The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-01-24
BIG SHOW CERTAIN
WILSON'S SIMPLICITY DESIRE
WILL NOT SPOIL INAUGURAL
CEREMONIES.
BIG PARADE ALWAYS PROPER
President-Elect's Hint That He Would
Like to Walk to Capitol Stirs Up
lscus:ion-Must Consider Taft's
Wishes.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-"M Make the Inaugural
ton ceremonies as simple as posi-
ble," is the request of President-elect
Woodrow Wilson.
Make the inauguration ceremonies
worthy in dignity and display of the
great victory Of the Democracy" Is
the dictum of most of the Democratic
leaders in Washington.
The local inauguration committee
has been appointed and has gone to
its work energetically. It is not un-
derstood that Mr.. Wilson's request for
simplicity means that he does not
wish to have a huge parade. Parades
the promoters of big inaugural events
say, are representative Of the people.
enjoyed by the people and are in
every way eminentiy proper. So it is
that while the actual inducing into
Office and part of the ceremonies In
which the president-elect has a per-
scnal place may be extremely simple,
it 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 a distance.
One Of the agitating questions just
now is whether or not there is any
likelihood that Mr.. Wilson will carry
out half-hint he has made that he
mansion to the capitol where the GER
emonies of taking the oath and of de-
livering the inaugural address take
| place.
Would Break All Precedent.
If Mr. Wilson should walk from the
White House to the capitol he would
break all presidential precedents of
inauguration days. Even Tho!Sas 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, were in such condition that no
man. president or other, could walk
far without becoming stuck boot-deep
In the mud
Gov. William Sulzer, who took the
path of office as chief executive of
| New York state on January l, broke
state precedent by walking from the
executive mansion to the capitol. but
that walk was only short one, the
day was perfect and the outgoing gov
ernor, Mr.. Dix. who had to accompany
his successor to the capitol, was per,
fectly willing to walk with him. 1t Is
not supposed in Washington that Mr..
Wilson had Mr. Suffers precedent in
mind when he limited that he might
like to walk from the White House
to the capitol. for it Is not customary
for a president to take example Of a
governor, but it is believed that the
president-elect really has desire to
make the walk to the capitol IL 1t can
be done without having 1t appear that
he is straining after an effect Of Dem
ocratic simplicity and thereby will
overdo the thing and bring it pos
sibly to the border Of ridicule.
MIR. Taft Must Be Considered.
When the president-elect starts
from the White House to 60 to the
capitol he will be accompanied by the
president OF the United States, for
Mr.. Wilson will not be president un.
til after he has reached the big legis
lative building on the hill and has
taken the oath Of Office. The question
is, therefore. would 1t be proper for
Mr.. Wilson in the capacity Of presi
dent-elect to insist that Mr.. Taft in
the capacity OF real president should
walk the mile and third along Penn
sylvania avenue to the capitol under
weather conditions which are very
likely to be bad.
Mr.. Taft Is q big man physically, but
contrary to general belief on the sub
| ject he Is a good deal of walker. II
can be taken for granted that II Mr.
Wilson actually shall request Mr.. Taft
to walk the mile and third with hin
he will acquiesce, but it may be that
In advance some one will suggest tt
the president-elect that the president
would prefer that the request be mo-
made
Appointments Still Held Up.
The senate is still refusing to con
firm many of President Tafts ap
pointments. Nearly all the mer
named for government places are
those whose terms have just expired
and Of course the Democratic senators
desire that these places shall remain
vacant until President.elect Wilson
takes Office and names persons OIL
his own choosing This matter Of
Democratic opposition to confirmation
of Mr.. Tafts appointments has beer
pretty thoroughly discussed in previ
Gus dispatches, but a new phase has
come upon the matter within Z
day.
II the Republicans in the senate
were united, and all of them could b.
brought to. attend the executive ses
sicns OF the senate, the president,
appointees could be confirmed despit,
Democratic opposition, but the Repub
llcan senator's are at variance, no
only on legislation. but on the wisdom