Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-02-20
~ GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington-Fo the first time in
the history Of the ceremonies of in
augurating the chief executive Of the
United States, a Eice-pTesident-elect
is to be escorted to the capitol by
cavalry troop forming a guard Of hon
or in size and appearance the equal
Of that which acts as a mounted es-
cort to the president-elect. Thomas
Riley Marshall, the next vice-Dresi-
dent Of this country. viii be the pre-
cedent smasher, his escort consisting
of black horse squadron from In
diana
Some of the members Of the CON-
mittee on inaugural ceremonies did
not take altogether kindly to the plans
Of Nr IarshaI3's friends to make sec
ond place equal to first place, bit
Woodrow Wilson, hearing Of the OPP
position, said his partner on the ticket
and IN ONCE should be allowed any
thing and everything in honors that
his friends saw fit. and so it was that
the parade managers withdrew all OBJ
jeCtions to the appearance of the
Hoosier black horse squadron which
viii do honor TO Marshall of Indiana.
The viCe-president-elect ordinarily
rides from the White House to the
capitol with the outgoing vice-Dresi-
dent or the president pro tenn of the
senate. as the case may be, in car
riage following the one occupied by
the president-elect. but with sufficient
distance and enough people in be-
tween the two to make it known that
the escort Of honor is for the chief
and not for the subordinate This
year, however there viii be two es-
corts of honor and a division of the
acclaim OF the people along the route.
The melted chargers which will pre-
Cede flank and take up the rear Of Mr..
MarshalTs carriage are the property
of a private military school in the
H0osier state and they VIII be bestrid-
den by husky cadets trained, it is said,
along cavalry lines like unto those
followed at West Point.
Omission of Bal Blessing.
The members OF the committee of ar
raugements for the Wilson and Mar
shall dotngs seem to have reconciled
themselves to the loss Of the inaugural
bail and to the turning down of the
grand public reception plan They
are busy now letting the country know
that the elimination of the inaugural
bal is very much of a blessing. This
RI hn 81 n tier
of putting a good face on disappoint-
ment. but while the loss of the ball
may be a disappointment to the mem
beers OF the committee personally, they
are telling the truth when they say it
is a blessing.
Perry Belmont. who is a member of
the inaugural committee. has said:
THE figures which / have compiled
after digging out the statistics since
HarrisOn's Inauguration in 1889 con-
yinces me that an inaugural ball is
vastly oyer-rated function. About 12,-
600 persons attended the bail when
Harrison was inaugurated, and since
that time the attendance has de
creased steadily At the Taft affair
q little more than 5000 people went
to the ball and of these only 500
bought supper tickets. The decrease
i'm attendance at the balls has gone
hand in hand with an increase in the
size Of She crowds which have come
to Washington.
Parade a Cavalry Affair.
The evident intention IS TO make the
Wilson inaugural parade, to as great
an extent as possible, a cavalry af-
fair" The Essex troops of New
Jersey and the black squadron from
Indiana Will have places of honor, but
they dWindle away to the proportions
OF a cavalry corporars guard when
compared to the overlooking ranks of
the other mounted organizations
which VIII follow the leader from the
White House to capitol
There are to be ], 1000 mounted fox
hunters in the parade drawn from
the various nunt clubs of the coun-
try all of which the proponents of
Democratic simplicity tell US in the
typeWTiting Of the press agents are
exclusive organizations" Aristocracy,
therefore, on horseback and wearing
red coats and shining silk hats" will
precede the boys of Tammany if it can,
and follow them if it must
The governors colonies" or at any
rate the Democratic governors col
oneIs, are to have a chance to ride.
The governors are coming and with
them their stats. The word is that
several Of the states chief magistrates
have ordered their subordinates to APP
pear in brand new uniforms" AS for
the governors. they will ride frock-
coated and silk-hatted.
The inaugural committee promises
that during the four days which cover
the period of the visitation of
strangers" Washington Will be the
best lighted city in the world. The
semi-southern sun Will do its duty by
day, but at night between dusk and
midnight, which is supposed to be
Washington's turning in time, 10000
multi-colored incand asCent lamps
strung in festOOns between the capitol
and the treasury will illuminate the
broad thoroughfare of Pennsylvania
avenue. The capitol is to be illumi-
mated. One search light will throw
its rays upon the dome bringing out
the Goddess of Liberty into proper
relief while another viii make the
~--~~~--~-~~~-~-~~~~-~-~~~
Only One ]. Ed.
And he IS advertising again in the
20 I'LL fs~N