The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-03-05
A MONTH OF PREPARATION
Decorations and Stands Always the
Same and In Identical Spot-More
Elaborate This Year Because OF In
ternational Situstion-Many People
Agree With Congressman Ricketts,.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.

anne, anu there are men ~ tue III
tional capital who can boast Of hny-
ing seen every Inauguration for many
years past, some Of them going back
10 Lincoln aud. for that matter, ! pre-
sumo. some 10 the days Of Andrew
Jackson.
Then there are outsiders who mike y
n regular business to see every inaugu
ration. 1t is their holiday. We meet
them at national conventions ana at
some of the smaller cities throughout
the country from time to time, and
you will hear them saying that they
haven't missed an Inauguration for a
score or more Of years. Those are
the people who have the inauguration
habit"
Month OF Preparation.
This q~uadrennial c~eremony-this year
IL Ii not really a ceremony because
the president took the oath OF Office a
second time-is preceded by the same
preparations that occur every time for
an Inauguration. There Is always a
month OF preparations, when tue sound
of saw and hammer is heard from one
end Of Pennsylvania avenue to the 9th
or. Exactly the same stands are erect
ed and the same arrangements made
i'm every particular. IL the lumber
would last the same pieces of timber
and the boards could be saved and
used every four years. Then of course
the decorations are very much the
same. although this year. on account Of
the tense situation In regard TO our
foreign relations, there was "A more
elaborate display this year than ever
before.
interesting Inauguration Crowds.
OF course there is a great deal OF In
terest In the Inauguration crowds, II
the people who come to Washington
are very much interested In the OIL
cials that they are privileged TO see M
that time.
The president Of the United States j.
always "A popular figure, no matter
where he Is. As for the other officials,
only a small percentage OF the people
know when they see distinguished
men, such as cabinet officers, senators
anu REPRESENTATIVES, ~ 49,
great many of them have an opportu-
nifty to see the senate and hous while
in session, and the continuous perform
ance of these bodies this year affords
visitors an opportunity To choose their
time when they van to see either
house I'm session.
On the whole, nearly everybody IN
V.f-A. - - 49,, 4r.r Rn "a fl
1t goes without saying that the visi-
tors are particularly pleased with In
augural ceremonies and the sights 10
be seer here at that time.
Advance Of Prohibition.
One Of the most remarkable things
connected with this congress Is the adj
vance of the prohibition movement.
Not only have many states gone dry,
but IL il a settled policy of congress
that prohibition legislation will re
ceive favorable Endorsement at every
opportunity. 1t is the consensus OF
opinion that 1t is not very long be
fore a nation wide prohibition amend
ment will be passed by both houses Of
congress and sent to the states. of
course IL takes three-fourths Of the
states to adopt such an amendment,
but 1t will be pending forever after, as
there is no limit to the time when n
constitutional amendment may be
adopted.
Had a Short Term.
Congressman Rucker of Georgia
closes a short term In the house. He can
give some interesting "reminiscences
He came from Princeton university and
started life as a Washington CORE
spondent back I'm 1869. There are a
number of correspondents who were In
Washington previous to that time and
are still here, but they are no longer
acs:ve workers. Congressman Hucker
Is quite an old man now and has often
spoken of going to visit his grandchii'
dren when congress ended.
What Many People Are Thinking.
Judging from the correspondence
which flooded ongress during the last
few weeks, 1t is evident that n great
many people were thinking along the
same lines as Congressman Ricketts, of
Ohio, whose term expires with this con
gress. Speaking in the house, he told
why he was opposed to compulsory
military service, saying: God has
blessed Mrs. Ricketts, and myself with
three boys. and | do not want TO sac
riice them on the altar Of war If that
can be avoided. / think the people OF
America have gone war mad and pre-
paredness mad to a great extent"
He said that he had supported the
various preparedness measures and
also wanted 1t understood that he was
in favor of defending American rights
nor would his sons refuse service Il
defend the country. but he did not
want this country rushed blindly into
war.