Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-05
A BRITISH CRITICS IMPRESSIONS.
How the Inaugural Scenes Affected q
Foreigner.

EOre1Bner
Douglas Story in the New York Herald.
British eyes viewed the inaugural process
sion through familiar atmosphere. There
was snap in the rain that recalled an
English March shower and a heavlness IN
the sky that London herself might nave
produced for a state ceremony. There
were umbrellas and mud and dirt stains,
until the whole prospect had homelike
feeling.
But there were other things less custom
ary. There were broad streets for the pro-
cession to parade. wide avenues in which
to form and ample sidewalks for the sight
seers There were stout stands with
| abundant seating room. couple Of miles
| of conveniently situated windows and long
vistas where the full effect of the pageant
| was visible. There was also the parade
! itself-the most foreign sight of all the
| days wonders to the European observer.
Happily, American youths seem still to
| be ignorant Of the subtle fortunes or pea
cock feathers, water squirts and confetti.
At least they are not popular on Inaugural
| day. In fact, 1 saw few of the outward
| signs of "Hooliganism." A few hilarious
| PENNSYLVANIA National Guardsmen endeav-
| ored to engender a race riot, but the grim
ming darkies were too happy to retaliate,
and SO the one expression of "Hooliganism"
| died out. Those of us who have viewed the
| conduct of the London mob on recent &C.
| caSlOnS unQer t0e cover VI pdllIotiSLl Indy
we'll congratulate Washington on the or
| derlness of her people.
| 1t might be otherwise in New York, with
| its narrow sidewalks, it's hungry popula-
ton and it's handy Bowery, but in Wash
/ ington there no suitable Sums and lit
! tie opportunity in Pennsylvania avenue for
| ruffianism. And so one saw great crowd
comfortably distributed. restrained by it's
own initiative and happy despite the rain.
| The absence Of police Of military
| guarding the streets Is a curious phase of
| this American fete day. In Berlin when
| the emperor passes the military stand
| shoulder to shoulder, facing the crowd
| In London, on such a day as that of the
| c. l. VS. return our sturdy London police
| stood locked arm in arm for street lengths
| And yet the crowd broke through and con-
| stables were carried away suffocated in
| the crush. Companies of volunteers drib-
| bled through into st. Paul's Church yard,
| one man at time. as the welcoming popu-
| lace would permit. The crowd desired to
| show it's enthusiasm and the police sought
to restrain it, but the result was the dis
orderly melee all the way from ST. Pan
| cras to st. Pauls
Here with no fence but stout wire, the
people stood contentedly gazing. Out Fin
| the street an occasional policeman showed
himself. but he was there principally for
| effect. and his value, fortunately, never
| was tested.
Too Much Room for Humor.
| In the same way the trees and lamp
posts were not sought by the street boys
the London arabs favorite grandstand
| going a-begging.
Excellent as those things are from the
sober point of law and order, they cheat
the people of much of the fun that relieves
the home people of the WEAKNESS of wait
ing There is no humor In a passing dog,
| because there is room enough for a whole
herd of dogs; and there is solid wall of
soldiers legs to oppose an exit. There are
no corpulent policemen chasing willy boys
up lampposts. no hooks on which to hang
| the mobS wit
In these things lies the great difference
| between a waiting American crowd and
one of Britain or France. 1t Is less jocular
than either, less homogeneous In it's SYM
pathies.
To a Britisher the procession appealed
rather by reason of its proportions. Its ex-
cellent organization and its occasion than
| by color or its splendor. United States
troops cannot compare in brilliancy with
the show troops Of any European army.
| They are workmen first and things of
beauty second.
Praise for Men and Horses.
Consequently the excellent horsehesh. the
! strapping men of most of the No. COM
panies and the soldierly bearing Of the Off
GERS chiefly engaged ones attention. It
was with regret one saw the sleek black
chargers Of the Cleveland troops trot into
the distance. One could have spared many
of the militia battalions had they been
granted a longer view of such perfect
! animals.
The memory of the West Point and An
| napolis cadets will linger long with those
strangers who marked them in the process
sion. The men of the militia are for the
most part crude stuff the merast rough
hewn soldiers. but under such officers as
| the United States can produce they will
| revive the traditions of 1864 should they
| be needed
| Meanwhile 1t is surely unnecessary that
! so many should be paraded on such an oc-
| casion. In no European country would 1t
| be expected or permitted. A limited COM
pany from few picked battalions creates
a competition that stimulates the whole
1 force.
1 Had Pennsylvania sent such a force of
/ men as New Jersey contributed she would
have earned more praise and gratitude
than by the huge army she has mobilized.
OF the civilian portion of the procession
1t is better the stranger should not speak.
They are too far from the traditions Of
eastern dignity and ceremonial.