The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1901-03-09
ST. LANDRY. La. MARCH 9. 1901.
Washington, ID. C., News.
FrehA eur Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, MAR. 4, 1901.
Yes, the second Inauguration of
Mr.. Mckinley was certainly carried
through on an imperial scale. AS
in ancient Rome, the people are
amused with gorgeous pageants,
while they are losing their most
precious possession-liberty 1t was
fitting, perhaps, that a man who
had just been given by % subser-
Went partisan majority in Congress
more autocratic power than was
ever possessed by any American
President, and more than many
kings are allowed to exercise,
should be given al imperial inau-
guration. 1t was also iu keeping
with the public extravaganza which
has grown to such stupendous mag
nitude under his first administra-
ton as to stagger and frighten the
conservative element OF the country,
that more public money should be
spent upon his second Inaugural
ton than was ever spent upon the
Inauguration of any other Presi-
dent. just how much this inaugu
ration has cost the public Treasury
will never be known, but that it is
an enormous sum anyone can see.
Four companies of Porto Rican
troops were brought all the way to
Washington to march in the impe-
rial parade-samples of Colonial
subjects, as it were; likewise the
cadets from West Point and An
napolis, who had not participated
in an inaugural parade since
Grants second, before, and the regu
lar troops from every military post
i'm reach. In addition to these seven
warships were brought near enough
to have their entire crews i'll the
parade. All of this cost heap of
money, to which must be added
the $4,000, which the use of the
Pension office for the inaugural
ball cost the government. Like the
legislation of the Fifty Sixth Con
gress, happily dead, the second in
auguration was conducted regard
less of expense, and the dear people
must pay the bills tor both.
Some wag started u story that
the two Colorado performing bears
that were carried in the inaugural
parade by a fool-election better,
were captured by Teddy during his
recent hunting trip, and all along
the line, was constantly heard:
"Here comes Teddy's bears" Mr..
Roosevelt is said to have been made
quite angry by the story and es-
peeially by the continued public
reference to it.
Mr.. Mckinley didn't like the
Hoar amendment to the Philippine
to the Army Appro-
priation bill, which heads off much
contemplated looting by preventing
the granting of long time franchises
and the disposal of public lands in
the islands, but he did not dare to
veto the bill on account Of the
as it would have been
q dead give-away, showing
his disappointment because the
whole looting programme could not
be carried out.
The Senate Cuban investigation
cost about $4,000, and amounted
to nothing. The report of the
committee says further inyestiga-
ton is unnecessary, because the
frauds .are now being handled by
the Cuban courts. 1t is understood
that several prominent Republicans
felt very much relieved when the
report was announced, owing to
their knowledge that any real in
vestigation would make things very
to them.
Democrats have no reason to
complain when the work of the
Fifty Sixth Congress is studied.
Being the minority party they could
not prevent extravagant appropri-
ations, but they did prevent the
putting through of the, most ex-
travagant single piece of legislation
proposed-the ship subsidy bill,-I
just as they compelled the Repub-
licans to abandon the scheme to
kill the bill reducing war taxes,
both of which were substantial
victories for the minority.