowd
was struggling to mold their positions IN
line, there We're arriving and departing
in great style the representatives OF
foreign powers, the officers OF the army
and navy, the heads and chiefs Of the
| elite OF the city, those with more money
| than brains and the Grand Army OF the
Republic After all these had passed
through and shaken hands with the
| President and his wife, the gates We're
opened to the common herd, or as many
us could get in from to O'Clock, wert
granted the same privilege, if indeed it
can be called Il privilege. Everyone to
| IL All
ceptions for me.
While waiting in line for over two
hours simply to pass by and shake the
| hands of the President and his wife, anC
watching the ponpoue display OF ex
trayagantly paid officials, could no,
| help but think how far We have strayed
from the mornings Of simple .JefferSOnlal
Democracy, especially when almost with
in IL stones throw OF all that pomp ant
display there are .inericuns hungry ant
almost naked, to say nothing OF TIE
! want and MISERY all over this brDA,
land. Whittier are "" driitng!'
The middle class the great buWark o
! our liberties is rlDiLiv decreasing and Il
| appears to me that the clash betW"ri
the two extremes, the very rich and The
very Door will soon come, for the rich ar
so absorbed with their POSSESSIONS ant
| their efforts to increase them, and tn
| poor with efforts to keep the Woif IRON
their door, that we viii so headlong owe
It he precipicc before either sees the grea
danger Just ahead of Us.
Let me give You the exact words
heard used by Il cabman just after | lei
the White House grounds. Said lie: "Ih
diplomats are having il high old time 0
it to-day and Uncle Sam is footing tn
bills. This thing has got to end soOne
or later" but hope and trust the goo
conservative people OF this country vii
soon unite and restore the equilibrium
10y giving equal iusuice to all and specia
privileges to none before it is too late
The preparations for the coming IL
| nuguratlOn are the most extensive eve
vet attempted; the largest amount {
money ever before subscribed by the CT
liens OF the town for this purpose wa
$50 900. For this event there has Il!
ready been subscribed $50 900, and
understand Congress is to be asked for
pretty good donation for the same pu
pose, which is more than likely will [
given. Thus goes the peoples none,
FAR HEEL.