Evening star., 1909-03-10
What the People Want.

1t Is not quite accurate to say that
everybody favors the change Of the inau-
gural date from early March to late
April There are a few people who raise
objections. They are constitutionally
opposed to what they term the fuss and
feathers of public ceremonials. They
object to the parade of troops on inau-
guration day, to the decorations, the rre-
works and especially to the ball. They
profess to have been delighted at the
spectacle of the new President taking
the oath of office and delivering his inau-
gural address within the Senate chamber,
declaring the occasion to be the most dig
nified induction into Office In the history
of the country.
These people are in a small minority
Their proposition to make the Inaugural
ton an indoor affair for the benefit of q
few score Of the specially invited does not
appeal to the public sentiment. This is
not matter of speculation or guesswork.
The presence here Of 100000 people from
many states last Thursday is positive
proof that the country favors an outdoor.
ceremonial inauguration. With good
weather assured by change Of date
probably half million American citizens
would have come to this city, intent upon
observing or participating in the proceed
ings. A program that will draw such
multitude from the home and Office and
store over long distances cannot possibly
be rated as else than an institutional ex-
preston of the national sentiment.
There is a great difference between an
outdoor and an indoor inaugural. Last
Thursday the new President made his
bow to perhaps five hundred people. Sc
lected for special honor by a careful
process of discrimination. Had the
weather been propitious he would have
assumed the obligations Of Office in the
presence of many thousands, their num-
While only a comparative few in the case
of an outdoor ceremony hear the
words of the inaugural address, every
person on the Capitol plaza is enabled to
see the President in the act Of taking
to the vast multitude without discrimina-
ton or favor, that appeals to the Ameri-
can sense of participation in the govern
ment.
No matter how Representative" the
audience assembled in the Senate cham
ber, no matter how widely the new Presi-
Q0nI 3 message 10 lIlc p0OpIc udu uCCu OiS"
tributed in advance. the fact that last
Thursday the oath Of Office was adminis-
tered and the address delivered within
doors, out Of the sight and hearing Of the
people at large, robbed the Inauguration
of much Of its impressiveness. It Is to
avoid the resort to that expedient again
that the demand for a change Of date
sounds now more loudly and insistently
than ever.
Nothing can ever prevent the people
from attending the presidential induction
into office in large numbers. and there will
never be tolerance for the proposition to
eschew all the spectacular. ceremonious
features Of the occasion. The parade will
continue to be formed. to symbolic the
support pledged to the presidential of1ce
by all classes of citizens and to typify
the strength and permanence OF the gov
ernment. There will always be decora-
tions and fireworks, expressions OF the
public rejoicing. There will always be
some social cap-sheaf of the day, such
as the inaugural ball-reception. to present
the new President to the public. The
American people cannot easily conceive of
an Inauguration In other terms. They do
not understand why they should try to do
so. The traditional program pleases them.
and they now ask that the traditional
date be abandoned in favor Of one more
surely suited to the kind of Inauguration
which they desire and demand.