Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-11
Representative Bell of Colorado
Makes a Speech in Their Behalf
APPROPRIATION MEASURES HIS THEME
Describes What He Declares Are
Faults Of the System in Vogue.
THE BILL IS PASS ED

authorizing the Inauguration arrangements
for which the sanction of Congress must be-
obtained. and appropriatlng $4,000 for the
protection of life and maintenance Of public
order in the city during the attendance of
the great crowds.
Mr. Babcock called up the resolution soon
after the House assembled and explained
the necessity for prompt action.
Mr.. Bell of Colorado then took the floor.
Il remember very distinctly? he said.
that four years ago we made a similar
appropriation and adopted similar provi-
sions to those which it is proposed we make
today. -Four years ago-I might say also
eight years ago, and probably for a quarter
of century-these inaugurations have been
made great business enterprises of the peo-
pie of the District of Columbia. l do not
object to that. l am glad to see the peo-
pie of the District of Columbia making this
great occasion. But it seems to me that
they ought to pay the expenses connected
with 1t outside of the necessary expenses
OF providing the place, etc.
Simple Inaugurals by States.
Il notice that among the different gov
ernors who are being inaugurated in the
different states, many of them are glory
ing in the fact that they are having a
simple ceremony that is costing the people
nothing. One governor Of a western state.
d 1c" years ago 49, mllllOnalre DOaSteQ
that 1t had only cost the people So for his
inauguration. On the occasion of the in
auguration of the governor Of New Hamp-
shire the other day the papers of that
state boosted that the people had gone
back to the time-honored custom Of a sim
pie ceremony in connection with the induc-
ton of the highest officer Of the state into
his official position.
Now in Washington, four years ago, we
had a grand ball in connection with the
Inauguration. People came here from all
parts of the country. Many Of them paid
from $3.50 to S. for seats In our parks in
order to witness the parade. And accord
Ing to my remembrance when the inaugu-
ration ceremonies were over the committee
of citizens of the District of Columbia had
a large surplus arising from the different
means they had adopted to meet the ex-
penses.
General Benefit Described.
"They contributed $4,000. They had
gotten 1t all back. They had gotten a
splendid fund in addition. Notwithstanding
that the hotels, the business men and
everybody else had been greatly benefited,
and the government is contributing a por-
ton Of the expense that it never expects to
get back Now, 1 want to say that four
years ago the inauguration of a President
of the United States cost us from S23OOOO
to oOOO. in my judgment.
II know what the appropriation is for. I
am going to talk upon it generally. and am
not going to oppose the bill in particular
But what 1 want to state is that after the
inauguration was over even the republican
paper of this District was aStOunded at
the way In which the government submit
ted it's interests to the interests of the
spectators around the city of Washington
My remembrance is that 1t was in The
Evening Star. Its representative went over
to the pension office and said to the COM
missioner Of pensions: 4 want to know
what it costs the government Of the United
States for you to give up the pension office
for ten days for the inaugural ball. What
did it cost the government of the United
States to have the inaugural BALI? Mr.
Murphy said: cannot give you the ex-
act figures. But over his own signature
the commissioner of pensions said: L can
give you the statement that the salaries Of
the employees of the pension Office alone,
while they were thrown out Of employment
and in idleness to allow the committee to
decorate the pensoin office, cost this gov
eminent $1,000 You can find that by
Licking back the columns Of one of the
papers here, l think The Star over the
Signature of the commissioner of pensions.
l. cost the government $4,000 for the sal
aries of these men kept in ideness while
the great pension office was being deco
rated Probably the other expenses were a
quarter of million dollars. The same
thing may be repeated at this Inaugural
ton.
Opposed to the System.
Il am In favor Of giving the executive a
decent, moderate, becoming Inaugural
ton. but l am not in favor Of giving I'D
these parks, giving up the pension office
putting those employees out of the office and
leaving them in idleness for nine or ten
days, while the pension office is being dec
GRATED. Let them charge the people who
come here to see this inauguration from a
dollar to two dollars and half each for a
seat on these public parks. Let them pay
s. to walk through our pension Office, call
ed the grand ball. Let them create fund.
Let the people Of this District make I'M
told dollars out Of the visitors here and
the government pay the expenses. 1
opposed to it,
How much did it cost to inaugurate
Thomas jefferson" asked Mr.. Gaines
1T cost the price Of a boy to hold his
horse"
He hitched his horse to tree" said Mr.
Maddox
1.-The cost was very little continued Mr.
Bell Il want to say that the inducing Of
Governor Adams, a millionaire, into the
gubernatorial chair of Colorado six years
ago was announced to have cost just So
Every newspaper in the state and through
out the west commended that. They COM
mended the act. l saw 1t in our papers
here, and the papers throughout the coun-
try CONNER ded the governor of New Hamp-
shire the ,ther day that he had a simple
and busin esslike induction into office. Now,
1 am not in favor of cutting down any
necessary expenses, but / want to say l
was here in Washington at an inauguration
before l was elected to this Congress.
Personal Experience Mt a Hotel.
II had been here for week or two at a
leading hotel 1 remember well that they
made every guest in that hotel move out of
his room for three days or pay double price
Four of us were in room. paying the
same price that we had paid for week
more before when we each had separate
room. 1t is made business proposition in
this city from beginning to end. 1 am will
ing that that should be, but I say II they
want this royal, this regal display for the
purpose of protecting people from the out
side in order that 1t may benefit the hotels
and merchants, the people Of the District
OF Columbia. the merchants and this asso-
citation ought to pay the expenses. And l
warn you now that the pension office this
year will probably be dismantled. will prob
ably have its employees idle for ten days. as
1t did four years ago, and will cost this gov
eminent $4,000 for their salaries, as Mr..
Murphy says did four years ago."
The resolution was then passed.
For Departmental Needs.
The House committee on appropriations
has received from the Secretary of the
Of IN