The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-17
PRES|OENT-ELECT
DECLARES AGAINST
INAUGURAL BALI
Writes to Chairman EustiS
Asking Feasibility of
Omitting 1t
EXPENS Sc ATTACHED u
IS CHIEF REASON'
Function Also Has Ceased tn
Be Necessary for Enjoy
ment Of Visitors,
He States

PRlNAEION, y. j., Jan. lS.--ln ME#
letter to William Corcoran Eusti4
chairman Of the Inauguration con1rnit&
Tee President elect Wilson called u13
the historic inaugural bali which hA4
heretofore been the important socfAlH
function in connection with the tn
auguration
/, las beer represented to the presto
dent elect that the bali is always ~
source of great unnecessary expere0]
To the government II has been o.
ciarsd the bah costs the governmON&
no less than $4,000 in the loss OF thu
services OF clerks In the pension butld~
ing. who have TO be laid of whil4
preparations for the ball are beinM
made
The president elect cannot see, there1
fore. where the ball serves an usef6M
purpose. Moreover, it viii save
each to the persons who would havo
attended
The president elects decision in Thu
matter is in keeping with his desir1
to make the Inaugural ton as simple 80
possible. Already. at his request, the
i aucnral parade has been greatly CON-
t.nfted in length. II will be recalled1A
Il q; he has also determined TO cut
out the daily receptions al the White
house and devote his time to the bust-s
,ess of the government. TN
letter to Chairman.
IFS letter to chairman Eustis fo14a
Ny Dear Eustis,
After taking counsel with a great
many persons ana assessing as well A.
I could general opinion In the, mat
ter. / have come tos the conclusion thakss
i is my duty 90 ask you 10 consid0S#
the feasibility of emitting the inaugu-
raj ball altogether
AA . h ~ has
| t..tion. because | do not wish TO inter-
fere with settled practices or with
| reasonable expectations Of tkase VINO
| usually so to enjoy the inauguratiOh@
| but II has come to wear the aspect o.
a sort Of public duty, because of the
| iaree indirect expense upon the govern~
| ment incidental to It, and because these
| balls have ceased TO be necessary to-
| the enjoyment of the visitors.
Il hope most sincerely that this re-
quest will in no way eu1barrass youss
| and that | have not too long delaye0s
| in making the suggestion
I with cordial regard. sincerely your1Sa
! WOODROW WILSON.
! Three Visitors Call.
] The president elect had three im@a
portant visitors in the course OF tbs
( day. The first was Representatives
! Henry. of Texas, chairman of the ruIeMs
committee Of the house. with whom
| ne went over the propose programm4a
| for the extra session. Then came SenAwS
tor Broussard, OF Louisiana, with WHOM
he talked over the proposed plan to doks
away with the Commerce court
Senator Broussard thinks that that
/ court or q court of equal jurisdictton2
ought 10 be maintained" said tit
president elect. ".and he discussed thai
! with me AZ length. I did not form anyj
! judgment ~ the subject at all. MOI
we did not take I'D the tariff nor diNI
we speak Of the cabinet
The other conference with deleGA%|
tIon from New York state with bodp1
for former Lieutenant Governor Tho97
r Conway for attorney general.
Mrs. Wilson went to Trenton witt
the governor in the morning She atsz
tended a meeting of the Colonial DAr11
OF New Jersey, but before going nm
spent half an hour with her diStinS
guished husband watching the whAelw
20 round as she said
While there George F, TAYLOR CAM
IN with Jasper a trick dog. half Ear
fish Bull and half Italian greyhoun1 =
The animal showed marvellous into331
ligence. At the direction of his mas
ter he pounded the typewriter. pick6N3
matches and paper from the floor xxl@5
deposited them in the cuspidors Aif11
waste basket. removed a mans -
laid rlfsri his slleetssales aha peEf0rmtG
rnanv other stunts, The governor 61
served that the dog seems as intA1S
ligent as many human beings
Governor Wilson would not comme4&1
on the report that Dudley Field btai0Ml.
is to be his secretary that Geor643
y;ordon Battle is to succeed Unit0Mg
States District Attorney Wise, A1M3
that William G. McComhs Is not WHINE
to accept ca bnet position 3
ITO ask me such questions II N
doubt NV veracity.' he said II hAx13
said many times have not arrfv41
at conclusion with regard to tt
cabinet. When | do ! shall ann0uA&
it."
Despair In Washington.
WASHINGTON. Jan 1s.-Therea
| CONSERVATION in the inaugural coI
| mittee. despair in the families Of
mem hers as result Of PresidAN@
| Elect Wilson's decision to cancel
inaugural ball. Chairman Eustia ii
to have led Mrs. Wilson In the mari
preceding the ball, and Mrs. Eue
was to have walked with the pre
dent So the ladies of other memh4
of the committee would have patxN
! with important men OF the incOunlS
administration. Because Of this gTS
social qundrennial function. there
been the keenest rivalry for appOi2
ment to this committee.
But the blow falls as heavily
the contributors to the inaugu1
! fund Fhey will not be able 10
their money back through the nal&
tickets TO the ball The merchx
and leading business men ~ the n
raised a fund OF about t10o.e4e&
prepare for the inauguration
tnfore from the sale of tickets ~
/ hall and from other privileges N
t.have beer reimbursed FIR fhefr m
| trihufions II has seldom cost
1 contributor even a portion of HI n
trihution Generally there hNt
b surplus which has heAr t1I1
over 10 charity.