The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-09
Inaugura,inr the President.


slider whether or not such events as the,
are conceived, prepared for. and admins
tered under local auspices are beneficial
TO Washington, or, in a sense to which We
shall allude, creditable to the nation.
Once In four years the city is invaded
by a great crowd of strangers. Thousands
of soldiers are imported from the States
to make the celebration as little civic and
as much military and imperial as posi-
BILE. and this year battalion of native
infantry was even brought on from Porto
Rico so that the popuiace might enjoy an
object lesson of the Presidents personal
rule over our colonial possessions The
Pennsylvania troops we always have with
us. bringing their own peculiar ideas OF
decency and decorum. For matter of
seventy-two hours at the beginning of
each quadrennate the town is In an up
roar partial or complete. On Inaugural
tion Day all public and mercantile bust
ness is suspended and on the night be-
fore and the night after the noble defend
ers of the Keystone Commonwealth dig
nifty and peace engage In seasonable
fights with the police, kick and cum I'M
offending negroes, and storm a station
house or so.
Does it pay? Certainly it does pay our
hotel keepers, who at such times enjoy
the privilege of charging double rates for
their hospitality, and at that are COM
PEELED to turn away patronage; and it
pays the saloon keepers. But who else?
Surely not the local tradesmen. AS In
auguration Day is holiday In Washing
ton, they are virtually compelled to close
their stores. and II they did not there
would be no shopping. for the surging
masses of people in the streets on such
occasions are sightseeing and thinking OF
anything but hats and shoes, or clothing
and haberdashery.
The Inauguration ceremonies and pa
Eeant form a rational event in everything
but the responsibility of providing the
means and organizing and directing the
forces necessary to make II brilliant and
successful. That falls every four years
upon the shoulders of the business men of
this comparatively small community, a
community which, singularly enough in
such connection. has been without voice
or vote in the election of the President for
whose accession to power II provides the
money and facilities for the whole nation
to celebrate. A guaranty fund has to be
subscribed by our merchants and traders.
1t is true that almost invariably sum
equal to the amount of this fund is real
lied from the sale of seats on public
stands. from the sale of tickets to the In
RugurRtion Ball, and from money paid
for certain special privileges.
All the multifarous arrangements for
such an Inauguration as we saw the other
day are made by committee Of business
men who for at least six weeks are forced
TO neglect their own affairs and avoca-
tons and devote unremitting care and
toll to the public service. Does anyone
suppose that the game is worth the candle
TO them?
The whole people Of the United States
elect the President and, through their
constituted national authorities. ought to
inaugurate hirl. If it be the purpose of
the party successful in the preceding
Presidential campaign to give their tri-
umphant candidate a military and i'm
perial ovation. it would be better. more
dignifed, and juster to accomplish 1t
through Congress. than by the appoint
ment by the Chairman of the National
Committee % that party. of a body of
residents in the Capital City-persons
unendowed with political rights. and as
residents hardly to be classed as citi-
zens-to take all the risks and trouble in
cident to the work of preparation and
administration. Congress should make
adequate appropriation to cover the ex-
peDse of these events.
II the lawmakers of the United States
think 1t well TO suspend all local business
for a day, and to put the Pension Office
out Of commission for month. thereby
entailing loss of not less than twenty
five thousand dollars for clerical services
paid for but not rendered during the
time, Congress. of course. is the best
Judge Of the proper thing In the prem
ises. II the two Houses agree that 1t is
an edifying spectacle for a people used
to thinking that the civil power is su-
perior to the military TO watch the i'm
perial progress of new American mon
arch from the White House to the Capt.
toll and back again, surrounded and
guarded by masses of cavalry. artillery,
and infantry, and, for that purpose to
invite the presence of whole divisions of
State militia. besides ali the regulars.
marines. and bluejackets at disposal,
that also is a matter for Congress to de-
eide. II is also within its authority to
order that the principal thoroughfare of
the town shall be turned into a second
hand lumber yard for two or three weeks.
In any event the burdens and responsi-
bihties oc the occasion should not again
be imposed upon Washington alone. The
Inauguration should be at national cost,
which indeed might be rscouped Gas It is
in a large measure uow1 as explained
above. The Committee of Arrangements
should be a joint committee of the Sem
ate and House of Representatives. and
not & number OF Washingtonians taken
from their desks. counters. and counting
rooms to make national holiday.
Just as an academic proposition It is
perhaps an open question whether or not,
in the matter of Presidential Inaugural
tons, We are not departing rather mridly
and rapidly from the ancient landmarks
OF republican simplicity, I'm transform
ing the swearing in OF a citizen 10 serve
four years as Chief Magistrate into
something very like the coronation
pageant and ceremonies of a European |
Emperor or King. For nearly two dec |
AIDES these functions have been growing |
steadily more ornate and suggestive OF |
royal rule, and less democratic in their |
tone and suggestions The greatest af- |
fair of the kind In scope. ATTEMPTED |
grandeur, and attendance was that of |
the Fourth of March last past Did that |
Scene strike the lover of free institutions
snder plalu. Hon-mliitary government |
Of the people, as appropriate to such |
ideas or conceptsY Except TO suggest the |