Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-17

| George E. Hamilton, chairman of tn
| legislative committee, said: ways AM
/ means to reimburse the subscribers to tn
inaugural fund should not be discusse'
| by me until after the general commute
! has taken action
| Thomas Nelson Page, chairman OF tn
| reception committee. said: II do not be
| lieve I should talk on the situation unit
after the letter has been formally brough
to the attention OF the inaugural com
| mittee.'
Might Have Been Expected.
". ". Cox, treasurer OF the inaugura
committee. said that he thought Gov
Wilson's decision might have been ex
pected in view OF his previous remarks or
tie subject.
Capt. James F. Oyster, a member OF
the auditing committee Of the Inaugural
committee. said that he thought Gov
Wilson's views settle the matter as Tar a:
the ball Is concerned, but he thought thal
q promenade concert might he held. whics
would raise money. He had no sugges,
| ton to make as to where such a concet,
might be held.
D. J. Callahan. president-elect Of
Chamber of Commerce. said: LAS a me
Der Of the ball comnittee. / would pre-
not to be quoted until Chairman Eus
calls meeting formally to consider G's:'
Wilson's letter"
Cans Extremely Sorry.
Isaac Cans of the committee on q F.
works said: II am extremely sorry Y ~
Mr.. Wilson has asked that the bal pc
abandoned. Coming so late In the " RI
Of preparation for the inaugural fest 81
ties, IL did not give us time to make =; h
er arrangements. / don't see how his re-
quest can be looked upon with favor
Joseph Strasburger. president Of S:;he
Retail Merchants Association. said ila'
the move would prove a great disappSnt-
ment to business interests.
I'VE have been planning for thet tDal
for MONTHS. he declared. and the &cast
that Gov. Wilson could have done luld
have been to make known his sire
sooner" 4
Julius Iansburgh Of Lansburgh ros.
declared that Gov. Wilson's s2tion
was a hard blow to the business int ests
of Washington.
Position Of Business Men.
"The milliners and all others deal&g in
woman's apparel will be pretty hard
hit" he said. 1T will cut down IT," at
tendance at the Inauguration anGl will
make the occasion the poorest we. have
had in many years. I know OF ms own
knowledge that many business me-, who
subscribed hundreds of dollars f"" the
inaugural fund would not have subs ribbed
ten if they had known the ball Was to
have been omitted"
]. III. De Sibour. chairman of thE COM
mittee on souvenirs and tcketsS con-
siders that it is very late to canvel the
ball as part of the program He declared
that many arrangements are cor- oleted
for the function. and he has Nlmsef
gore ahead with the duties assisted to
him and provided for tickets programs
and souvenirs.
Director Ralph of the bureau Of zlgrav-
ing and printing said today:
II have ordered all work disco tinued
on the inaugural ball tickets and, souve-
Mrs. but I stand ready to take Zip the
work again should 1T be decided hat the
hall will be held. after all.
II have countermanded orders For the
paper on which the tickets were 20 have
been printed. For the past txo days
three men have been at work Son the
plates. The cost of all the VIC tk done
so far will DE but about $50"
Situation Held Perplexing.
Robert N. Harper. chairmars of the
committee on civic organisesieas saius :.
1.-The people who -ANwe come forward
and pledged money toward the Inaugural
fund have got to be looked aiSer. OF
course no guaranty was given scs scrfbers
that their money would be retH med to
them. but the custom Of the paxt makes
more or less of a moral obligc ZION de-
volve on the committee. The ~ituafion
is extremely perplextng and not ing very
definite can be said until thv general
committee has taken aetjop." ..e
Thonids w. Smith. mssssef ofkhe eom-
mittee on civic organisations AID Of the
n1 TSe , esm% shst xs saf ssys..ssv.
eminent as the result Of the ceSsation of
work at the pension Office is she basis
for Mr.. WilsonTs. objection to Che inau-
gural ball. This would be SO s.nall that
it is not worth considering. l;certainly
believe the inaugural ceremonies should
be held in accordance with tfl custom
that has been in vogue for 50 many
years"
Would Heed Traditioss..
W. T. Galliher. vice chairmxaa of the
fireworks committee and a pssmber OF
the finance committee. said:
IF the inaugural ball is >abts!shed the
one big social feature Of the Sanaugura-
ton will be done away with. We should
have an inaugural ball. We S,ould add
ausuration of our Presidents. as other
nations do with regard to the coronation
of their kings"
Regret also was expressed by officials OF
the District OF Columbia government con-
corning the adjustment of the ball.
Commissioner Cuno III. Rudolph stated
that the elimination of this fesxure OF the
inaugural ceremonies undoubtedly would
bring disappointment to hundl<ds OF per-
sons who would have no o*ler oppOr-
tunity to see the President.
DR.. Tindall's View.
A similar view was expressed by other
officials of the local goverrlxnent. Dr.
William TindaIl. secretary e. the board
of Commissioners Of the District, had
the following to say:
"The civic display and bal3 as a part
of the popular courtesy IL the new
President has grown to be a sort of I'M
written law. and the propoSed radical
change In it is. of course, . shock to
the people of Washington, like a bull
moose innovation in republican politics.
II cannot withhold my sympathy for
the hotelkeepers and mers ants. who
have come to look upon this OCCASION as a
sort Of windfaN While I sS, naturally
not in accord with any king Of display
the tendency of which is to FAKE people
revert to their infantile prkoensfties, I
cannot say that 1t will do mech violence
to the cardinal principle &C American
simplicity. The wise maxim Frederick
the Great. the most sagaciouS statesman
Of all time. that he let thexpeople say
what they pleased in order ttSt he might
do what he pleased, is a gCsod rule for
so, while / sympathize wYh the de-
81 no ~ MI IN,