The Washington herald., 1912-02-01
INAUGURAL DAY
IS SNAT|0N' 'SEVENT
President Harper Indorses
Suggestion Made in The
Washington Herald.
GOVERNMENT TO ACT

Every day brings support to the sug-
Eestion OF The Washington Herald that
the Inauguration Of the President OF the
United States should be a national event
under the direct supervision OF the FED
eral government.
The time has come,' said President
Robert n. Harper, OF the District Ma
tional Bank. yesterday. when the
United States government should take a
hand in managing and financing the in
augurations OF our Presidents. Ever
since the establishment OF our govern
ment the people. and not the government
have provided a fitting celebration when
ever a Chief Executive has been inaugu-
rated into his new, office. They have
borne all expenses and have been self
sacrificing in more ways than one to
make 1t certain that the Inauguration
ceremonies would be successful.
at is now time that Congress should
finance the event. There should be an
appropriation sufficiently large TO cover
all expenses is connection with the inau-
gurations. The citizens OF Washington
will still be ready TO aid in planning the
affair, no matter II the government does
undertake to furnish the finances.
II Ball Is Abandoned.
IF we are denied the use of the PEN
sian Office am sure that II will be i'm
possible to raise a fund sufficiently large
to cover the expenses of the Inaugural
tion, when It is known that none OF the
money will be repaid The inaugural ball
is the only feature Of the inaugural cele-
bration which is in any sense Of the
word a money-making proposition.
''Of course. it would not be necessary
- kaf
the government finance the next inaugu-
ration II there was a suitable building In
the city in which the inaugural ball
could be held. What We should have is
a large hall that could be used for con-
ventions, mass meetings, and other SINH
lar public affairs. Such a hall could be
used every four years for the inaugural
ball"
Is n National Affair.
Albion X. Paris. broker and banker.
president of the Georgetown Citizens
Association, said:
The expenses in connection with a
Presidential inauguration should not be
borne by the business men of Washing
ton. The Inauguration ceremony is in
every sense a national affair. and the
expenses should be paid from the Treas
ury of the United States.
There never has been any reason why |
the citizens OF this city should have TO |
stand the expense OF an Inauguration. |
II is a matter in which the entire ma |
ton Is vitality interested, and therefore |
should be financed by the national gov |
ernment
For years the citizens of Washing |
ton have been performing a duty in be- |
half OF the entire nation, and yet they |
have had no help. Planning a success
full Presidential Inauguration is no small |
bit OF work. 1t entails weeks OF the |
most trying kind of labor. There are
many little details in connection with /
the celebration that the general public /
do not realize
THE time has come when We must
either have government assistance in
the way OF a proper appropriation or
permission TO use the Pension Office or
some other government building for hold
ing the inaugural ball. Unless We get
1ne or the other I am afraid that We
will have to go back to the style Of
Thomas Jefferson's inauguration, when a
single riding horse and a small body
guard were the most spectacular fea.
lures Of the event.