The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-28
THE ROUTE OF THE PARADE
The Grand Marshal Alters the Plan
of the Inaugural Committee.
The Procession Not to March to
Washington CircIe-A New Phase
I'm the Veteran ControVersy-A
Suggestion by General Greene.

There is more trouble ahead for tho
Grand Marshal. A new source of com
plant. other than the difficulty with the
veteran organizations. has been found
against General Greene. In the orders
for the inaugural parade General Greene
has announced that the parade will de-
fle through Twentieth and Eighteenth
Streets, instead of extending to Washing
ton Circle. as provided for in a resolution
adopted at early meeting of the In
augurel Committee in which the route
of the parade was defined
The proposition to have the parade
march to the Washington Circle was one
that was warmly contested when pro-
posed to the Inaugural Committee, and
its advocates, by the strongest offensive
tactics, carried the resolution to adop-
ton, with only one dissenting vote. The
parusans of that arrangement are by no
means content to abide by the Grand
Marshafs alteration without the strong
est KIND OF a protest. Letters galore are
now pouring in upon the Inaugural; Com
mittee from the residents on the Avenue
between Twentieth and Twenty-second
streets complaining of the action of the
Grand Marshal. charging him with arbi-
trarily ignoring the action of the Inaug-
ural Committee
MI. Edison stated last night that he had
advised the Grand Marshal verbally.
when General Greene first assumed th.
position rendered him by Senator Hlnna.
OF the route for the parade resolved upon
ny the Inaugural Committee. Mr. + lson
later conveyed i'm writing a copy OF the
resolution, defining the route of the pa
rade, To the Grand Marshal, upon learn
ing of the proposed change in the ar
ha icssf
ders for the parade by the Grand Mar
shall. Mr.. Edison, it is understood. has de-
fined his attitude in far as the arrange
nents of the Inaugural Committee have
been ignored in a communication ad-
dressed 10 the Grand Marshal
The telephone at the -ooms of the In
augural Committee has been busy ans
hitting the utterances of the Giscon-
tented ones, and Mr.. Edison is in receipt
of great number Of communicated rs
protesting against the Grand MarSnIls
arrangements. These letters have been
forwarded to the Grand Maj s,ial.
General Greene stated last night that
the march to Washington Circle would
add half mile TO the length of the route,
and i'm view of the fact that the parade
will not be over before dark, at the short
est calculation, and as probably O'Clock
viii pass before the end of the procession
has been dismissed, General Greene felt
justified in shortening the route.
The same question was involved in dis
cussion at the last Inauguration between
the then chairman of the Inaugural Com
Porter, then Grand Marshal. General Por-
ter finally agreed TO the demand of the
inaugural Committee, and the parade
marched to Washington Circle
II is anticipated that at the next meet
ing of the Inaugural Committee the mat
ter will be ventilated thoroughly
THE VETERAN CONTROVERSY.
new phase to the discussion precipi-
tated by the veterans in their demand to
be accorded a position of especial dis
tnction In the column OF parade, is given
by the response Of the Grand Marshal to
the letter addressed to him by General
Sickles, stating that the veterans will
not parade, and requesting TO be relieved
from the command of the veterans d.
vision The reply of the Grand Marshal
-oHers the veterans organizations the priv
liege OF escorting the President to and
from the Capitol by a guard of honor to
be composed of twenty members from
each OF the local posts of the Grand Army
OF the Republic and the Union Veterans
Union. There are about twenty veteran
posts IN the District limits embraced by
these two organizations. IL each of the
posts should furnish a full representation
this would form a detail of 900 men The
letter 10 General Sickles is as follows:
Washington. D. G, Feb. q. 1901.
Maj. Gen. Daniel Z. Siekles. u $ A.. Retired:
sr: ! am directed by General Greene TO ac-
Enowledge receipt Of YOUR letter of this dale
(Which is concurred in by the officers Of the vet
ersn associations, whose signatures are attached
and 10 express his regret that the veterans should
have demanded a precedence in the parade which
could not be granted without prejudice to the
custom which has prevailed at such ceremonies
ever since The Grand Army Of the Republic
was organized; custom which s manifestIy in
accordance with the prophecies OF such an oc-
casion.
In case you insist on being relieved from
duty a. marshal Of the veteran division. which
position WAS rendered TO YOU by General Greene &
and accepted by you OF January 81. your wishes
though with great regret. viii Ice complied with
am further directed to say, through YOU 10
the officers Of the G. A r. posts and the Union .
Veterans Union Of the District Of Columbia
that If these posts should desire to form an
escort Of honor to the President Consisting OF
detail Of twenty men from each post in I'M I
form If practicable. and should make application
to that effect TO these headquarters the appiea-
tion will be fayorably considered They would
the Iwenty-third Ohio. who originally Sc
iected for that duty. but are unable to be
present. Very respectfully,
4 NOEL BLAhEMAN, Chief OF staff
General Greene was seen last night. and
stated that this letter had been subniftei
TO the President, and that the President
was entirely satisfied. and hoped that The
veterans would accept This solution cf the
General Siclzles was seen at the Ma
Uonal Theatre last night. He had not al
tnal lhie received the letter sent i5y the
Grand Marshal, but the contents were
conveyed to him by The Times repre-
sentative. General Sickles mated that ne
would consider the question. and would
lay the proposition before the veterans'
organizations before announcing de-
cision.
GENERAL sICKLES' LETTER
Earlier in the day General Sickles sent
TO the veterans organizations the follow
ing communication, which conveyed his
abandonment of any expectation that the
wishes of the veterans would be met and
apparently predicated his return to his
home and the relinquishing of further
discussion Of the affair. The letter fol-
lows:
Washngton D. e.. Feb. ~ 1901.
Comrades: Having felt cunstraned to ask 10
be relieved from dnty as marshal Of the veterans
division in the inaugural parade regret 10 find
myself deprived Of the pleasure OF meeting you
once more on an occasion 50 interesting TO all Of
the installation Of a cOrnrade in the ex-
allied office Of President Of the United States.
Unfortunately. have not been accorded the
position ia the marching column which we be-
heye ourselves entitled TO receive and in hearty
accord with leaders it has been decided
that the veterans will decline to take any part
in the inaugural ceremonies Monday next.
Accept my cordial salutations with fresh a.
surances Of my ahectionate regard.
Faithfully yours ID. T. sICKIEs,
Maj. Gen. U. s. A. (Retred).
The following special orders were is
sued yesterday afternoon by the Grand
Marshal:
]. Aides requested to report in person at
these headquarters at early date as nos
sible TO secure their equipments This should
be done before p. m, Sunday, March g. as the
headquarters will not be open the morning Of
the 18th.
II. Aides will report promptly on the morning
at ar ,.t.yu,t