Ripley County democrat., 1913-01-17
WILSON'S SIMPLICITY DESIRE
WILL NOT SPOIL INAUGURAL
CEREMONIES.
BIG PARADE ALWAYS PROPER
PresIdent-EIsct's HIRt That He Would
Like to Walk to Capitol stIrs Up
olseussIon---Must censIdsr Taft's
Wishes.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

oie' 10 the request OF kTesluent-siect
Woodrow Wilson.
Make the inauguration ceremonies
worthy in dignity and display OF the
great victory Of the Democracy" IL
the dictum Of most OF the Democratic
leaders in Washington.
The local inauguration COMMITTEES
has been appointed and has gone to
its work energetically. II is rot un.
derstood that Mr.. Wilson's request for
simplicity means that he does not
wish to have huge parade Parades
the promoters Of Big inaugural events
say. are representative of the people,
enjoyed by the people and are In
every way eminently proper So 1t Is
that while the actual inducing into
Office and part of the ceremonies In
which the president-elect has q per
sonal place may be extremely simple,
II can be taken for granted that there
will be big show" In Washington on
March 4, perhaps the biggest show
ever presented to the eyes of the
capital residents and OF their visitors
from distance.
One of the sgitating questions just
now Ia whether or not there ts any
likelihood that Mr.. Wilson will carry
out half.hint he has made that he
would like 10 walk FROM the executive
mansion to the capitol where the GER
emonles Of taking the oath and OF de-
livering the inaugural address take
place.
Would Break Al Precedent.
II MIR. Wilson should walk from the
White House to the capitol he would
break all presidential precedents OF
Inauguration days. Even Thomas JEFF
ferson. whose course on the occasion
of his oath.taking is always referred
to as the acme Of simplicity, rode on
horseback TO the capitol, though vir
tually unattended 1t may be said that
the streets of Washington In Jeffer
sons day, certainly the middles OF
them, wero in such condition that no
man, president or other. could walk
far without becoming stuck bootdsep
In the mud g.
Gov. William sulser. who took the
oath of ONCE as chief executive oi
New York state on January 1. broke
a state precedent by walking from the
executive mansion to the capitol. hlt
that walk YVES only short one. the
day was perfect and the outgoing COY.
ernor. Mr. Dix, who had to accompany
his successor to the capitol. was per
fectly willing to walk with him. II u
not supposed in Washington that MT,
Wilson had Mr.. Suffers precedent In
mind when he hinted that he hight
like to walk from the White House
10 the capitol. for It Ia not customary
tor president to take example OF .
governor, but It 10 believed that the
! president-elect really has 4 desire to
make the walk to the capitol II II can
be done without having II appear that
be Is straining after an effect of Dem
ocratlc simplicity and thereby win
overdo the thing and bring Il pos
sibly to the border OF ridicule.
Mr.. Taft Must BE Considered.
When the president-elect starts
from the White House to go TO the
capitol he will be accompanied by the
president OF the United States, for
Mr. Wilson will not be president un-
Ill after he has reached the big lesis-
lative building on the bill and has
taken the oath OF once. The question
Is, therefore, would It ee proper for
Mr. Wilson In the capacity Of prssi.
dent-eleet to insist that Mr.. TAFT In
the capacity OF real president should
walk the mile and third along Penn.
sylvanla avenue to the capitol under
weather conditions which are very
likely to be bad.
MIR. Taft is big man physically. but
contrary to general belief Oh the sub
ject he Is a good deal Of 3 walker II
can be taken for granted that II Mr.
Wilson actually shall request Mr.. Taft
10 walk the mile and third with him
he will acquiescs, but II may be that
In advance some one win sagsest to
the presldent-eleot that the president
would prefer that tie REQUEST Be mot
made.
Appointments stlil Held up.
The senate 10 still refusing to con
trm many of President Taft's ap
pointments. Nearly all the men
named for government places are
those whose terms have just expired,
and Of course the Democratic senators
desire that these places sAau remain
vacant until Rresident-slsct Wilson
takes Office and names persons Of
bis own choosing This matter Of
Democratic opposition to oonArmstion
Of Mr.. Taft's appointments has been
pretty thoroughly discussed 10 previ-
Gus dispatches. but q new phase has
eoms upon the matter within =
aay.
II the Republicans II he ssHass
| we're unitHa. and al % them cenla BE-
brought to attend The executive ses-
sioaa Of the senate. the presidents
appcinlees could Be confirmed despite
Democratic opposition. but the Rspuh.
lican senators are 1t variance. not
only on legislation, but On the wisdom
Of the appointments whleA Nj. Tan
bss made. and therefore the ptessnt